Trick or Treat

Trick or Treat

October 15, 2018 Reflections from Changemakers 50

As we are in the spookiest of seasons, let’s do some trick or treating! For this blog post please talk about the tricks and treats of your service site. The Treats are the things that you love about your site, and what motivates you to keep showing up. The Tricks are the difficulties at your site, what sometimes makes you have a bad, what’s your least favorite thing? Think about how you might be able to change your tricks into treats, or at least make them a little better.

50 Responses

  1. Emerald Power says:

    There are so many aspects of my experience and work as a PA that I love. First, would be that it allowed me to come out of my shell and find my footing as a leader. Second, would be how over the years it has allowed me to work with others in the ACE office and challenged me to always take the opportunity to be outside my comfort zone . Lastly, would be how involved its allowed me to be with the Bonner network and our Bonner program here at Siena!

  2. Kevin Ziobrowski says:

    The treats of capital roots is definitely working with the food, which sometimes allows me to get a sample of the fresh delicious produce I work with. It is also nice working with my bosses who are very relaxed and understanding. Sometimes however, there is not enough work to do, which is definitely a “trick”.

  3. kayla ginger sweet says:

    There are many treats at my site! My supervisor Traci is such an inspiration, she’s in charge our the medical SUrgery unit at Sunnyview Rehab Hospital and it’s refreshing to see a woman in charge. The other treats at my site include the fact that many of my coworkers are very young and have the same sense of humour. Everyone is so welcoming and allow me to ask questions, and if anyone knows me they know I love to ask questions! I think one of the tricks of my site is that I serve from 8:30am-12:30pm so it’s very hard to get up and going in the morning since I have to drive myself. I know it may sound silly but it’s so much easier jumping in the service shuttle and going on your way! My last trick is that there are so many rules and protocols I have to follow since I’m in a hospital. This is expected but I get so excited after leaving my internship and I want to share everything but I can’t because ya know HIPAA. This site is challenging me in a way I haven’t been challenged before so I look forward to continuing my time at sunnyview and watching the tricks turn into treats.

  4. Harriet Koblenzer says:

    I am so glad that I am at Castle Island because I love my supervisor, the staff and students. It is such a great organization and filled with wonderful people. My supervisor is a role model to me, in which she founded and runs her own non-profit while balancing everything else in life. Recently I have stressed myself out, though, feeling like I am not doing enough at my site. I was a bit overwhelmed, and creating stress for myself that didn’t need to be there. To deal with it I talked it out with multiple people , reflecting, re-set and organized my schedule and work.

  5. Megan Jones says:

    School 2 is a wonderful site that I am so grateful to be a part of. From working with the faculty during the school day in order to assist a third grade classroom to building curriculum for Girl Scouts, there are plenty of treats to be had. The children I work with really do cease my stressors of the week and create such a positive work environment.Their energy and willingness to participate is really cool to see, and getting hands-on experience in a school as well as learning the inner workings of low-income school is quite vital to understand. The only trick working at the school is as much as I adore my site supervisor, sometimes our schedules conflict so it’s difficult to find time to connect with her. Although I do not plan to work in a school or with children in the future, I think the direct and indirect service that I learn to handle at the school is important to establishing and increasing the skills necessary to future careers.

  6. Brendan says:

    The CJOC is definitely a site full of tricks and treats. One of the tricks of the site is that it can be very demanding with a heavy workload, and I also feel what happens at the site is very consequential. Because my site deals with the criminal justice system, everything has to be very by-the-book and the outcomes truly have a visible and direct impact on peoples lives. In one way this is a trick, but it is also a treat because it helps to prepare me for the “real world” where the skills needed at CJOC would be valuable. Another treat is that I have gotten to meet so many great community-involved people, and I have been able to help guide people down a road of the restorative justice system and have seen their lives positively impacted.

