Taylor
Be sure to visit this site again for updates on Taylor's progress in the Summer Youth Program.
Taylor
Unfortunately for Taylor and her cabin mates, their Camp Long retreat included a small mouse that interrupted their rest at 2:30 in the morning. They fled to the safety of the nearby vans to get much-needed sleep. Apart from that excitement, the experience went well for her.
"There was a little arguing going on, but we put that all aside to make the best of our time here," she says.
Before everyone gathered for a graduation ceremony to wrap up the eight-week program, Taylor reflected on what it meant to finish the program. "I got frustrated at times, or stuff was getting on my nerves. I had thoughts of quitting, but that wasn't really an option. If I start something, I'm going to finish."
Updated 8/28/09
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All of the teens earn money for the work they do in the program. This past Friday, everyone received another check.
"It felt great to get a paycheck. The hard work really paid off. It's not easy money. But it's worth it. Most people just get a paycheck for working. But I worked and learned at the same time," she says.
Taylor doesn't have plans to go spend the money - she's too busy saving for college. "I can have stuff later. I don't need it now."
Updated 8/27/09
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Last week, Taylor and half of the group worked at a city park called Cheasty Greenspace. The teens have been working there for the past three weeks, and their progress in clearing invasive plants was evident. Because part of their work is near the road, they also found a lot of trash.
"The work is difficult. I'm constantly getting poked by blackberry bushes. And we're not on a level area, so keeping your balance on the hillsides is difficult. I go home sore - my back hurts. I used to not want to get dirty, but working in the parks is rewarding. I even took my nails off and don't wear them anymore," she says.
"There's a lot of trash here that we've had to pick up. It was all over the place. I was a person who threw trash (littered), but now I'm more aware. Other people have to clean up after my mess. I know what it feels like to have to clean it up. It makes a place look ugly," Taylor says.
Updated 8/26/09
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Like the other teens who were part of groups that didn't win the T-shirt contest, Taylor was disappointed. But she understands why her team lost.
"We were one of the T-shirt groups who should have won. I was disappointed because we worked hard. All around, we had a good group, but our presentation was dull. We didn't sell our shirt the way we could have. We didn't make it special, or make the judges see something in us they didn't see in anyone else," Taylor says.
Updated 8/24/09
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For the T-shirt project, Taylor's group came up with a "Stop the Violence" message and design. They were inspired to do this based in part on their own experiences. Taylor knows of people who are involved in gangs, and she's witnessed many fights in her neighborhood. Some people have even been shot and killed. "I want it to stop. I'm tired of it," she says. "Our idea will teach a lot of people who have been affected by violence personally. I think they'll identify with the message. Also, if you buy the shirt, $1 will be donated to the Stop the Violence Foundation."
Updated 8/20/09
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The teens work in the city's parks each afternoon; this was a new experience for many of them, especially Taylor. "The work was hard at first, physically. The work was physically difficult, and the heat is tough. Before this program, I was a little lazy. Now, I'm motivated to learn about nature."
The work is also a useful teambuilding exercise where Taylor and others learn to work together constructively. "We each have responsibilities when we go out to work in the parks. If we don't do them, then that's like passing them off to others," she said. She wants to pull her weight in the group, which motivates her to work hard.
Updated 8/18/09
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Teens must navigate many potential dangers, such as drugs, gangs and dropping out of school. According to Instructor William Ayears, the program tries to help teens like Taylor sidestep minefields that can derail their goals.
"There's a lot of things that I could get into, like gangs. But I'll be successful because I'm staying focused; I see the big picture. The people in gangs are looking at right now, not the result of their behavior. I want to make my parents proud. They worked hard to get me where I'm at," Taylor says.
To keep them focused, Monica Cheng, Goodwill's Career Pathways Navigator, had the students list their career goals, large and small.
"My goal is to go to law school and become a lawyer. My smaller goals are to graduate from High School with at least a 3.7 GPA, but hopefully higher. I'd like to get a scholarship to Spellman College," she says.
She knows that college is expensive. "My parents want me to go to college. They said if I'm doing well and getting good grades and following their rules, they'll find a way to pay for college. It motivates me to do well."
Updated 8/13/09
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For Taylor, the program has given her much needed structure. "I have to wake up early, which is good for me. If I didn't come to this program, I'd probably just be hanging out over the summer, not doing much," she says.
Many kids come from low-income families that cannot afford to send them to summer enrichment opportunities, which tend to be expensive. And there's also the money that the teens would have to give up by not working a summer job. This program is unique in that it allows teens to actually earn money while taking part in a structured program, with the opportunity to absorb valuable information.
Taylor has learned that it's not about how well you can do a particular job; in order to be successful, you have to get along well with people. "The Instructors constantly say how important it is to be professional. In the real world, you can lose your job if you yell back at customers. I've learned a lot of self-control so far. Before, I had some anger problems. If someone came at me, I would yell."
With her improved attitude, Taylor wants to get a job with Nordstrom when she turns 16 in February. "The retail and customer service training will really help me out in getting a job there," she says.
Updated 8/6/09
