My experience so far with working at the Athens Area Homeless shelter is great. At first I was a little hesitant about working with kids, mainly because I am an only child and I am the youngest one in my family so I am not that used to interacting with younger kids around me. But I soon found out that I enjoy kids very much and in a way a part of a kid is still inside me. Basically I go and work at the Athens Area Homeless shelter twice a week for two hours each time. I take care of kids (age 2-7) along with other volunteers while their mothers who are homeless and or addicted to some type of narcotic/drug have meetings with Kerri Steele a social worker who has meetings with these women. My job consists of playing games with all of the children, playing sports at times, and helping them with any homework, for the ones that are in school. Sometimes an elderly lady named, “Ms. Smiley” comes in and reads for the kids, while I try to round some of them up and make sure they pay attention and listen. I also read to some of the kids that ask to be read to. All in all I try to be a role model as best as I can for these kids in terms of behavior skills, friendship, and leadership as best as I can.
Like I said before I was a little hesitant to do this service-learning plan, due to the fact that I do not have much experience interacting and being in an environment with toddlers, and young kids. I feared that I would not be able to connect or have any point of reference in terms of