    Happy Spookvember!
    Brendan

  7. Isabella Barone says:

    The treat of Mercy House is when I get to bring comfort to my site and talk to the women. It’s such a small act, but talking with them can be the best part of my day sometimes. It’s a double edged sword, but I light up when I’m told that I have been able to make a part of their experience at Mercy House more comfortable more quickly. I like aiding in whatever small ways I can, especially as I strive to leave a bigger impact. A big trick at my site is the emotional heft of it; there’s a part that you have to take back home with you and carry. Learning to keep up a professional emotional connection is hard, and I have some problems being authoritative and directive. It’s something I need to personally work on, and I hope that over time my skills to be professionally unyielding will grow.

    Much B-Love,
    Bella (at her Bella-Best!)

  8. Julia says:

    The treat of Boys and Girls club is being able to spend time with the kids. I love helping with homework (even though I continuously get fourth grade math problems wrong) and I love playing intense games of Uno. Without fail, the kids at Boys and Girls Club make me smile. Another treat of BGCA is being able to see the kids progress in school. I can’t believe how much they have grown up in the one year I’ve known them! The main trick of Boys and Girls Club for me is finding my confidence when facilitating a program. I’m really nervous that the kids won’t like my program. But, I reached out to my site supervisor and I’m going to schedule a meeting to make sure this program is fun and exciting!

    B-LOVEEEEEE,
    Julia

  9. kenia says:

    My social work site ( a runaway and homeless youth shelter) is brand new so all the staff is learning the tricks. The shelter opened this summer and there is still a lot of knicks and knacks being figured out. What I love about my site is having the ability to pitch ideas and being trusted to make them happen. A “trick” is that the shelter is still new and there is a lot of grey area with certain things. However, I love that I am able to see the process of how policies are derived and implemented.

  10. Lulama Nyembe says:

    The biggest trick that I have in my site is based on the minimal interactions I have with the community. The work that the site does as a whole is the sweetest trick I have ever encountered in this area of work. I absolutely love that TRIP works with people who have had difficulty obtaining housing not based on their own doing, but do to restrictions that are put on people who are generally minorities. I enjoy working with the wonderful men and women who continuously make this possible for a number of people in the community. It would be even better to be given a chance to directly work with the people the organisation attempts to assist. One other trick is that there are a few limitations on what we can do and assist as Bonners at TRIP. There aren’t enough projects that can be divvied up among all of us so at times one finds oneself working the same project for extended periods, and you can only stretch a project so far.

  11. Andraya Perez says:

    There are many treats to being a Program Associate. I love being able to work closely with the PA team and of course Kelly and Katie. I enjoy planning events and conducting interviews for recruitment! I’d say that there aren’t many tricks. At the beginning of the semester, when this very new to me, I was very overwhelmed, but now that I finally have my foot in the door I feel like I am really improving. I am still learning how to navigate basecamp and the team drive (which is tricky), but I am definitely getting a lot better!

  12. Thomas Ruhl says:

    Everything at the More House is a treat! I love the people at my service site and I love helping to make the Bonner Program run smoothly! If there were a trick it would probably be one of two things. Either the long walk to service, or making sure that everyone has done their blog posts. Although it’s not difficult, It’s really tedious and time consuming to check everyone off and make sure everyone has done it. But I don’t mind it too much, because everything else at my service site is going great!

  13. Meghan Conboy says:

    My site, Community Miracles in Action, is a good blend of tricks and treats. I really enjoy the type of service I am doing – working with my supervisor to implement a social activism program for teens – and I love my supervisor and the VISTA at my site. There’s always a lot to do, so I’m never bored, and the site environment is so upbeat and energetic. A major trick right now is that CMA absorbed some programs from the Cohoes Community Center, which suddenly shut down last week. Being such a new, small site, it is a big undertaking for us to manage basketball teams and a food backpack program as well. However, I think this will turn into more of a treat because this is an incredible way to inform people about CMA and support the Cohoes community.

    B-Love,

    Meg

  14. Kiara Woodward says:

    Green Tech definitely comes with tricks and treats. A few tricks have been motivating the boys to participate in some of the amazing opportunities provided to them and convincing them to make plans after graduation. The treats are being able to see students grow throughout the year and being able to see the college acceptances.
    I love building relationships with both the students and administration at Green Tech. I am also very grateful to take on the new role of site team leader this semester and take on a greater leadership role within my site!

