No Excuses University Program Our Junior year ELA team partnered with a fourth grade class from Billings, Montana. I had a pen pal who I got the opportunity to get to know over the school year. Topics ranged from what we did the past weekend to our future goals and his questions about college. During the Christmas season, we donated books to their class so each student was able to have a new book to read over the long break.
ELA Activities Board I served as Co-Leader of the Activities Board for the Junior level ELA program. My duties consisted of organizing activities that would build community among the class. We planned a Christmas party with different prizes and games as well as a bowling night with pizza. Towards the end of the semester we had a couple of opportunities to study for finals as a group at Barnes & Noble. This role taught me the importance of planning ahead to make events successful and the impact a strong sense community can have on a person.
ELA Christmas Party 2018
Hidden In Plain Sight- Service Learning with the 31:8 Project During the 2017-2018 school year, myself and two other Criminal Justice majors worked with the 31:8 Project to complete our service learning project. We were able to assist the organization with making useful information handouts that they use for their events. We also were given the opportunity to create our own event in partnership with 31:8 from beginning to end. It was unique experience because we not only learned about human trafficking and its prevalence in the Bismarck area, but we were also able to educate others. The three of us were challenged by this event because we had to find community donors, book the location, and spread the word about the event. However, after completing this project I was proud of the learning and commitment my peers and I put into the event.
Hidden in Plain Sight Event , April 2018
Day of Service Each year I have had the opportunity to volunteer during the annual Day of Service. My sophomore year some of my teammates and I spent time walking dogs and cleaning kennels at Central Dakota Humane Society. As a freshman I cleaned the old Mandan Junior High as the starting point for creating low-income housing for the community. This past year, as a junior I had the opportunity to go back to this same site, but I helped put the finishing touches on the newly constructed apartments within this building. It was a rewarding experience to see how our efforts had made an impact on many people's lives even though it took multiple years.
2018 Day of Service - Central Dakota Humane Society
Special Olympics Every year my tennis team volunteers at the Special Olympic State Bowling Competition in Mandan. Seeing the joy in all of the athletes faces makes this a fun experience for everyone. We cheer on bowlers and encourage them to do their best while making sure they stay in order and follow the rules.
Growing the Game for Girls As a captain on the tennis team, I was put in charge of collecting sports bra donations from my teammates and coordinating with Sarah Cook, the soccer coach on this project. This has been a great opportunity for my team to realize how blessed we are with the equipment we have, and gives us a small way to give back to athletes across the world that aren't as fortunate.