UrbanPromise Arkansas

Summer Intern

June 2018 - August 2019 • North Little Rock, AR

What I liked

One of my favorite things about my summer internship with UrbanPromise Arkansas was the numerous opportunities that I was given to incorporate what I am being taught at Ouachita and what I am passionate about into the curriculum for the fine arts class that I taught. I was able to invest in campers the way my professors have invested in me. I was able to teach a club of my choice, teach American Sign Language, and teach children the gospel through fine arts and dance. I loved seeing the growth of campers within a short, seven-week period, and especially the growth of campers between summers.

What I wish was different

I wish we had had more interns, and I wish we had male interns. These children need positive role models to look up to, but the StreetLeaders --the teens from the community that UPAR employs to work the camp--need mentors, as well. Especially the male StreetLeaders. This summer, we were short-staffed on interns. We were initially supposed to have four, but only three interns followed through on the commitment. One intern quit in the middle of camp. Then there were only two of us. UPAR is an incredible organization that needs volunteers and interns to continue to be able to invest in the campers.

Advice

One piece of advice I would give to a prospective or incoming intern is to suspend your first judgement and go in with an open mind and an open heart. These children have often been in situations that we have been fortunate enough to not have gone through. In some cases, we have been through something similar, but not as drastic. Do not go into the internship with the gentrification mindset, or thinking that there is something wrong with the culture and you need to fix it. Love the kids as God loves you. Let everything you do, be done for the Lord. It can be a thankless job as far as the campers' attitudes go; but, they will never forget the impact you made on them. Not just you--but God's impact on them.

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