  15. Justin John says:

    BAMS!BAMS!BAMS! This program has been rocking and rolling since the beginning of the semester. The total amount of people that attend each meeting has steadily increased over each meeting. The boys tell me that they are appreciative of having the space to share openly about how they fell about the topics we have for discussion. As for the tricks I wish the boys would pay more attention to there emails. I have to find a new way to communicate effectively with the guys. They are missing out on solid opportunities to network or engage on campus if they do so

  16. Rayan Omer says:

    Some treats that I face while serving at the writing center is knowing that a lot of students, whether there in college, high school, or elementary school will benefit from getting assistance at the writing center in their writing. It brings me joy and hope to know that. A trick that occurs at the writing center is finding the right time to go down that matches up with a tutor if you have a busy schedule since you pick your own service times in some cases. But I think it’s a good benefit to go whenever it best suits you since you don’t have to feel like your in a time restraint. Overall my site is a wonderful site that has more treats than tricks!

  17. Liliana Sanchez says:

    I treat is that I get to work with amazing kids and teens that make my time at the club enjoyable and worthwhile. The smiles, jokes and the relationships I’ve built with each and every one of them it’s what’s truly valuable and what makes me continue with my service at the club. The tricks are the grown ups sometimes, hence why I want to be a pediatrician ha. I sometimes bump heads with some of the admin which is to be expected working with nonprofits but sometimes I just need to learn when to step back and let the grown ups do their part as they are the ones that run the show, I’m just a little volunteer trying to make their lives easier and not the other way around. Overall, I wouldn’t change my site for anything, yes it’s time consuming and very demanding sometimes but the kids make it all worth it.

  18. Andrew Tessman says:

    Capital Roots is an amazing service site, and overall an amazing organization. I feel like I would be doing it injustice as an “outsider” to talk about “tricks and treats” of this non-profit. It has an amazing and passionate staff behind it, and they do tremendous work everyday. I should be working here because it is what’s right, rather than discussing what is fun and not so fun. In a way, that devalues the whole idea of what is going on here, something bigger than myself. But if you want me to write about the prompt then I will. Capital Roots is great because all the people are amazing and we do such great work everyday. There are some tricks here though. Sometimes we get so busy at different seasons, but in the end the tricks become treats when they are all done.

  19. Maddie Kousoulas says:

    Lately at School 2 with Girl Scouts there have been a lot of treats. Last week we finally had our first meeting and the girls were great! Since we are there throughout the day as well, I have the chance to go into classrooms to shadow and help the teachers. The class that I have been working with is a 3rd-5th special ed class and I absolutely adore them. The first day I was there, I was helping a student named Amare with math. Out of nowhere he just grabbed my hand and put it on his head. I asked him if he wanted me to keep it there and he nodded. This was amazing to see as Amare is nonverbal and that was basically his way of telling me he was comfortable with me. Another treat that I received from my class was when they sang happy birthday to me. I had mentioned to one of the students, that I had turned 18 and she started to sing and the entire class followed along. It was so nice to see them so excited.
    One of the biggest tricks that School 2 has come with is because of the construction. They are continuously going through renovations and with that we are in the process of trying to find our place for the meetings. One way we can turn this into a treat, is that it is helping our communication skills with our Supervisor. Having to be in constant contact with her has helped us establish a dynamic between all five of us.
    Overall, my site is absolutely amazing so far!!

  20. A'Livija Mullins-Richard says:

    My position at the Produce Project has more treats than tricks. To begin, I enjoy working with the kids that I work with. They are all very different and interesting to interact with. In addition, I appreciate the creative freedom with projects I get there. The only trick I can think of is how unorganized they are and the “make it up as we go” mentality. It can be hard to follow, and also not very thorough.

