Community Service Reflection

Camp Chance is an organization the Watertown Police Department created. Children of low
socioeconomic status are invited to this program which is a 3-day camp every summer. There are
different age groups each week to associate children with similar size and ability. As a volunteer, I
helped with second and third graders. I was named the group leader to about 18 children, which means
I had the schedule for each day and was responsible for getting my group to each destination on time.
The first day of camp was held at the police department while other organizations came to us. For
example, Family Dental Center came and gave lessons to the children on keeping their teeth healthy and
strong, Lake Area Nutrition taught children about MyPlate and healthy eating habits, Ultimate Kicks Tae
Kwon Do provided self-defense lessons, Watertown Humane Society brought animals in to describe
when animals are safe to approach, and Archery Club members came to provide an activity for the kids
which helped work on listening skills and taught safety around dangerous weapons. My part in these
activities was to make sure children were participating appropriately. Sometimes children were very
disrespectful to the presenters, so it was my job to help the students follow directions. The second day
we were bused to the zoo. Here, all the children were excited, so they were a bit jumpier and more
hyper than the previous day. Walking around the zoo made it extremely easy for a child to stray from
the group, so I was responsible for making sure no child left our zoo guide. The last day we went to Joy
Ranch where kids could ride horses, play games outside, and go on wagon rides. For kids, this was the
most exiting day because they were outside with various physical activities. Here, I was again
responsible for making sure my group stayed together the whole time through all the activities. Also, I
needed to make sure the children were getting enough to drink on a hot day and wearing enough
sunscreen to keep them protected.

Volunteering at Camp Chance is such a rewarding experience, but also comes with many
challenges. I get to work with young children and help them learn safe ways to have an exciting and
enjoyable summer. I share my experiences with them, so they have someone to relate and compare to.
This is always fun because I end up learning activities from the children. While I may not be directly
teaching the children, I observe how the presenters teach and how to keep the children engaged. This is
an important quality of an educator because teachers must provide lessons for their students to work
on but must also keep them engaged to prevent them from getting distracted. Another reward is
creating relationships with the kids in my group in just three short days. I get to know each and every
child and they get to know me. I interact in each activity, just like they might, to form a closer bond. This
is important for my future as an educator because great teachers need to be able to form close
relationships with each student in their classroom. If I can form a connection with 18 children in just
three days, then it should be no problem for me when I become a teacher. Lastly, Camp Chance helps
children to feel more confident about themselves and their dreams. As a volunteer it was my job to
make sure every child felt safe in our group. As a teacher, it will also be my job to make sure every
student feels safe in my classroom and confident to talk to me about any problems they may have.
Students must feel safe and confident in the classroom in order to perform to the best of their ability.

Along with various rewards came several challenges. Some of the children in my group had a
diagnosis of ADHD, some had many allergies, and some just came from families with little structure and
discipline. This was extremely challenging to keep every child in the group engaged in one activity. I
often found myself modifying an activity to make it more acceptable to the child who may be bored with
the activity or to the child who may think the activity is too difficult. While this was extremely
challenging for three days, it really helped me to understand what teachers go through every day on the
job. They must meet the needs of each student in their classroom to help them succeed. This may mean
a little more work for the teacher, but student success if more important than anything. I learned many
insightful strategies for teaching while having an amazing experience volunteering for Camp Chance.