Overview of Internship

I can remember the day John and I exchanged names and a few words outside of our town fire station. From then on stopping to have a small conversation and a warm hug seemed only natural. John is a client at Cedar’s Art and Textile center, a day program for adults with developmental disabilities. My chance engagement with John encouraged me to spend my senior year internship at Cedar’s twice a week. I find a way to connect with clients on a personal level through gardening, educational projects, working with them on communication and social skills, and teaching them daily tasks like cooking and cleaning. Though patience is key, I have never found myself frustrated or discouraged. Instead, people who remain optimistic in spite of so many challenges inspire me. Though sometimes it takes a lot of time to teach an adult at a kindergarten level the importance of healthy eating, or the correct way to plant an onion in the ground, it is always gratifying in the end when we succeed together.