Capstone Project
The agency that I am interning with is Lutheran Social Services of New York (LSSNY). The site that I am assigned to is the Early Life Children’s Centers which offers Head Start, Pre-Kindergarten and child care for children ages three years and older. On multiple occasions I observed and spoke with parents who disclosed that they did not have the time to sit down and read with their children on a daily basis. I explained to them that it was imperative for them to read with their children from a young age in order to get them excited about reading and exploring new topics and ideas. Therefore I proposed, planned, and was able to implement my workshop on February 16th at 9:00a.m.-12p.m. The workshop was entitled Parent/Child Literacy Workshop and was designed to bridge a gap between parents and teachers in helping their children become fluent readers. In addition to helping parents build a strong literacy foundation for their children by determining what areas their children needed assistance in improving, understanding their children reading level, and finding ways to help their children understand what they are reading. The workshop focused on the needs and strengths of each child in a supportive environment through implementation of mini-lessons, shared readings, and read aloud which all have a long-term effect on preparing children for success in school if parents continuously engage their children in these literacy activities. After implementing my workshop I think it was effective for some parents and staff. The activities (mini-lessons, shared reading, and read-aloud) presented at the workshop gave parents an opportunity to model appropriate reading techniques and behaviors to their children, help their children create and learn about new concepts, and encourage their children to read and explore new literature.
Moreover, I have had the opportunity to hold two positions in the Human Services Club for the past two semesters. I started out as the clubs Treasurer during the spring semester and I am currently the clubs Vice-President. It have been a wonderful experience working alongside Heather Samuel the clubs President to plan and facilitate meetings (with key speakers), food drives, trips, and workshops to enable Human Service students to come together and share their common goals as well as expand their college experience. In addition I have also volunteered with The New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG) a student research and advocacy organization that is stationed on over 20 different campuses including City-tech. While volunteering with NYPIRG I was able to interact with my peers as well as enlightening them about the steps to becoming a registered voter and the importance of them voting. I have also volunteered with other organizations including Masbia a Kosher which is a network of kosher soup kitchens that serve free meals to the homeless. I have also volunteered with the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs to raise awareness about the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) to inform New Yorkers about tax prep sites and the maximum amount of money they can get back after filing their taxes.
