By Cori Agnoni, Secondary Education and English Major / ACH Clear Pathways and Community Writing Center Intern
Things at ACH Clear Pathways have been pretty quiet the last few weeks, which is exactly the opposite of how my classes are going. Professors are beginning to introduce final exams and I am starting the process of applying to law schools (a rather recent endeavor). The changes in the semester have forced me to adapt to an entirely virtual learning experience. I’m still adjusting and I don’t like change (does anyone?), but I am proud of myself. This is certainly a senior year that will be talked about long after my May 2021 graduation. Despite all of the changes this semester introduced to me, one thing remains constant in my life: the ACH children.
The kids at ACH continue to surprise me. After a misunderstanding about the end date, I entered the Zoom room last Wednesday with just 20 minutes to spare for me to talk to the kids. I think this meeting has been the most enjoyable for me to date. There wasn’t enough time to start a reading/writing activity, so we just talked about our weekend, which happened to be Halloween. Seeing the joy in the girl’s face reminded me of the magic of the holiday season and everything there is to take in as a child. They were excited to tell me about trick-or-treating and the talent show held at the center on the previous Monday. Another girl joined us for a few minutes (I think she is new to the after-school program) and smiled from ear to ear when I explained to her who I am and my role as a Community Writing Center intern. I hope she sticks around to do some writing with me in the last few weeks of the semester; she has so much potential.
As the semester winds down, I think about the things I would like to go back and change. I would study a bit harder for some tests, appreciate my time on A-walk a little more, and probably eat less candy. But one thing I wouldn’t change is my 1 hour per week with the ACH kids. We accomplished some writing, drew some pictures, played way too many games of hangman, but, most importantly, we appreciated each other’s presence, which is rare in the age of a global pandemic with no end in sight.
Building Bridges 