Reflection #1:

Recently, my partner Maya and I have established our community service project. We are the

founders of the project that we call Operation Inspire. As a creator of this group, I am determined to address

the global issue of the education gap that exists due to differences in socioeconomic status. I am very

passionate about this issue which is why it is important for me to work on addressing it through collaboration

with organizations in our community that already exist and are working towards this common goal. It is for

this reason, that I have been researching organizations and reaching out to them in order to explain the goal

of the project and express my interest in working with them. In order to do this Ive information regarding my

project in order to clearly communicate who I am and what it was I am doing. This has taught me great

initiative in my actions and has encouraged me to further develop my collaboration with community

organizations. However, this has proven to be a challenge as many organizations fail to respond. This has led

me to evolve in my approach to organizations to more direct. I am currently still proposing ideas to some of

the nonprofits that I have begun volunteering with in order to further develop the project. My partner and I

hope to collaborate with the shelter Hope Gardens in order to paint a mural in their education wing. We also

aspire to work with another organization named the CDI learning center. This center aims to stimulate the

development of skills that will help children in the future. Overall, through my involvement with this project I

hope to make discoveries and develop skills that are applicable not only within the community but also have

global value. Some of these new skills include patience, understanding, mentorship, leadership, as well as

any other skills that will allow me to not only help these children and bridge the gap but also allow me to

grow personally.

Reflection #2:

During my time at the CDI Learning Center, I was able to contribute greatly to the community of

Canoga Park. From my first day there, I was intrigued by the environment and the way in which the staff

interacted with families. I could tell that there was special value placed in communication with parents as

they discussed their childs developmental needs. As a volunteer, I was responsible for creating many

activities for the children that would stimulate engagement as well as familial interaction. Nothing compared
to when I was able to interact with the children and assist them with a project. For instance, on one occasion I

was able to help a child in the painting of leaves as decor for the upcoming fall season in the center. I was

responsible for managing the activity and monitoring it from beginning to end. From my working with the

young children who were fascinated by the project I realized that it didnt take much to entertain them. All

they required was some one-on-one interaction with another individual in order fascinate them and make

them happy. This made me aware of the fact that the stunted development of many of our youth simply due

to lack of resources is inexplicable, as many of these children simply required some attention. It didnt take a

lot to entice a child into a learning activity that would help their development and ultimately allow them to

prosper in the future. Many people aren't aware of the impact that such small interactions have on the brain

development of a child and it is for this reason that I do this project. I hope to continue to raise awareness as

well as work with children so that we are a little bit closer to recognizing the extent of the academic

achievement gap.

Reflection #3:

As I sat in my car waiting for the clock to strike 4:45, I felt butterflies in my stomach. It was my first

day tutoring a student at the mission and I was desperate to meet their expectations. After months of going

through the process of orientation and looking for a location, the day was finally here. I entered the building

and was immediately greeted by a receptionist who directed me to sign in and handed me a badge that clearly

stated "volunteer". As I waited for the arrival of my student, I sat in silence across from what I believed to be

another tutor. Being the shy and quiet person I am, I continuously looked at my phone to check the time in

order to avoid impersonal small talk. We sat in silence, waiting for the arrival of our students. As time passed,

I realized it would soon be time for me to go; however, no students had arrived yet. As I sat on the verge of my

chair ready to leave and email the coordinator who I believed hadnt set up the tutor session as she had said, a

few young children entered the room. Some of them were directed to sit with me and the other tutor at our

table so they could complete their homework. However it was Friday, and the children wouldve rather liked

to have been anywhere else. As I watched a young girl sitting in front of me write and rewrite letters in her

practice workbook, I attempted to engage in a conversation with her. I asked her if she needed help with
anything and she quickly yet quietly responded no. After many more moments in silence, an administrator

suddenly dropped off a box of crayons and a coloring book. The young girls eyes suddenly lit up as she

approached me and asked me to color with her, showing me her previous drawings. At that moment, I

realized how something so small as a coloring book could make such an impact on someone. As I watched the

quiet girl that had just sat before me transform into a radiantly happy child, I realized the impact that this

small activity had on her. It allowed her to feel like the child she was, without the pressures of society, In that