  21. Nia Colon says:

    I have many treats that I have at The Boys and Girls Club than tricks. One of the biggest treats is to be able to play with the kids watch them just enjoy their time at the program. I feel like when I am helping them with their homework I can tell that I am making a difference, because I can see them go from not understanding a topic to being able to get it on their own. There is only one trick that I have at the Boys and Girls Club. It would be that I am not sure what program the kids would really enjoy. I think this trick will be fixed once I get to know the kids better.

  22. Tristan Hunzinger says:

    The big treat at my site, Green Tech, is the rewarding feeling that I get when helping a student finish a project like his college essay or his required service hours. It is a great privilege to work with so many students who are motivated to do the work necessary to get into their desired colleges. Their motivation is what motivates me to come in to service, and their cooperation makes it very enjoyable.

    The trick is trying to connect with the students who are still reluctant to work on their applications and their essays. We have all been high school students, so we can all relate to the laziness and procrastination that comes around the time of filling out applications and writing college essays. This is what poses a problem at my site, as there are several students who are hesitant to do the work necessary to get into college.

  23. Nicole Pazarecki says:

    The treats at TRIP are definitely the people that I work with in the Home Ownership Center. My supervisor Caitlin and the rest of my co-workers are nice, friendly and willing to help me at my site. They motivate me to do better and improve my skills! The tricks of my service site is that some tasks might be confusing or really detailed. Sometimes I am nervous to ask too many questions because every detail and number is important.

  24. Jamie del Rosario says:

    This year I am living in the treats of being a PA (my favorite of which are the occasional brownie appearances at our meetings). I have sincerely enjoyed getting to take on new roles within the position. The most satisfying part has been tackling new challenges such as the formerly dreaded qualtrics, and seeing the finished products of our work in action and going out to the rest of the Bonner program. Though we sometimes disagree, I enjoy working with my team and have found that we excel at collaboration to come to our best possible solutions to keep growing ACE. Some of the tricks are that I am no longer at a campu partner site, and I do tend to miss the hands-on work with the community and various in-need populations. I hope to get back to some of these roots soon and explore different options as a PA.

  25. Justin Kenyon says:

    This semester I’m with CPI. The treat of my new placement is getting to learn more about researching several different policies. This has been something that I’ve always wanted to learn and now I have the ability to do it. While the trick of my new placement with CPI is that I don’t have much interaction with my target population. In the past when I was at TRIP I was able to interact with those I was serving. However, with CPI I don’t have that.

  26. Dana Wakeman says:

    There are lots of treats at my site. The staff is kind, supportive, and overall incredible to work with. They are eager to help me learn more about resources available to the guests through working with the case manager. Another treat are the clients themselves. The clients are vastly different because they have varying needs, so working with them is always something new. However, a trick is finding my place at the site, but I am working to find where I fit there and how I can help address the needs of the site.

  27. Monique Lawrence says:

    The treats about Green Tech is seeing the community that the boys are surrounded with that want to help them graduate and help them mature into young men. It is also a treat that the students are able to come back and connect with the current students to talk about their experiences in college and how the schools helped them become the people they are today. It is also a treat that the students are not afraid to come to the guidance team with any issues, questions or just want to talk about something that is on their minds. There were literally times when the students would ask me questions about life and their purpose and I would be at a lost of words.

    Some of the tricks that while the support system at the school is strong, the head of student support has transitioned out of her role and has placed more stress on the other people in the department. Also, some of the boys do not notice the amount of support until it is too late or after they graduate. Another trick is that the boys tend to jump to conclusions during the college process and delays the process, which sometimes has negative effects on their senior year. Another trick is that the mentoring program that the guidance team has is a good idea but needs to help the younger students be in a better place once they hit senior year. That is why this year, on top of completing my capstone with green tech, I will also be helping the team out with revising the mentor program so the students are able to meet more often and start to talk about certain things affecting their communities on a daily basis.

  28. Hayley Pijanowski says:

    As I am going into my third year with TRIP, I cannot feel more grateful and supported at this site! Everyone who works at TRIP is truly amazing at supporting Bonners and giving us the space to grow. Since I started at TRIP I have moved around within the organization and am now currently working with Rental Management. I like this role because it has given me direct access to serving tenants. One of the Tricks at TRIP is that it is hard to find your area of expertise, because there is always so much going on and so many different departments that need help. TRIP has grown so much since I started and it has been fun to see the organization change over time. I’m excited to see what happens within the next two years!

