Everyone Deserves a Chance:
My Experiences at the Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center in Seven Essential Questions
An Essay By: Ashlyn Buffum
8th Grade
Pine Point School
February 27, 2012
Have you ever helped anyone that you didn’t know? For my assessment site I was at the Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center, and I helped many people. I worked, saw, and learned about people that seemed to be in a whole different world, but in reality they were standing right next to me. All of my experiences at the Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center have changed me.
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| the Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center pantry |
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| packing Christmas presents |
When I started researching I learned many things. For example, I learned about donations and how the Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center relies on them so much more than I thought. In addition, I learned that they have some foods that are more popular than others and as a result they need people to donate the foods they need. I also learned about the sections of the Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center. Fortunately, during my time there I was able to work at most of the sections of the Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center, but I truly learned about them when I started to research. For example, I learned about the senior center and how they transport the elderly to places they need to go or want to go. All this information I received from both the Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center website and also a few of their news fliers. In addition, I also learned what the clients of the Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center were going through. In my research I looked up the definition of poverty and this is what helped me understand something that I have never experienced. I found this definition on dictionary.com. I have seen many things at the Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center, but my research helped me understand the hardships of the world.
The themes of To Kill a Mockingbird can relate to the Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center in many ways. For example, the theme courage is the courage to help someone you don’t know.. The volunteers at the Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center have the courage to help people when they don’t have to. This is just like when Atticus helped Tom when he barely knew him, but he still tried his best to help him through the hardship he was going through. Another, theme is adults helping children and this can relate to the Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center because of how many sections of the Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center are devoted to helping children. For example, the backpack program and also the toy drive help kids get food on the weekends and also receive toys on Christmas. This is almost like how Cal helps Scout and Jem with many things. For example, she plays with them, cooks for them, yells at them when they need it, and also care for them like a mother. Finally, the theme of loyalty and friendliness can relate to the Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center because of the volunteers. The volunteers and workers are loyal to their work and also are friendly to every client that walks through the doors. This is almost like how the character Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird is very loyal to Dill. Also, how another character named Miss Maudie is very friendly to the children and everyone in her neighborhood. There are so many themes that can relate to the Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center but these I feel are some of the best.
Even though I had a wonderful experience at the Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center I would have done three things differently. First, I would have liked to have worked with the backpack program more. The backpack program is a program that helps children receive food on the weekends. I feel that helping with the backpack program would have given me the opportunity to work with people closer to my age and really round out my time at the Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center. I would also have liked to help more in the Senior Center and learn a little bit more about the center. I was unable to help the elderly as much and I feel it would have been a good experience to help someone a little different. Lastly, I would have like to work a little bit more in food and in donations. I feel if I had worked a little bit more in food I would have been able to help more of the clients find what they need. Also, I would have liked to help with donations because I feel this was their busiest times of the year. Even though I regret not doing some things at the Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center I feel that I helped in many other ways.
Over the course of this experience at the Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center I have changed and grown as a person. For example, I helped people I didn’t know and I helped them in a time of crisis for them. I helped them find clothes, food, and helped them get toys for their children. I sorted donations and checked for expired dates on cans. Also, I saw what they were going through and I saw what hardships come with poverty. This opened my eyes to what was going on around me in my neighborhood, my country, and the world. I also learned from my research and the experiences I had at the Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center. For example, I learned that the people experiencing poverty are not the only ones that are affected by poverty, everyone is. Also, if people were poor they wouldn’t be able to go to school, by food, or toys everything I take for granted. This project showed me how lucky I am to be me. My assessment has helped me grow as a person and show me the world outside my home.
My assessment project was a wonderful experience to have in my 8th grade year. I met knew people and saw new things. I also did new experiences like packing food, checking dates on cans, and sorting clothes. I learned about people who needed my help. I also learned that everyone deserves a chance at happiness because everyone is equal. I started going their because of my assessment, but now I go back to help the people in need in my neighborhood.