moment she wasn't just another child in the rescue mission, she was just a child. She was not separated by

any barriers, she was not limited. As she led me to the living room, we soon replaced coloring for writing

letters in her practice book again. We sat at a small childrens table with another young girl who was

interested in my presence. She suddenly told me that she was in 4th grade and that she needed help with her

homework too. As i turned to help her with her math, the other little girl called for my attention. I tended to

them both, helping with both spelling and math. I soon realized that it was past my time to leave, and said my

goodbyes. However they didnt want me to leave. They tugged at my clothing and blocked my path in hopes

that they could prevent me from leaving them. I soon realized the impact I had made on them in the limited

time span of an hour and a half. Not only had I provided them with understanding about what it was they

were learning, but I also provided them with a sense of company. After losing all they possibly could in life

and being left to deal with these hardships at such a young age, they desired normalcy and stability. This

allowed me to understand the ethics o

open-minded approach towards them and their situations. The understanding that I could have significance

and provide anything for these children allowed me to feel purposeful. I realized by this interaction that I was

now committed to these children and acting on their behalfs.

Reflection #4:

One of the most significant experiences I had throughout the duration of my project included the

painting of a mural in the education wing of the shelter Hope Gardens. This proved to be a very valuable

experience as it taught the value in collaboration with other groups in order to reach a long-term goal that

had been set a while prior. The actual day of the painting itself, I got the chance to work with Jose, Denise,
Maya and Natalie in order to examine a design for the mural that was meant to inspire the children of the

shelter. Together, we outlined and painted not only a mural, but we als refurbished a former mural on

another wall. This was a valiant team effort to get the materials and actually work together, side by side, in

order to complete the project. It was essential that we carry out this project in order to help motivate and

inspire the children of the center who had so much taken away from them. It is for this reason that we chose

to paint words of encouragement of the walls of the tutoring room, so as to motivate the children of the

shelter to continue striving towards their goals even in the face of hardships. Through my experience with

this art project, I learned some valuable new skills. One of the skills that I hold as the most important was

learning how to think creatively. With the workload of school and the constant stress that comes with it, I

sometimes forget to have fun. My work on the mural helped me to realize the need to not always be so narrow

minded in terms of fulfilling a goal but rather to broaden my approach and incorporate things that interest

me along the way.

Reflection #5:

During my time at the CDI early learning center, I was given the opportunity to involve myself even greater

through the Reading is Fun program. This was created during my time at CDI to help 1st grade students who

were struggling in reading comprehension and writing. My experience as a TA for the teachers leading the

program was very enlightening. As a school on wheels tutor, I was able to apply the new skills I acquired in

working with children to assist those who participated in the class. Through my interaction with the students,

I became aware of the necessity they expressed for one-on-one help. Many of these students had been

overlooked in school and for this reason, many of their skills were lacking. There were even some students

with special needs who simply were not getting the assistance they required in order to succeed in an

academic setting. In order this, the teachers and I would collaborate each week in order to create activity

plans which would include group reading, writing letters, and learning sounds. This taught me great

initiative and leadership skills as I was even responsible for calling parents and notifying them of the weeks

class, as well as preparing materials for the next week. At one point, I was even put in charge of leading a

lesson itself. Overall, my experience with this program reinforced the value of the work that I had been doing
for the past year. I also learned the value in patience and commitment when working with these students

who didnt understand things as easily and required some further guidance and creative demonstrations in

order to understand. Overall, I would say that my experience with this program has further developed my

interest in helping others learn.

Reflection #6:

Working with school on wheels for the past year, has led to some of the most rewarding experiences

as an individual. From the little bit of time that I get to spend with each student I am able to learn something

entirely unique and amazing about them. This has led me to understand that while these children have been

dealt difficult lives, they still continue to aim high and dream big. For some, their experiences have not

hindered their hope for the future nor their curiosity to learn. I first realized this working with my first

student. She was an energetic little girl who loved to play outside as a reward for doing her homework. Each

week, when she would finish her assignments she would burst out the door. It was there where I learned that

her father had left her at a young age and her entire family had moved across the country as a result. While

this proved to be a devastating experience, she also expressed passion when talking about going to college

one day. I was so inspired by her as she taught me to be courageous and resilient in the face of challenges,

even at such a young age! It was my experience with her, as well as the rest of my students that ultimately

humbled me as I became increasingly aware of the privilege Ive had to lead the life I have up to this day. I

was encouraged to value the smaller things in life and appreciate any and all positive things as for some, these

were hard to come by.