    B-love,
    Hayley

    • Sydney Maughan says:

      The treats about my site are how organized it is. Projects are clear and it has a comfortable working space. I enjoy the people I work with and the relationships I have made. I learn new things everyday, particularly about TRIP’s history and its accomplishments. I’m motivated by the work that TRIP is doing for the community and because I like the idea of being apart of something bigger then myself.
      Difficulties at my site are becoming involved in more programs related to my major, business; accounting and finance. i don’t mind the things I’m working on now, but once I can start working on the finance side of the organization, I won’t have any problem staying completely motivated and interested in what I do. In order to get where I want to be though, I know I have to start off with the basics and work my way up slowly, in order to get more important projects that’ll relate to finance and accounting. If time goes by and nothing changes I could also talk to the people “above me” and let them know what I’m interested in doing.

  29. Nancy Rasmussen says:

    At my site, Troy School 2 Girl Scouts, there have been both tricks and treats. There are definitely more treats than tricks at my site, however. Seeing the happy faces on the kids every Monday and Wednesday is definitely a treat! Also, helping out in the first grade classroom is also a treat because the students are very cute and are very willing to learn. A trick at my site would be the days that there’s nothing to do. I can change this trick into a treat by planning future Girl Scout meetings.

  30. Skylar Nijhawan says:

    At my site, there have been both tricks and treats since the semester has started. One big trick that we had been having was being unable to set up meetings with school and get projects rolling due to the unusual amount of heavy schedules. However, we are pulling through that and plan to begin entering school’s starting Oct. 24th (Yay!). I have had multiple treats while at this site. The Writing center, quite like Bonner, is a family that cares about your well being and your success. Although there are tricks and treats at the site, I wouldn’t want to be placed anywhere else. The writing center has not only become a safe haven for me, but also a home.

  31. Kate Callery says:

    I found my treats to be the opportunity to work at Catholic Charities. It is a great site filled with dedicated and enthusiastic individuals! There’s a lot to be done and I always am eager to be part of the effort to get things done. I also find the work ethic of Catholic Charities to be a treat. It seems like I always have tasks to do and that I can use my service time productively.

    The trick I have seen this semester is my own attitude. I think I’ve struggled a little to get involved and stay motivated to go after the work that is important to me. I also have found the stress of school affected my service more than I would like. However, I am working to turn my trick of an attitude into a treat!

    • Emma Henderschedt says:

      Kate!
      You are doing amazing things. I found that sophomore slump is such a real thing. Being aware that you are feeling that way is a great way to overcome that hurdle. It’s hard to not be the freshman anymore, plus going abroad in the Spring definitely affected my attitude fall semester. Just keep on being your radiant self!
      B-Love,
      Emma

  32. Danielle Dreyer says:

    Recently at Capital Roots, I have switched from the communications and development department to the Squash Hunger Program. Working with Squash Hunger for only a short period of time, I feel that I have yet to experience some of the bigger tricks and treats. However, the more hands-on work I have been doing with them allows me to experience the ‘treat’ of the program. So far, I have been packaging food for pantries that get delivered by special needs community outreach groups such as the Center for Disability Services and the ARC. It is definitely a treat getting the opportunity to help these groups and watch the food I package go straight to the pantries for those in need. However, the food processing system that we use for the Squash Hunger program to keep track of the food is fairly new, so one of the tricks is getting used to the system and figuring out how to improve it. This isn’t a huge ‘trick’, but it definitely hinders the program’s productivity since everyone is still learning.

