Hi everyone! Life has been a crazy roller coaster here at Exeter; I just love it. Classes are exhilarating, and every one of my peers has such intellectual well educated opinions that they clearly articulate. I love hearing everything they have to share during class. Though the work is a bit overwhelming, I am enjoying all my classes! I have made some great new friends and I really am starting to feel at home. So, I just wanted to check in with you all and tell you about all the amazing volunteer opportunities that are going on here at Exeter.
At Phillips Exeter Academy, they have an organization called ESSO (Exeter Social Service Organization). This is their community service umbrella club and many clubs fall under it. The clubs that I have recently joined are Library/Art Room Helpers, Theatre Games for Kids, and Active Minds. In Active Minds, we work together to try to stomp out the stigma of mental disorders. Many people think of mental disorders as a weakness. It is not. We are working to stop the stereotypes and inform people of mental disorders. In Theatre Games, we play games with the local children and we teach them things like improv. This will help them in the future because it helps develop their public speaking skills. In Library/Art Helpers, we spend one day a week in the library for two hours to help put away books and help kids pick out books. I love this because this is what I did at my synagogue library at home. The next week, I get to go to the art room where I help set up for projects, talk to the children as they create their masterpieces, and basically do anything that needs to be done.
It is so much fun to talk with all the kids. One of the girls in the class came up to me and asked, “Do you want to be my friend?” I was so sweet and I responded, “I would very much like to be your friend.” The smile on her face was priceless. It is moments like these that will stay with me for a lifetime.
What kind of volunteer activities are at your school? Are you getting involved? I hope so!