Reflection #7:

My work with children throughout the duration of my project has truly sparked a passion within me

to further address this issue outside of CAS. As a student, I have been humbled by my experiences as I have

witnessed first hand, the many hardships these children have been forced to endure. I have also been inspired

myself by the children that I sought to motivate and inspire in the first place. Working with these kids has

taught me the great necessity there is for more individuals to join the force in combatting the education gap
that is consistently reinforced by the differences in socioeconomic status. Not only do many children require

help in further developing skills and attitudes that will positively affect them in school and in their futures,

but more individuals need to experience the distinct differences in the challenges faced when one comes from

a lower socioeconomic background. Many individuals fail to realize that an issue exists, as I once did, and it is

for this reason that they must be increased awareness of this issue. My involvement in this CAS project has

ultimately enlightened me and made me aware of the many privileges that I was extremely lucky to have as a

student though I was not aware of it at the time. This newfound knowledge has global value as it has inspired

me to further carry on this project in the future in order to increase awareness within the community and

work towards addressing it. Ultimately my newfound passion for this area has led me to seek clubs and

organizations within the college that I will be attending that may potentially interest me in further developing

my project.

Reflection #8:

During the summer of my junior year, I was given the opportunity to volunteer at the PATH shelter in

los angeles as a cooking assistant. During my time volunteering at the shelter I was able to work in the kitchen

in order to aid in the development and production of meals for the residents of the shelter. My experience at

PATH provided me insight into the many hardships that individuals plagued by homelessness experience on a

daily basis. Although I was only there for one purpose, I learned many valuable things as a result. For

instance, I met a man there who lived on the premises and yet tried to help out in any way he could. As I

watched him work around the shelter I was motivated myself to work harder. As I conversed with this man

he imparted some of his wisdom on me. I had told him about my passion for my long-term hobby of baking

and he encouraged me to follow my dreams and open a business. Talking with this single individual proved to

be incredibly rewarding in my future path. I soon realized the necessity for commitment and determination

in accomplishing aspiration that I had. With this in mind, working at the shelter was also humbling as I

witnessed individuals of all backgrounds unite under a single roof, in a place that provided them shelter and

comfort. While I may never understand the struggle that it is to live day-to-day wondering where one is going

to live or eat, volunteering here truly opened my eyes and taken my awareness of the issue to a whole other
level. I began to recognize the many privileges I have and I hope to be able to use this newfound awareness

and apply it towards giving back to the community.

Progress Report #1:

The issue that I chose to dedicate my CAS project to is education. I am targeting children of lower

socioeconomic backgrounds due to the fact that many aspects of their lives make it very difficult to strive for

success academically. This issue is really important to me because I believe that knowledge is the greatest

thing that people have to offer one another. When I was younger, I attended schools that were academically

successful and never thought anything of it. To this day, I have failed to realize the extent to which I have

taken advantage of the education that I have and am being given. For that reason, I want to give back what I

have had the privilege of being given. I want to make an impact on childrens lives and help them reach their

academic potential. Many children are unable to advance in their education due to the fact that they lack the

learning environment, resources, or support to do so. I dont believe that their education should be

constrained to the limitations of any aspect of their lives, especially socioeconomic standing. For that reason, I

knew I wanted to target the major issue of education. I hope that through the experiences that will come with

completing this project I grow to understand the true value of role models. I hope to motivate the children

and aid them in their pursuit of a great future. I also want to become more humble and selfless in my actions

because I will come to understand the great privilege I have that many others do not. Due to the expanse of

the task, I want to work with another group member who expresses the same level of passion for this area. I

hope that together, we make an impact on the lives of many children and change the way they approach their

education. It is for this reason that I have chosen to work with my fellow peer Maya. She is also very

passionate about this issue and i know that together we will make great contributions to the community.

Together we have already established a title for our project, Operation Inspire. We are hoping to reach out to

organizations within our community that share our aims and partner up with them to expand our impact.