  33. shaylaencarnacion says:

    Being at the Executive Office of Catholic Charities it often has a lot of tricks and treats. The treats for me are far more than the tricks. Some of these treats include being able to continuously work on my professional skills, taking on projects completely alone, having a supervisor that believes in me and pushes me, and knowing that I can advocate for myself at all times. In addition, I love that I am able to help out in the community in a way that often is not thought about such as the capacity of volunteers in our organization. However, the #1 trick for me is that sometimes I get caught up in the idea of me not having actual direct service. Sometimes I feel like I am not making that much of an impact, but when I really reflect on it I know that I am. Overall, I love being at Catholic Charities and I have grown tremendously here especially because of the projects that I have been given.

    B-Love,
    Shayla

    • Emma Henderschedt says:

      Shayla,
      It has been so interesting transition to indirect service, especially after three years of direct service as a Bonner. I am so excited to see what your capstone turns into. You are AMAZING!

  34. Ecli Vazquez says:

    What keeps me coming to Sunnyside is honestly the kids and what the staff has to bring to the table. When you walking into Sunnyside you get this warm feeling. That’s what makes me so happy about coming. My least favorite thing is I feel that don’t kids don’t have enough to do sometimes. A good way I want to change this is by coming up with different types of activities.

  35. Abby Hoekman says:

    There is a good balance between tricks and treats at my service site. Some of the tricks involve difficulty communicating with my supervisor about certain projects or interests I would like to pursue due to a conflict of visions and goals for my service work. Also, I sometimes feeling like the work I am doing every week lacks sustainability and a deeper-level of purpose for my site as a whole. I think this could be turned into a treat if I have a candid conversation with my supervisor about what I would like to pursue and accomplish at Unity House. Some of the treats that I greatly enjoy at Unity House are the many events and trainings I am able to attend. Outside of my normal service hours there are many opportunity to experience the work Unity House is doing directly in the community. To name a few, I have had the treat of attending events such as, A Child’s Place Carnival, Survivors of Domestic Violence Art Shows, Trunk or Treating, and the annual Unity House Gala. Furthermore, my supervisor conducts a variety of trainings that I have had the opportunity to attend. Topics of trainings I have attended thus far include, “The Big Ask” which discussed how to ask for money as a nonprofit and a Communications Trainings. I find this to be a big treat as it allows me to gain practical skills that I can directly apply to my site and bring with me in my future.

    B-Love,
    Abby

  36. Emma Henderschedt says:

    At my social work field site, there are so many amazing opportunities that I have gotten. The “treats” of my site include the people that I get to serve. At the District Attorney’s Office I do a lot of indirect service, however, at this site I am able to work with clients. I have a large load of clients that I am responsible for and I really love making relationships with them. I also love the people that I work with, my supervisor, the other interns, and the receptionist (who may be the funniest person I have ever met). I also really love the work that I get to do. We do career counseling so I help clients with mock job interviews, making resumes, and doing applications. For anyone who knows me, making resumes is basically my favorite task in the world so this internship is a perfect fit. Also, the therapy Pug is a huge TREAT!!
    In terms of “tricks” there isn’t many. Sometimes traffic in our office is slow so I could have nothing to do. To overcome this, I work on additional tasks to prep for my next client meetings, research job opportunities, or shadow my supervisor.
    In terms of the DA’s Office, I am only there minimal hours each week doing capstone work. The treat of this site is that my supervisor is my favorite human being ever. She really inspires me and I am so glad to have worked under her for the last three plus years. I also use this time to work on capstone stuff which is helpful. I can’t say anything bad about this site because my role has greatly shifted senior year, however I still love it here and I think that passion will come out in my capstone.

  37. Alexee Seifert says:

    My site castle island had a combination of tricks and treats . Some treats are working with the kids . They are so cute and have wonderful personalities that make me laugh . They are a huge part of why i continue to go to my service site . I love talking and teaching them . They inspire me to continue to be motivated throughout my life. Another treat at my site is that is a great organization that really impacts the kids life in a way that works around who they are . I also love the people i work with my supervisor it super nice and the Ualbany kids i work with are awesome ! Some tricks are the long hours because i am so stressed and tired from
    School so i find it hard to always be motivated to go there . Also i sometimes don’t like the assignments i am assigned . I can change my tricks into treats by continuing to have a positive attitude and try to motivate myself to make the negatives into positive experiences. I can also make them better by realizing how much i am doing for my site by going . Lastly i can just try to look at the bigger picture of things instead of the small tricks i am encountering .

