Volunteering
Starting my freshman year, every time there is a break from school, I volunteer as a camp counselor at CSMA's art camps. CSMA is a non-profit program in Mountain View, California, where as a counselor, you're assigned to one teacher as an aid to help teach and set up, as well as someone to help the students feel as comfortable as possible. The classes are integrated classrooms, with neurotypical and neurodiverse children, such as kids with autism or ADHD. One kid I was specifically in charge of had autism and her main problem was hearing sensitivity. It's a great opportunity to work with kids of all backgrounds. On weekends, CSMA also has art exhibitions which volunteers help set up.
A couple years ago, I met the recreation director at Saratoga Retirement Community. She mentioned to me that the current art program they had for seniors wasn't convenient. I decided to start my program there, catered to the seniors' needs, and I've started to volunteer there monthly coming up with my own small projects. Some of residents even as Alzhemiers' or Dementia. It's a great experience, and certainly a change of pace from usually working with younger kids.
2018 Summer trip to India turned up to be so much more exciting than I expected. As I was getting bored spending days indoor at my grandparents' house, my mom's aunt suggested I go help out at this place called Disha Foundation. Disha Foundation helps out the underprivileged kids and their families from the neighborhood by providing the women in the family with jobs and the kids with education. I started teaching the kids math and art. More than just teaching them, I learnt from them what it means to ask questions without fear, to persevere in class despite outside influences, and to constantly be engaged. They were cheerful and eager to learn the next thing. Despite the heat and humidity in those cramped classrooms, I looked forward to getting to know them, interacting with them. Check out my blog for more information!