Today was my last day at El Centro. The entire week was a hectic one as we began closing procedures such as creating report cards and award certificates, and I actually learned a lesson regarding certificates. On Monday I prepared about 25 certificates for the volunteers that helped out throughout the summer. I used the same, approved format that I had been using for the Student of the Week certificates. On Wednesday I arrived to the office and found that the same certificates had been re-printed. My initial thought was "Oh no, someone must have re-printed having not seen the ones I made. What a waste of paper" (Sustainability issues have really stuck with me since my time at Dickinson). My supervisor, however, informed me that it was not a misunderstanding, but that the Executive Director had requested that they be done again because there was a slight problem: his name appeared BELOW my supervisor's name, and that was not consistent with their ranks. Apparently it's standard that the individual with the highest rank appear first on a document, even if it is only by a few centimeters. If I'm being honest, I was vexed by the fact that 25 sheets of paper were thrown away because of such a seemingly minor detail. However, I have to accept that these details are important in the business world and that the only thing I can do in the future is double check that things have been done correctly.
To officially close the program today, we awarded each student with a certificate, and hosted a talent show. It was so much fun to watch the students perform their original acts with such joy and effort. Before leaving, I approached the students that I worked with this summer and applauded their efforts. I also urged them to continue reading over the summer and to keep up the work to avoid being held back.
My experience this summer has definitely been one of a kind. I learned so much more from the students and from my daily tasks that I would have imagined. We have a long way to go in terms of our education system, and I am sure that programs like these are slowly but surely fomenting that revolution.