  38. Alexis D'Aloia says:

    There are definitely many treats at my site and there are also some tricks for me as well. Some treats are the fact that Unity House is so big, so there is always something new to learn about it and its different departments. Another treat is that we have so many awesome opportunities to attend events for Unity House such as their pre school carnival, Domestic Violence Awareness events, and their annual gala. It allows us to gain a different perspective in our service aside from what we are doing each week in the main building.
    The tricks at my site are times when it is hard to communicate with my supervisor because things are often very busy for her. It sometimes leaves us with a lack of direction and eventually frustration. However, I have managed to turn this trick into a treat, for myself anyway. Whenever I am not needed for any urgent project in the development office I make my way to my other supervisor-like person, who can always use some help with some more hands-on tasks with clients at Unity House– which is something I always enjoy.

    Only 15 days til Halloween!!

    BLove,
    Alexis

  39. Samantha Gisleson says:

    At my site I think that there is a great balance of tricks and treats. There are enough treats for my time at service to be enjoyable, but there are also enough tricks to keep me on my toes. The treats at my site include the lovely people I get to work alongside at Capital Roots and the variety of projects at my site. The various different projects that Capital Roots oversees allows me to get to work with a variety of people on a variety of tasks, and it also allows for a change of scenery. For example, I normally work with the Marketing Team at Capital Roots, so I am often in the office on my computer. However, a few weeks ago I got to travel to Capital Roots’ farm to help harvest a variety of veggies. Moreover, Capital Roots is a very-laid back organization, so I never feel overwhelmed. With that being said, although the people at Capital Roots are always cheery, there is always something that needs to be done. This leads me to one of the tricks of my site, which is that even though there is a lot to be done at Capital Roots, I occasionally find myself unsure of what I should be doing at a given time. My supervisors are both very busy, so it is not always easy to set up meetings with them to help me transition from one project to another. Another trick is learning to work with new softwares that I have never been exposed to in the past.
    Although my site does have a few tricks, I think that each of them can help me in some way. For example, learning to work with new softwares is difficult, but it also gives me experience that could later help me get an interview or job. Moreover, I think that the independence I have at Capital Roots will teach me how to be less reliant on others and to instead find ways to solve my own issues. I really have enjoyed my time at Capital Roots so far and look forward to both new treats and new tricks that may arise over the next four years.

  40. Alyssa Lofaro says:

    There have been a lot of treats and not so many tricks at my service site so far this semester. On of my favorite treats is going to Open House events. I really enjoy speaking to potential students about the Bonner Program and why it is so unique. I also really like hearing there stories, and why they want to continue to participate in service throughout there college career. This semester, Jamie and I have been putting the new leadership development application. I have not only really enjoyed getting to work with Jamie since we really did not get to last semester, I also didn’t realize the amount of leadership opportunities students can take on within the ACE office. I think ACE is unique in that we want all of our students to take on some type of leadership role whether it is at your site, or taking on a new site/ challenge and we have many opportunities for you to do so. Finally, another treat that I have had at my site is working with the CMA and CR teams. I have liked hearing about our new site CMA, and hearing all the cool things Meg is already doing there. I also get to experience a little bit of a flash back and hear all the great stuff happening at my former site, Capital Roots. I love that, that site continues to grow, especially since there are four first year students placed there.
    One trick that I have at my Service Site is that I unfortunately do not have access to the service shuttle therefore walking up the more house when the weather is awful is not fun at all. Thankfully, I have only had to walk up in the rain twice, however winter is upon us and from what I’ve been hearing it isn’t going to be a great one!

    • Jamie del Rosario says:

      Loved getting to work with you on leadership development. One of my favorite projects thus far! So glad we got it done.

