I helped with a soccer tournament wheere multiple soar sites had their soccer teams come together and compete. I kept time for the games, cheered the kids on, and helped with small tasks like handing out waters. it was great to cheer the kids on.
I arrived at SOAR as they were having fun day Thursday. I sat down with the kids at the coloring station. This day they had legos, coloring, gym, singing, and more! The kids were all having fun and eventually cleaned up for dinner. After dinner we went outside and i played with them at the monkey bars. I have loved SOAR and getting to meet all the kids and talk to them!
I helped with organizing storage lockers that the kids use during the afterschool program. The lockers were full of board games and cards that were completely disorganized due to constant use. i was able to clean everything up and make sure all was in its place so the kids can use the games with ease.
My last day volunteering with SOAR was very meaningful but also emotional. Many of the girls in the cheer group were asking if I would be at their performance the next day, and it made me really sad to tell them that I wouldn’t be able to attend. It was clear that the relationships built during the program meant a lot to them. The day was especially emotional for many of the kids because this was the final SOAR program and they will not be having it next semester. You could tell that the program had become something they really looked forward to each week, and it was hard for them to say goodbye. This experience reminded me how important programs like SOAR are for children. They provide not only fun activities but also consistency, encouragement, and positive relationships. Volunteering with SOAR was incredibly rewarding, and I am grateful that I had the opportunity to spend time with the kids and be part of such a supportive environment.
I helped to organize a storage site for SOAR where they keep a lot of the special props for specific events. It was a cool experience to see the other side of the event that I volunteered at and to get to make a big dent in quite a large project.
This day was so fun! It was family fun day. I arrived at SOAR and we played outside on the playground with tag or hula hoops. We eventually went inside to line everyone up and get their face paint on. Each child was placed in a specific house to create teams for the games they were playing. We went outside and they got to enjoy different stations with games and get points for their specific house. I was apart of the archery station where kids and their parents got to shot a plastic bow and arrow at a target for points. They also had dominos pizza for dinner! So fun getting to see kids have fun with their parents as well!
As I arrived at SOAR the kids were playing outside on the playground. Somehow kids were playing soccer, tag, basketball, swinging, or walking around. I played tag with the little kids on the playground and walked around we one of the girls. I love getting to meet new SOAR kids! We went inside for dinner but eventually came back outside to play more until they got picked up! They love getting to play outside!
I arrived at SOAR on a rainy day. The kids were in classrooms this day. We watched a learning video about monarch butterflies and colored butterfly pages. Eventually we ate dinner and went back to the classroom to finish the video and our coloring pages. The kids did this while we waited for their parents. I loved getting to see their creative minds and see what they turned their butterflies into!
This day we had Thursday fun day as well. The students were allowed to pick their activities such as coloring, legos, movie, gym, etc. I joined the kids at the coloring station and talked with them! We eventually got dinner and they played outside till their parents picked them up. We played tag around the playground! I love meeting all their different personalities!
