This article has been written by Judith Nsimire. She is an honor roll student at Central who has worked for Unchartered Tutoring, Yasamin Safarzadeh LLC and now Positive Street Art.
I have been working with this program for the past two years and this is my third year, so when I was told about this year’s internship, I felt a mix of happiness and sadness. The news brought both joy and sorrow; I was sad because not all the people who worked there previously would be returning, but I was happy with the friendly and kind individuals they selected. It was a bittersweet moment. Some of the players returning would be Yaz, Amara Phelps, MYTURN and Jasmine Torres.
During this year’s internship, our main work that we have been doing is cleaning the green house which Manchester Parks and Recreation and Manchester Central Little League allowed us to occupy and beautify. It was very dirty and unorganized so we have been cleaning and organizing things and also throwing things away. We have been drawing and tracing pictures that we want to put on our mural. Peeling off old paint from the walls to prepare for our mural has been challenging and difficult to remove. It hasn’t been an easy process because we lack the necessary equipment and tools to get the job done. We are aware that starting our mural on top of peeling paint could potentially damage it, which is why we are peeling off all the old layers. Our goal is to ensure that our mural remains without peeling off.
Some people they have been writing articles while others have been drawing.
I feel like drawing can make people feel calm and creative. It helps them show who they are through art. Some feel very focused and happy when they draw, bringing their ideas to life. Even if they are not skilled in art. In general, drawing is a good and satisfying experience that makes most people feel happy.
How I personally feel about writing articles is not easy because I get stuck while writing this and I also feel like writing an article requires a lot of thinking.
As the end of the internship approaches, I gather feedback from others about their experiences and thoughts on the program. Miss Jane expressed her happiness at being a part of this project, particularly because she grew up in the neighborhood. Amara finds the project incredibly enjoyable and believes in the importance of community involvement. She is happy to be part of this program. Sebastian, another intern from MYTURN and a student of Central as well, considers it a special opportunity to be involved in something like this, as such opportunities are rare in our town.
My experiences have been really good so far. When I first started this program to be honest I never liked it and the reason for that was because I didn’t speak English and I remember when they would put us in groups to work together because this program is all about team working, it’s all about working together in groups. I personally didn’t like it, not like I didn’t like it but because I didn’t speak any English at the time they put me in a group. I felt like I didn’t belong even though the people were really nice but I still felt like I didn’t belong there.
Any time they tell us that tomorrow we will be working in groups I remember saying to myself that I won’t come to work – but to be honest I never missed work, not even a single day. I slowly started to like the program. Last year when we did this project at West High School in Manchester, I felt like I had been working with them for years because I have already learned some English and I can finally talk to people and even started to ask people if we can work together as a group. Do you see how much confidence I gained in just one year of working with this program?
For this year’s internship I just feel like a home. I feel like I belong and I also feel like I am a part of something. And this year’s internship is extra special because where this internship is happening we have a kitchen where we can make sandwiches, hamburgers , hot dogs and many more delicious foods!
With the fridge inside we are able to keep most of our drinks and food cool especially in this hot weather.
As we near the end of our project, I feel excited. I can’t wait to see our mural finished, but I know this journey is coming to an end. I will treasure the lessons I have learned, and the memories we have created together as teammates. This internship has been more than just a job. This journey hasn’t been easy, especially with the hot weather, rainy days and cold days. We did a lot of things to get where we are today.
In conclusion, this internship has been a valuable and bittersweet journey. I am grateful for the opportunity to be involved in such a meaningful program that allows us to make a positive impact on our community. I will carry the skills and confidence I have gained into my future. I want to continue to be part of projects that bring people together and encourage creativity.
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