Blog #1

What are your hopes for the service learning project?

            My hopes for my service learning project is to try and get a new perspective on someone else’s life and try to improve others while improving myself. I would also like to see what I take for granted and the different things I had at the age of these children that they don’t have. In general I hope to not take what I have for granted as much as I do and hopefully this well be an eye opening experience for me.

 

What are your assumptions about your service learning site?

            When it comes to my assumption of the Lydia Home where I will be serving, my assumptions are not very positive. I assume that these children come from lower income families. I also assume that these children have not had the opportunities that I have had at their age. At the age of 6 I had been out of the state of Iowa plenty of times. I had also been to Disneyworld the place where all children can only dream of going and I’m going to assume none of them have every even been close to having these opportunities.

 

What do you already know/or assume about the work they do?

            They work that these people put towards all of these children is a gift that not all humans can say they have. They are the ones with the warm hearts who open up their lives to helping these children and are there as a support system when the children need some guidance. As for the children I assume they will be working on homework and learning team building skills since they are in an environment that is filled with kids they all have to work together and share.

 

What do you know/ or assume about the population that they serve?

            I feel like they population that the Lydia Home serves is lower income families. I assume many of them live in the ghettos of Davenport and attend public schools. I also feel the population will be younger children since old children are involved with activities at school or they are of age to stay home alone until their guardian gets home. Another thing I assume about this population is that these children are not only bring raised by their mother and/or father but also by grandparents or other family members.

 

What connections/ interests/ passions do you have for this site or the population it serves?

            My parents are fosters parent and we have had under privileged children living in our home for the last six years. Many times I try to make them feel comfortable and loved since that’s what most of these children aren’t getting enough of. Since I have experience with children this is why I have chosen to do my service at the Lydia Home since it’s a comfort to me to help children as much as I can just like my parents.