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.

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.