NON-PROFIT WORK

I have had the pleasure of working closely with communities that I have lived for the past decade. I can attribute this to my work within the non-profit sector. Starting when I was just 18, I began to volunteer once a week at Youth For Christ. I helped to mentor and fostered positive relationships with up to 6 Middle school students. I continued to work as a volunteer at YFC for many years, only taking breaks from the organization when I had moved to other areas. However, my desire to be helpful and influential in my community did not stop while I was away.

In 2015 I had the opportunity to join Americorps, a National Civilian Community Corps. For a small living stipend and a great deal of hard work, I could help to better my community. My assignment was to work with at risk and impoverished youth and instill in them a love of STEM. While the worlds of Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics is essential to me, I also sought to add two extra elements. First, I am an artist, and many of the ways that I can best encounter STEM is through art, so I quickly changed my STEM assignment to a STEAM assignment. Secondly, I always want to engage others to make the process more collaborative. To accomplish this goal, I enlisted the help of College Students from the nearby university, people who were passionate about the subject matter that could make authentic connections with the youth in my area.