Community Service

Harp Teaching Internship (2nd Semester 25-26)

Every Thursday, I make my way down to the harp room. Not for a usual practice session or lesson, but to aid in the education of young harpists not too much unlike myself in my freshman year of harp. During each class, I check in with students individually, ensuring they are comfortable with music, and helping them with foundational techniques and musical knowledge.

During group rehearsal time, I verify that students are on task, and conduct the class in their piece. This helps me develop my leadership and conducting skills among my younger peers. I thoroughly enjoy my Thursday afternoons in the harp classroom.

Toys for Tots with Step Up (1st Semester 25-26)

This was an opportunity to be of service during the busy holiday season for the Atlanta branch of the Marine Corp's Toys for Tots organization. Organized by the Step Up mentors, we arrived at the Toys for Tots warehouse early on a Saturday morning. The Step Up members present were asked to work in the books section, sorting through donations from the Scholastic company, and removing books that may not be appropriate for certain age ranges. Within my task group, I was in charge of moving boxes that were already sorted to their designated area in the warehouse.

I learned about certain restrictions Toys for Tots has on what kinds of products they can distribute to their benefactors, and about the need for large volunteer groups like mine to keep operations like Toys for Tots up and running.

Assistant (Backstage) Stage Manager Work (2nd Semester 24-25)

As an Assistant Stage Manager for the Drew Fine Arts Program, I managed team members, props, and communications with the Stage Manager in the booth. For all of the performances of the Black History Month Performance, including dress rehearsals, I acted as the representative and leader for the Stage Manager in the booth backstage. This included maintaining the comms system between both the booth, which was at a set position, and staying on the walkie-talkie system with the backstage crew. I managed handheld mics, set changes that extended past the capabilities of the set team alone, and letting the booth know when the stage was set for the next scene.

Clark's Christmas Kids (1st Semester 24-25)

Clark's Christmas Kids is an annual project that aims to provide high quality toys and gifts for Georgia foster children of all ages. I visited their warehouse on a Saturday with my 21CLub peers. During our 2-3 hour shift, we sorted through donations, offloading bags of gifts onto trucks headed to specific districts across the state, or private homes. After we completed sending off gifts, we sorted through the excess, making bags with a specific array of gifts for any children who were not able to register specifically for a gift.

During this volunteer shift, I built bonds with my fellow 21CLub members through coordination and teamwork, and learned about the level of both physical and administrative work necessary to successfully carry out a philanthropic project.

Prom Volunteering (2nd Semester 23-24)

With short notice, I stepped in for a friend to help run Prom. My duties included helping put together gift bags, directing attendees to the ballroom, and breaking down decorations after the event. Chaise, Laila, Madison, Tamia, and I all practiced teamwork to complete our tasks, and had a great time while doing them.

As a prom escort, I helped students who were attending the event navigate to the ballroom and take pictures at the venue. My goal was to be a supportive presence for the attendees, helping others be confident when they enter, and making sure they are comfortable in the space.

Concert Season Ushering (1st Semester 23-24)

During the busy concert season at the end of the first semester, I aided the Drew Fine Arts department by checking tickets and ushering concert attendees to their seats. I also helped distribute meals for the performers, and aided in getting patrons to their seats. This process taught me how to manage large groups of people and distributing information to both patrons and other volunteers effectively.

Gaia Gardens (2nd Semester 22-23)

In my second semester of Service Learning, I volunteered at Gaia Gardens, a certified organic community farm. I have helped pick produce, clean it, and organize tools. This has taught me of the benefits of organic farming and the value of a balanced diet in day-to-day life.

I thoroughly enjoyed our class’ time at Gaia Gardens. The leaders at Gaia Gardens taught us about the infrastructure within running a local organic commercial farm. She spoke on the struggles of recent unpredictable climate, and how she and her team worked together to adapt to the weather conditions.

I was also very interested in the measures Gaia Gardens took to maintain their organic status and the ways they incorporated sustainability into their processes. One example of this was their usage of water from their local pond to irrigate crops instead of treated potable water. They also work tirelessly to improve on the conditions of the farm and produce for efficiency in a way that is considerate for both the planet and the community. I was proud to volunteer at Gaia Gardens with my service learning class this semester.

Recess Supervision (1st Semester 22-23)

I am currently taking a service learning class that gives me opportunities to put in hours of volunteer time while assisting with multiple tasks within the school. One of my recent volunteer opportunities was supervising Kindergarteners for recess. I enjoyed their energy and curiosity, I assisted by playing games such as hide and seek, tag, and duck duck goose with the Kindergarteners.

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