While it may seem ideal, we have also set goals for our project that we hope to accomplish by the end. This

includes: providing a free tutoring service to students who require it, painting an inspirational mural in a
local shelter, and volunteering at a local free drop-in center in order to provide our help wherever it's needed

and however we can.

Progress Report #2:

So far in my CAS project I have continued tutoring with school on wheels and am currently waiting to

be partnered up with a student. My time with School on Wheels has proven to be extremely rewarding as I

have been able to help students in advancing their understanding of essential school subjects. One of my

students in particular, has improved drastically since we began tutoring sessions. Working with these

students has taught me the need for patience and understanding as many of them struggle with content due

to the many setbacks they have faced. With this in mind, I have evolved as a student to become more

empathetic towards the hardships that other students may face and that may have hindered their academic

success. This has made me a far more humble student in terms of broadcasting my successes. Overall i have

become a more considerate individual as I have come to acknowledge to a greater extent the different

circumstances each child has been brought up in.

Over the summer I volunteered at Nevada Elementary School as an in-class teacher assistant. I

helped the teacher supervise the students as well helped her pack up and organize her classroom in

preparation for the upcoming summer classes. I also applied to volunteer at CDI Learning Center and have

recently attended an orientation in preparation to begin there. The learning center is a non-profit that aims to

help child development through various activities and play space. My first day volunteering there will be this

Saturday September 3, 2016. I am planning to volunteer there every week for 6 hours a week. This, combined

with the school on wheels tutoring will total up to 7 hours a week dedicated to my CAS project. Maya and I

have also been collaborating with Hope Gardens to determine when our "painting day" will be to paint murals

in one of their rooms of the education wing. We have been collaborating with the art CAS group as well and

have determined how we are going to obtain the paint as well as our plans for the design. We are also

planning to set-up a college information board within the facility. On September 25, I am also going to

volunteer at a block party event that the learning center is hosting to raise awareness and money for their

organization. I will be there to participate in hosting activities as well as help ensure that the event is
successful. Maya and I are hoping to further delve in our involvement with CDI and eventually get her into

orientation for volunteering at the center as well.

Progress Report #3:

In modern day society there is a very significant issue plaguing our nation, the education gap. It is an

issue that affects millions of students. I once believed that each child was provided with equal access to a

proper education. However, it was upon witnessing the distinct differences in environments and resources

amongst academic institutions during this past year, that I have come to recognize this as untrue. In fact, the

education system itself is flawed, giving greater priority to students of higher socioeconomic status at the cost

of other students futures. Studies have shown these socioeconomically disadvantaged students to be at

greater risk for dropping out of school as a result of these circumstances. It is this fact, that ultimately led to

my development of a community service project that aims to address this issue within the LA area

In order to address this achievement gap, I have collaborated with 3 non-profit organizations that

shared similar aims to mine. With the help of these organizations I have been able to address and spread

awareness of the existing issue within my community. For instance, through my participation with School on

Wheels I have been able to provide a service that is at times considered a luxury, tutoring. For the last year, I

have tutored a homeless student each week in order to provide them with help on homework as well as any

other subjects they are struggling in. Along with this, I have worked with the child development institute in

order to assist children in the development of new skills that better prepare them for school and the future.

Lastly, with the help of the organization Hope Gardens I have worked with others in the community to paint

murals in the education wing of a local shelter. It was ultimately through this work with these organizations

that I was enlightened on a personal level as well as motivated to contribute greater to the community. Not

only have I been humbled by working with these children who remain so utterly hopeful despite the many

hardships they have faced, but I have also learned so much from them. These children have taught me what it

truly means to be resilient and open-minded when it comes to facing new challenges. Overall, my experience

with this project has provided me with such a degree of pride, not for myself, but for the accomplishments of

each these children as they overcome barriers and strive for better tomorrows. Ultimately, that is the goal.
For each of these children to pursue success in their futures through school. It is for this reason that I plan to

further my involvement in addressing this problem within my community in college. One day, I hope to

address it on a national level as it is clear through the impact that I was able to have within my own

community, that it is entirely possible to assist in the creation of equal educational opportunities for every

student.