Brooke Gehrke

Responsibilities

I helped the program coordinator prepare curriculum, set up, and lead the K-5 program. My responsibilities were updating everything for the students and volunteers for each month's curriculum. I also was in charge of doing a rewards program for the kids to earn prizes for good behavior.

Accomplishments

My greatest accomplishment during my internship was learning to be a leader to the children. I led small groups, taught the children about God, and shared my faith with them. I could also use my creative talent to create a rewards program for the children.

Learning experience

One of the lessons I learned from this experience is that many kids in the Des Moines area have tough home lives and are living in poverty. There is a real need to serve them and help them in any way possible, and I think that Freedom for Youth is serving them well. Another lesson I learned is to be patient and problem-solve when the kids are acting out or upset. There’s typically a bigger reason for their actions, and being patient and kind to them helps. I also learned to be a leader that kids can admire.

What advice would you give?

Find an internship that correlates with your values and beliefs. This is important so you can understand what is important to you when looking for a job. If an agency doesn’t correlate with your values and beliefs, you may run into things you don’t agree with. You should also be willing to be flexible and fix problems when they arise. This is especially relevant when working with kids.