Week 3

Last week (Week 3), I transferred to the Youth Encouragement Services center at St. Luke's Community House where fellow TF Christine works. On my first day, I was a little nervous about being the new person again, but my fears quickly vanished. Within five minutes of walking into the center's gymnasium that Tuesday, Mr. Estes's (my supervisor) youngest son Johnny ran up to me and give me a big hug. I was both comforted and inspired by the love he showed me, a complete stranger to him at the time. Johnny as well as all the other children and staff at St. Luke's have been incredibly welcoming, and I am having an awesome time there. I enjoy every part of my day at camp, but I have to say that my favorite activity is Reading Buddies. Almost every morning at around ten o'clock a group of campers goes to the Learning Lab to read with Y.E.S. staff members or volunteers. I really enjoy being a Reading Buddy because I feel that it is a wonderful way to use my love for books to be both a helper and friend to the kids. Today, for example, I had a great time reading Sleeping Beauty with a little girl named Kyla and talking about Disney Princess movies with her.

Y.E.S. takes the campers on field trips ever week, and last Friday we all went to the Centennial Sportsplex to go ice skating. Since I had never been ice skating before and being the most un-athletic person on the planet, I had to cling to the wall of the rink while making my way around. Several of the campers had also never been skating, and it was fun to share the experience of that new adventure with them. One of my fellow skating novices was my new friend Passion. After Christine and Erin Ford showed her some skating basics, she glided over to me and insisted that the two of us go skating. We had such a good time trying not to fall down together, and Passion shared with me some of her newly acquired skating tips. Tomorrow we are taking the campers on a field trip to the Frist Center. I can't wait to have even more fun with the kids there!