... i am a total nerd! Last night was my first class in my 3 year quest to get my MSW. As they said at orientation, "3 years will pass anyway, and you can either be 3 years old with an MSW or without one"
Last night when I sat down in the classroom I felt back "at home". After 17 years of formal continuous education, the last 3 1/2 months have felt kind of odd. Admittedly, I have enjoyed not cramming for tests or writing papers at 2 in the morning or doing reading 5 minutes before a class that I should have done the previous night, but it felt so good to be back in a classroom.
My cohort (everyone who will graduate in 2011) is made up of approximately 40 students, and I am most likely the youngest! Probably 75% of the people are over age 40 and are working in a human services agency, others are not working in the field. Most of them have been out of school for longer then I've been alive, so it is a total different classroom environment than your typical Whitworth undergrad class.
I already have my first paper due next week, which is kind of thrilling and terrifying at the same time. They basically told us at orientation: "if you aren't a good writer you are either going to fail out, drop out, or need to get tons of help." I wasn't too worried because I consider myself a pretty good writer. Then last night our professor said, "if you are a great writer you need to get even better and if you are a mediocre writer you [basically need to either get lots of help or leave]". Now those weren't his exact words but they are pretty close. So now I am a little nervous, because my entire grade for this course is based on 2 papers and a presentation. Most of you know I have this sick love of writing papers and editing them, I just hope my skills are up to par with what they are hoping for.
In other news, my job with NLF is going, (how do I put it tactfully?), UUGH. My program still isn't started, so I've been doing random things like baby-sitting my coworkers kids during the day, being the "coffee girl", working on the big fundraising event we’re doing in November… So I’ve been doing lots of little things, but nothing at all related to the job I was hired for. I am a little frustrated. Don’t get me wrong, it’s been great seeing how NLF works, meeting lots of people, getting comfortable around the office, but I feel like I am doing just cushy stupid stuff that makes no difference. I am anxious to get started with what I was hired to do— help facilitate change!
I do have two cases I am helping case manage, so I have been on some home visits and to court to be there for my clients, but other than that I haven’t really had any client contact. I am trying to be patient, but by nature I am not a patient person, so it’s getting more challenging by the day.
I’m glad it’s Friday! I hope you are reading and enjoying my blog, and I miss all of you Spokane people SO MUCH!
Friday, September 26, 2008
Saturday, September 20, 2008
My New Apartment!
After weeks of looking and looking, I found an apartment! It's in the Stadium District of Tacoma, which for those of you who know Tacoma is a fun neighborhood in North Tacoma next to the waterfront. It's a cute older building, and i'm on the 2nd floor (of 3). I'm moving in about a week and a half, right aroud Oct. 1st! As a side note, if you have any furniture you want to give away, let me know! :-)
Here are some pics of the building and the apartment, more to follow once I move in!
The bathroom, it's purple, and there's a clawfoot tub and a cute little antique-y sink!
The side of the building
This is the front door to the building, you can press a button and talk to me in my apartment, then I can buzz you in!
That's all for now! For more apartment pictures and other recent pictures, visit:
http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2024220&l=c639a&id=59400207
Thursday, September 18, 2008
My First Client(s)!
This week has been great so far! I have a client! Two, actually! Since my program (Street Behaviors) hasn’t gotten the contract finalized with the school district, I have gone with one of the case managers on some family visits. And in the process I got my first client! Alex (the case manager) is this big black guy, and so I think he felt like I could identify more with teenage caucasian females than he can!
Anyway, she is a 15 year old girl who started hanging around the wrong group of friends, and her and two friends broke in to her parents house and stole some guns and other stuff… Then her two friends used the guns to rob a gas station around the corner. She was in detention and we actually met her parents at court a few weeks ago. She’s now out, and on house arrest (the only exceptions are for school and work and such). Her sentencing hearing is next week, and she’s most likely going to get community service and probation. So we’re going to help set her up with her community service, and then I am going to be spending some time just hanging out with her and trying to be a positive influence.
My second client is a 16 year old girl who has a 2 year old daughter, and is currently in detention for DV charges (domestic violence). Again, we’re going to work on setting her up with resources to help with anger issues, parenting, and also set hopefully get her on track to graduation.
I am so excited to have clients! Finally I feel like I am doing some actual work!
That’s all for now. Look for a post soon about grad school orientation and *hopefully* a new apartment!
Anyway, she is a 15 year old girl who started hanging around the wrong group of friends, and her and two friends broke in to her parents house and stole some guns and other stuff… Then her two friends used the guns to rob a gas station around the corner. She was in detention and we actually met her parents at court a few weeks ago. She’s now out, and on house arrest (the only exceptions are for school and work and such). Her sentencing hearing is next week, and she’s most likely going to get community service and probation. So we’re going to help set her up with her community service, and then I am going to be spending some time just hanging out with her and trying to be a positive influence.
