i feel like i am getting old. i try to be empathetic and remember my days as a youth when i am at my job but i find it difficult. i don't recall just blatantly ignoring authority figures nor needing to be repeatedly told things. it's frustrating when it seems as if these people wake up daily with a clean slate. it's like they have amnesia. i understand the confusion on the first couple of days but i have been working with these young folks for 2.5 weeks. you should know what class you go to next, what time curfew is, etc. also, just common sense tells you when you enter a library not to talk at the top of you lungs, pull out your cell and have a full-blown conversation, or listen to anything without headphones and the speakers turned all the way up. also, if you dont listen to your ipod, talk on the phone or have your phone ring LOUDLY, or put your head down at school, do NOT do it here.
this irks me because Upward Bound is a privilage, a gift bestowed to those who most likely would not recieve it otherwise. The skills learned and activities that take place are coveted by others and are often paid for with thousands of dollars. however, these kids reap the benefits free of charge. further, they get PAID. yea, high school kids get paid to show up for courses that dont count yet are an asset for any college prep-aged student. additionally, they attend field trips to museums, outdoor educational centers, professional sporting events, etc. workshops include influential and inspirational guest speakers.
this also bothers me because this particular program is housed in the most expensive university in the country which so happens to also be the prodominantly white. with over 2,000 faculty members, only 10 professors at George Washington University are of color. The student body is similarly comprised. students and staff see these african-american teens on the campus and before the kids open their mouths they decide that the youth do not belong. within seconds, these kids confirm their beliefs.
the students overall exhibit extremely ignorant and disrespectful behavior. clearly, these kids have potential and intelligence but they see this as a punishment rather than a reward because they cannot spend their summer like their underachieving peers.
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