It is incredible how time flies, 4 months ago Fellows from Class 19th began the adventure that we all expected some months ago in our countries.
Before coming to the United States, I did the normal online research that you do when you are about to start a job but I had never imagined how my fellowship was going to be when I was in my country.
I´m serving at the Latin American Youth Center (LAYC), this organization works with youth of diverse backgrounds, Latinos, African American and African since 1968. “LAYC offers multi-service, comprehensive, and bilingual enrichment, prevention, and intervention programs and opportunities in education, workforce readiness, housing, community building, mental health services, arts, and healthy recreation to over 4,000 individuals each year” .
I´m working in the LAYC´s Teen Center which has a variety of Educational and Enrichment Programs like Arts and Media, Poetry, The Club, Audio and Production, Comics, Photography and Tutoring.
I´m coordinating the Tutoring Program which gives academic support to youth in different subjects like Math, Science, English and History. In this space students from Georgetown University come to the center to work as tutors and mentors. Here they can improve or discover teaching skills as well as building bonds of friendship with the teens.
In the Tutoring program we have fun too, we do workshops in different topics like college experience, Financial aid, boxing classes, decoration of cookies, fieldtrips,etc.
I´m also developing another program “Jewelry Making” in which I teach the participants different techniques to do their own necklaces, bracelets, earrings etc. This is a space to relax, be creative, have fun and of course listen to Bachata!. This is still a small program, but it will grow by offering tools of Innovation and Entrepreneurship that will help them create an “entrepreneurial mind” and become changes makers in their communities.
These firsts months in the LAYC, has been very nice, with lots of learning, challenges, new faces and mostly full of opportunities to create projects that benefit the youth.
PD: If you feel you want to share some of your talents with us feel free to contact me, I would be happy to have a fellow visit in the Teen Center :).
