Journal #1- Communities in Schools 1

3/5/2019: 9:30AM-1:30PM
3/6/2019: 9:15AM-5:15PM
3/7/2019: 12PM-6PM
3/8/2019: 8:30AM-5PM
3/9/2019: 12PM-6PM
3/10/2019: 1PM-4PM
Total Number of Hours Worked for the Week: 35.5
Total Hours to Date: 242
This week has been one of the most challenging weeks of my internship simply because my

phone stopped all forms of functioning earlier in the week; I have received two job offers this

week that I have had to decline for because of the offering salary, which one was really hard for

me to say no to. After my meeting with Dr. K this past week, the logistics side of what all goes

into running a nonprofit has really been heavy on my mind. I realized just how vital a grant

writer’s role plays in the running of a nonprofit, of course I was aware because CIS is only made

possible by the funding of grants (duh). I have never taken the time to sit back and ask my

supervisor exactly what all her job entails outside of her attending board meetings and

overseeing the interns; like what happens when she is denied from receiving a grant? What does

that mean for the next school year? What funding is cut and where in order to keep the schools

staffed with coordinators? This week has been a real eye opener, so much so that I only grew

more anxious as the week went on having to balance everything and all the different ideas that I

have in my head , all while keeping the concept of time into play. There is graduation in the back

of my mind, the dress closet(s), the mentorship program and the NEED for guidance within the

middle school, job hunting, learning all I can about grant writing in the remaining time I have,

logos, dress bags, other internship duties and assignments, etc. I am constantly thinking of the
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need here in Baldwin County and I want to do so much and everything I can to help but I am

only one person and I would not even know where to start. Is it too late for me to start now? I

cannot take on another project through my internship (yikes).

I met with Amber Palmer (CIS Coordinator for the middle school) this week to discuss what

approach she thought would be best to present the counselors, and principles with the idea of the

girls mentorship program formally known as: HER’d. We discussed everything and agreed on

certain concepts and time frames but then Amber went ahead and presented the generic

information to the counselors and the principles before I had time to finalize the tentative

schedules, the brochures to be sent home with the parents, the curriculum write up for the two

week trial period that we have proposed, and the girls guidelines/ confidentiality pledge. In the

event that we are denied, I hope that I am able to use Kemyada as a resource (even though she is

at the elementary school now) to possibly set up a meeting so that the principles and guidance

counselors are able to get the entirety of the programs details. In doing so, I hope to sway their

decision and if I am not lucky enough to have done so, they will at least know exactly what they

are saying no to. I could not be upset if in fact, we were given a no for the mentorship program

because neither of these “higher – ups” have anything to reference in regards to the program but

an email. There are several other programs that CIS offers to the primary and academy schools

such as water safety and scrubby bear that they would like to see implemented in the schools. I

have a back-up but I am wanting to venture off and do something that is original but also

sustainable for these young ladies. I had such big hopes at the beginning of the semester and

really wanted to make an impact, while using CIS as my platform but now I feel like the work

that I am doing is not going to be able to be sustained. I also am beginning to feel like all of the
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ideas that I came up with are working out better for the CIS coordinators then it is for me, at this

point I am not sure what that means.