My second client is a 16 year old girl who has a 2 year old daughter, and is currently in detention for DV charges (domestic violence). Again, we’re going to work on setting her up with resources to help with anger issues, parenting, and also set hopefully get her on track to graduation.
I am so excited to have clients! Finally I feel like I am doing some actual work!
That’s all for now. Look for a post soon about grad school orientation and *hopefully* a new apartment!
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Highlights from Week 2!
Last week was busy and busy and really busy! I am still adjusting to life back here in Tacoma. The weather has been beautiful, so it has been great to see the mountain every day, and the beautiful water. Mom and I went out to the Ram last weekend and got to watch people parasailing, which I have decided I definitely want to do someday. They take you more than 400 feet above the water, and you get to see the whole Puget Sound and the mountain, and it would be so amazing.
NLF is still working with the school district to come up with a contract for the school year for my program, so I was stuck in the office last week. I am working on re-writing the ProTeen Case Statement, which is basically a statement of programs, goals, vision, etc… that is given to funding organizations and as information about the program. Most of you who know how much I love to write/edit, so the project is a good fit for me. I also sat in on a bunch of meetings and got to see more about administration and the “inner-workings” of a big non-profit.
Yesterday we had a full day of AmeriCorps training with our whole team, and we did a walking tour of downtown and a driving tour of the Eastside. For those of you who don’t know Tacoma, the neighborhoods are separated by some significant geographical and man-made (I-5) barriers. When you cross a road or the freeway you can come across a significantly different neighborhood. I have lived here for awhile, but after yesterday I feel like I “know” my city even more than I did before. I was also introduced to some fun new coffee shops and bars, so I have some new places to explore.
I spent a majority of my off-time this week looking at apartments. I have been on craigslist and other sites making long lists of places to call! I have a few places that have openings at the end of the month, and one in particular I am pretty excit
ed about. I don’t want to get too excited though, because nothing is finalized, and finding housing over here in the neighborhood I want seems pretty competitive.
Living at home again is a new experience every day. It is fun to be able to spend more time with my mom. Also, Faulkner (my dog), enjoys having me around because I play with him lots! I am hoping to take him running tomorrow down at the waterfront, but we’ll see. I’ve been running almost every day, and am hoping to do a 5K race at the end of the month, or maybe in early October.
I went to the Puyallup Fair last weekend with Kelsey, and it was AMAZING! We went on the white roller coaster, and a few other rides, walked a round to see a lot of exhibits, visited the horses, ate yummy food, and it made my heart happy. I think I will try to add some pictures.
Today is Tracy’s 20th birthday, and I haven’t been home for her birthday in 4 years, so it’s going to be fun.
That’s it for now, sorry this is so long! I hope you are reading, and enjoying, and feel free to leave me a comment if you wish. I don’t think you have to be registered to send a comment.
Have a great weekend! :-)
NLF is still working with the school district to come up with a contract for the school year for my program, so I was stuck in the office last week. I am working on re-writing the ProTeen Case Statement, which is basically a statement of programs, goals, vision, etc… that is given to funding organizations and as information about the program. Most of you who know how much I love to write/edit, so the project is a good fit for me. I also sat in on a bunch of meetings and got to see more about administration and the “inner-workings” of a big non-profit.
Yesterday we had a full day of AmeriCorps training with our whole team, and we did a walking tour of downtown and a driving tour of the Eastside. For those of you who don’t know Tacoma, the neighborhoods are separated by some significant geographical and man-made (I-5) barriers. When you cross a road or the freeway you can come across a significantly different neighborhood. I have lived here for awhile, but after yesterday I feel like I “know” my city even more than I did before. I was also introduced to some fun new coffee shops and bars, so I have some new places to explore.
I spent a majority of my off-time this week looking at apartments. I have been on craigslist and other sites making long lists of places to call! I have a few places that have openings at the end of the month, and one in particular I am pretty excit
ed about. I don’t want to get too excited though, because nothing is finalized, and finding housing over here in the neighborhood I want seems pretty competitive.Living at home again is a new experience every day. It is fun to be able to spend more time with my mom. Also, Faulkner (my dog), enjoys having me around because I play with him lots! I am hoping to take him running tomorrow down at the waterfront, but we’ll see. I’ve been running almost every day, and am hoping to do a 5K race at the end of the month, or maybe in early October.
I went to the Puyallup Fair last weekend with Kelsey, and it was AMAZING! We went on the white roller coaster, and a few other rides, walked a round to see a lot of exhibits, visited the horses, ate yummy food, and it made my heart happy. I think I will try to add some pictures.
Today is Tracy’s 20th birthday, and I haven’t been home for her birthday in 4 years, so it’s going to be fun.
That’s it for now, sorry this is so long! I hope you are reading, and enjoying, and feel free to leave me a comment if you wish. I don’t think you have to be registered to send a comment.
Have a great weekend! :-)
Sunday, September 7, 2008
First Week at NLF
Welcome to my blog! I decided to start a blog for several reasons, as a way to keep in contact with friends and family and avoid sending out mass emails that crowd your inbox! Also, everyone else seems to be doing a blog so why not jump on the blog-train?!
