Lighthouse New Beginnings

LaToya Smith, Summer 2015

The community garden at Lighthouse Youth Services that our interns helped with — Our interns at two Lighthouse Youth Services sites worked with adolescents who had faced extraordinarily difficult life circumstances. A major summer project involved collaborative work between these sites on a community garden where the youth were able to cultivate a variety of plants and sell some of the resulting produce to support further work on the garden.

Although I have a lot of experience mentoring and tutoring young children, this was my first time working with teenagers. During my initial meeting with my site supervisor, she explained that most of the girls suffer from emotional and/or behavioral disorders. Also, some of the residents are victims of physical and/or sexual abuse. I was warned that the girls would not always display age-appropriate behavior. They would argue, curse, and fight with each other and, possibly, with staff. Even though this was true and the girls tested my limits, the residents at New Beginnings made this summer an unforgettable experience.

In the morning, I was at the Lighthouse Community School. During this time, the New Beginnings residents and the boys from the Youth Development Center worked together to maintain an enormous garden, tend the chickens, and perform janitorial duties inside the school. As an intern, I supervised a group of workers and helped complete difficult tasks like cleaning the chicken coop. Although there were times when someone would refuse to listen to me, I enjoyed this aspect of my job. I learned a great deal about urban agriculture and how to effectively work with teenagers.

My responsibilities during the afternoon varied on a daily basis. I assisted the staff with whatever needed to be completed. For example, I helped prepare meals, distribute medication, clean, and accompany residents to appointments. After lunch, the girls completed art projects or went on recreational outings. I participated in every activity in order to encourage the girls to do the same. My main job was to build a meaningful relationship with each of the residents. Gaining the girls' trust was a difficult task, but it was worth the effort. I redirected the girls when they misbehaved and listened to them when they were frustrated.

Everyday was unique and my summer was filled with eye opening experiences. For example, one of the girls was very upset after a hospital visit. She stated that the doctor was touching her in uncomfortable places and that she felt violated. I explained the steps of the physical and why they were necessary. This highlighted why it is important for doctors to provide explanations to patients. In another situation, I learned that some of the girls lack essential life skills. I was doing room checks and one girl had a very messy room. As I instructed her to clean, she began to cry. I was taken aback because my demeanor was not harsh. The resident stated that she was never taught how to clean. I demonstrated what needed to be done and stayed in her room while she cleaned.

Although my internship was not in a clinical setting, the lessons that I learned will be useful in the future. Even though I had a lot of fun with the girls, the job can be emotionally draining. However, my summer with the residents and staff at Lighthouse New Beginnings was very meaningful and I plan on becoming a permanent volunteer.