  41. Shelby Doren says:

    There are more treats than tricks at my site, Capital Roots. I love the organization and the many programs it runs. I walk in knowing what I am doing is helpful to the community surrounding me. One of the treats is that some of the work I do challenges me to further develop my computer skills. Another treat is the environment that I walk into three times a week. Everyone is very friendly and willing to help out if you get stuck or are confused with a task you are doing.
    With treats there was some tricks that arise. One is that sometimes the stuff I am doing can be tedious but I know that it is something that has to be done. One other trick is sometimes I do not always have something to do and it will take a little bit till they are able to find something. But they are all very busy themselves with training their huge new staff and getting the things they need to get done can be a lot. These tricks do not always occur but I understand why sometimes they do. Overall the treats definitely outweigh the tricks at Capital Roots.

  42. Greg Winkelstern says:

    Treats cannot occur without some tricks! These two events go hand and hand. I have ran into a few tricks at my service site so far. The first is long days. I work two days a week at my site for about four hours a day. This sometimes makes it very difficult to stay motivated, positive, and on task, especially if I am having anything but a great day. The second is too much to work on! Often I find myself being asked to complete multiple tasks at once which can add a bit of stress to my day. Lastly, the different tasks I am asked to do are often by different people in the office, which can sometimes get a bit complicated.
    Despite these, I have been exposed to many treats. The first would be the very welcoming and friendly employees in the office at my site. They are always willing to help me learn. The second is hearing that the programs that TRIP run that I helped put together and organize went well. Even though I am unable to see the program operate myself, it is really motivating and makes me feel good when I hear how to program went. I also get to see this when I go over the attendees evaluations. Finally, it was really eye opening when I got to go on inspections with an employee in the Rental Management Department last week. Although it all wasn’t pretty to see, it was something I had to see and helped me understand what I am doing here at my site.
    In order to try and find more treats in my day, I will be trying to communicate more with the people around me to be more efficient in my work. I will also try to remember the people I’m serving with and the opportunity I have to be more positive and motivated throughout my working day.

  43. Michael Averill says:

    There have been many tricks and treats so far at my service site, Castle Island Bilingual Montessori School. The tricks lie within the work that I have been doing thus far. My job is to gain sponsors for our upcoming fundraiser, but this proves to be more difficult than I first thought it would be. Although our school is a certified nonprofit organization, many companies would rather support other fundraising initiatives outside of education. Sometimes it’s disheartening to see the lack of support that education gets from the community, as some businesses will specifically state that their sponsorships do not apply to schools.

    Yet, these tricks that make the work at my site difficult, can also be seen as the treats. I am motivated everyday at my site to work harder to promote our school and gain sponsors so that our fundraiser can be a success. We are raising money so that our school can continue to offer tuition on a sliding-scale income base, making a bilingual Montessori education accessible to all families in The Capital Region. When I gain sponsors, I feel a sense of pride in the work that I’m doing for our independent, nonprofit school, and this is the real treat.

  44. Grace Harris says:

    I love Girl Scouts and lately there has been a lot more treats. The kids have been super sweet, I met this one girl named Vanessa who I met during a Girls on the run meetings. She was like the human version of sunshine. I’d really say it’s the amazing people that I get to work with that keep me motivated. Not only do I have awesome kids but I love my team and my supervisor. I also love how everyday is a little different. One of the hardest things though is how draining it can be at times and although I love it sometimes I just need a break from running around. This is helpful because it made me understand better what I want to do with my life and understand that I don’t want to work exclusively with kids!

  45. Marlie Frisco says:

    At my site, there are both tricks and treats. The so-called “tricks” at my site are the numerous things to do. Sometimes, there are just too many projects at once and it can get difficult to navigate the importance of which ones should be done first. With that being said, there is always something to do. For me personally, I think it is motivating to know that they could always use our help and have various opportunities for us. I think part of the way to change the tricks into treats would be perception. Instead of seeing all of the projects as obstacles, see them as opportunities for both you and your site. It is also important to be clear and know your limits without taking more than you can handle. Further, with there being so many projects, it is easier for me to choose things that peak my interest. I can complete them while also knowing I am helping my site expand.

Comments are closed.