Blog Entry #2

       So, Mentor is now known as Maggie. She is the Volutneer Coordinator at the Backside Learning Center (BLC). I am not sure whether Maggie gets payed or not for this, or rather that she is just a dedicated volunteer. However, I know that she must have spent some significant amount of time with the BLC because she has official office hours at the center. The center opperates totally on volutneer teachers, coordinators, and donations, and Maggie networks all of those people to make the BLC actually work!

       I got connected with Maggie after a GSP fieldtrip to the BLC to study Kentucky immigration's effect on the horse industry. When I got into senior project class, I e-mailed tons of other immigrant education organizations; however, I had forgotten about the BLC! Sort of last minute, I e-mailed the contact at the Center, and I received an e-mail the day after with concrete project ideas from Maggie.

      The first time I spoke with my mentor, it was through e-mail. I could tell that she was incredibly passionate about her volunteering with the BLC and that she was enthusiastic and open to work with my schedule and use my talents to help the BLC. She was just so welcoming and encouraging; I became very excited to work with her. I have yet to meet her in person or talk to ther on the phone, but our first phone meeting is coming up very soon!

     I plan to log the majority of my hours with Maggie over Christmas break, as that is the only time that her office hours and my schedule coincide. In working with Maggie overall, I plan on attaining the knowledge of how to approach immigrant education and how to run the coordinating part of an organization. In greater detail, my volutneer/senior project log hours will be filled with creating manuals for the students, organizing files, securing donations, and, hopefully, conducting a drive in Franklin County for items that the BLC needs.

     Maggie plays a role in my project because I will be directed by her on what I can do to help the BLC. She will assign projects to me that she feels I can do successfully. Also, through talking with her I will understand how a center such as this runs. I am most excited about conversing with her about the rewards and harships in volunteering with the center, as well as hearing moving anecdotes about  her experience with immigrant education.