Sunday, April 19, 2015

Hannah's Third Visit Reflection

Hannah Paye
April 12, 2015 11:00 am- 1:00 pm
Challenger League Baseball
Robert Crowe
(650)-269-2129


For my PACT project, I decided to work with an organization that focuses on helping kids with special needs get more involved with sports. Challenger League is a baseball league that my partner, Charlie Roth, and I have been involved with for a few weeks now. Before my first visit, I was a little nervous to be a bubby to a kid with disabilities. Before the season starts, the kids don’t normally know much about the sport and the parents expect you to be completely in control of their child. The kid’s disabilities range from very severe to hardly noticeable. Because of that, each kid requires different kinds of help. From my previous experience with kids with special needs, I know that they often are unable to participate in sports because of their disabilities. Finding a league for them to join can be hard and Challenger does a good job catering to the demand for a team that specifically focuses with these kids. Because of my brother, I have a special place in my heart for these kids. I know how important it is to try to get these kids active and also give their parents a break. I know that by being a buddy I have created a huge impact on the kid’s lives as well as their parent’s lives. This organization would not be able to run without the help of its buddies.

Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Izzy's 3rd visit reflection

Izzy Koningstein
Date and 3-4 pm
Selby Lane School
Supervisor’s Name
Supervisor’s Contact Information

Before beginning my PACT, I was aware of how public schools are at different calibers, but I didn't know to what extent. When I first started tutoring at Selby Lane School, I came upon the problem that the fourth grade students were struggling with their basic math skills such as adding. When I think back on my elementary school education, I think of the fun rocket math activities I did as a third grader which tested multiplication and division. The gap between the fourth graders at Selby Lane struggling with addition and me who was excelling at multiplication and division a year earlier indicates the discrepancy throughout the community in education. A lot of the children at Selby Lane are predominantly Spanish speakers, which presented a bit of a language barrier since I don't take Spanish. With a lot of these students their Spanish skills are better than their English skills, which makes for a hard learning environment. I learned that I am comfortable working with kids through my service work, and by my second visit it was so fun working with the same kids again and again to see their progress. I think I have made an impact through my service because the teachers don't have time to attend to every student and I got to help every student that was struggling.

Monday, November 3, 2014

Blog Instructions

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR PACT ENTRIES
In lieu of writing one journal entry per PACT visit, you will write TWO blog entries (approx. 250 words each) about your PACT service work. You will write one entry after you’ve completed your first THREE visits to your site and the other entry after you’ve completed all FIVE visits. Post your entries to your advocacy’s blog so that your peers can see and comment on what you’ve done.

ENTRY CONTENT
1. Do not waste your 250 words describing how you got to the site or listing inconsequential details about every action you performed while there. Give us the information that matters. Analyze what was going on below the surface of your actions or interactions. Keep in mind the social issue(s) you are trying to solve. Surface-level entries will not receive full credit.
2. Consider incorporating answers to the following questions:
  • Before beginning your PACT, you probably had preconceptions about your organization, your issue, and/or the population you were going to serve. What were they, and how did your PACT work challenge those preconceptions?
  • Did you discover anything about yourself through your service work? Were you at all surprised by your emotional reactions over the course of your service?
  • Do you believe you had an impact through your service? If so, what did you accomplish?

ENTRY FORMAT
At the top of each entry, list the following information. Then, skip a space and begin writing.

Your Name
Date and Time of PACT Visit
Organization Name
Supervisor’s Name
Supervisor’s Contact Information