Week 2

What are the things that you know are going to get you down along the way to getting your degree?
I have actually finished all the requirements for the Social Work Program. My freshmen and sophomore year I was so involved. The Legacy is a community services based group for girls on campus which I love. The Legacy introduced me to so many people in the community. I also did community service through the Yes House which offers Youth Educational Services. Networking is one of my major setbacks that I missed my junior and senior year of college. I feel that because Humboldt County is relatively small there is no way I shouldn’t have had the opportunity to be more involved. I believe that during my junior year I was taking 22 units which prevented me from volunteering more in the community. I didn’t have a social work related job so I was only active in the community for around ten hours weekly. There was no one or nothing that prevent me from finishing my requirement for the social work degree.
How are you going to deal with these things when they come up?
I feel that as a professional Social Worker I will have to learn how to manage my time and stay involved. Also be able to reference to the social work code of ethics. Since I have I completed the requirements I have actually taken it upon myself to get involved. I have been home for three months. I had an internship this summer at Kaiser Permanente Watts Counseling and Learning Center. I had the chance to co-facilitate a mentoring program called project AIM. I was also the lead representative for the learning center at the Watts Gang Task Force. The tasks force meeting could randomly have any visitors ranging from Antonio Villaraigose which is the mayor of Los Angeles, Sheriff Lee Baca which is the head sheriff department. These meeting were super intense especially when I was held responsible for reporting back to the learning center with the updates. This experience this past summer at the learning center helped me figure out how to work in a professional setting, how to have confidence when dealing with people who have more authority over you. I have also learned how to dress professionally which was a major challenge in Humboldt County. I kept my binder from my senior internship close so that I can reference to. I also make sure to take good notes so I can reflect on them later.  
What is your role in your educational journey? Are you along for the ride or do you intend to take the wheel? How will you contribute to the process and experience?
I plan to take the wheel. Can’t stop won’t stop! That’s my motto. I just applied to another internship at the Learning center with the clinical social worker. My interview went well. I was able to explain to the social worker my hopes of working with teens or families. She explained that by the end of my internship I will have the experience with both fields. I am super eager to start this internship especially since I haven’t actually worked with a social worker before in the field. I plan to apply to grad school fall 2012 so I can attend in fall 2013. In between time I plan to continue building my resume along with experience.
How will you contribute, with intention and purpose, to the culture of learning for this DL community?
I feel that I will contribute by providing my experiences along voicing my concerns. I will also take others experiences to reflect upon.