For those of you who don’t know, I graduated from Whitworth in May and spent the summer in Spokane working at the Student Accounts Office. I moved back to Tacoma a few weeks ago, and started my Internship at the Northwest Leadership Foundation (NLF) on Tuesday. I am an AmeriCorps volunteer working with NLF, in what they are calling the NLF Intern Initiative. There is a team of about 20 of us who are working in various non-profits and churches across Tacoma that NLF sponsors, funds, and supports.
I am an Intern with NLF’s ProTeen program, which works with at-risk youth ages 11-18. There are three components to the program—an Evening Center which functions as a detention alternative for youth, a case-management and resources program, and the Street Behaviors program which is an alternative suspension and mentoring program for students at Mt. Tahoma High School. I am going to be working in the Street Behaviors program, and working over at Mt. Tahoma mentoring and working with youth there. They are in the process of hiring a full-time district staff member to supervise the program, so I am doing random things with the other programs in the interim.
The last 4 afternoons I have spent in court observing Juvenile court proceedings at Remann Hall, which is Pierce County’s Juvenile detention center. It has been both a heartbreaking and positive experience. I have seen kids as young as age 11 in handcuffs and ankle shackles and bright orange jumpsuits in the courtroom for offenses such as theft, possession of a controlled substance, possession of a firearm, assault, etc… Some are detained and sentenced further; others are released to a parent or foster parent/guardian, depending on the severity and circumstances. Sometimes the judge is ready to release a kid, but the parents are unable or unwilling to show up to court, which means the kids have to stay in custody. It is very sad to see a 12-year-old looking around the courtroom for a familiar face of a parent, and then the crestfallen look when they realize there is no one to support them.
It has been good to see how all of the parties (the State, probation, etc…) really work together to come up with the best sentence or plan of action for each youth. The judge really does care about the kids he sees, and is interested in doing what is best for them. Last week the judge focused on trying to release the kids he could and get them into school right at the beginning of the year. Television paints a picture of court as a really hostile place, however it is nothing like you see on TV!
I am excited for the week ahead and orienting myself more with case management resources and the juvenile system, and really understanding the context that the kids I am serving are coming from. It is my hope that I can identify with them, yet provide a positive environment and actually make a difference. I am anxious to actually get into Mt. Tahoma, [back to high school !], and start that facet of my job as well.
For those of you who don’t know, I graduated from Whitworth in May and spent the summer in Spokane working at the Student Accounts Office. I moved back to Tacoma a few weeks ago, and started my Internship at the Northwest Leadership Foundation (NLF) on Tuesday. I am an AmeriCorps volunteer working with NLF, in what they are calling the NLF Intern Initiative. There is a team of about 20 of us who are working in various non-profits and churches across Tacoma that NLF sponsors, funds, and supports.
I am an Intern with NLF’s ProTeen program, which works with at-risk youth ages 11-18. There are three components to the program—an Evening Center which functions as a detention alternative for youth, a case-management and resources program, and the Street Behaviors program which is an alternative suspension and mentoring program for students at Mt. Tahoma High School. I am going to be working in the Street Behaviors program, and working over at Mt. Tahoma mentoring and working with youth there. They are in the process of hiring a full-time district staff member to supervise the program, so I am doing random things with the other programs in the interim.
The last 4 afternoons I have spent in court observing Juvenile court proceedings at Remann Hall, which is Pierce County’s Juvenile detention center. It has been both a heartbreaking and positive experience. I have seen kids as young as age 11 in handcuffs and ankle shackles and bright orange jumpsuits in the courtroom for offenses such as theft, possession of a controlled substance, possession of a firearm, assault, etc… Some are detained and sentenced further; others are released to a parent or foster parent/guardian, depending on the severity and circumstances. Sometimes the judge is ready to release a kid, but the parents are unable or unwilling to show up to court, which means the kids have to stay in custody. It is very sad to see a 12-year-old looking around the courtroom for a familiar face of a parent, and then the crestfallen look when they realize there is no one to support them.
It has been good to see how all of the parties (the State, probation, etc…) really work together to come up with the best sentence or plan of action for each youth. The judge really does care about the kids he sees, and is interested in doing what is best for them. Last week the judge focused on trying to release the kids he could and get them into school right at the beginning of the year. Television paints a picture of court as a really hostile place, however it is nothing like you see on TV!
I am excited for the week ahead and orienting myself more with case management resources and the juvenile system, and really understanding the context that the kids I am serving are coming from. It is my hope that I can identify with them, yet provide a positive environment and actually make a difference. I am anxious to actually get into Mt. Tahoma, [back to high school !], and start that facet of my job as well.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
First Blog!
Welcome to my blog! I just got this thing started, and I will hopefully be updating you on my life an adventures as frequently as possible. Look for an *exciting* blog about the end of summer and start of my new job as an AmeriCorps intern at the Northwest Leadership Foundation soon!
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