The Shift to Digital Design Careers

Having a successful career in the field of art is a difficult and often unheard of concept; however, it does not necessarily have to be this way. Artists looking for jobs can find a broad spectrum of careers using their artistic abilities in ways other than traditional art related jobs. It is important for schools, especially universities, to inform their students of these potential options and to provide the resources necessary for the students to pursue these careers. It has been understood that in order to obtain a career with a degree in art, one must also obtain a teaching licensure as a means of “security.” Stereotypical traditional art careers include and are limited to an art teacher, a museum curator, or a full time artist. However, with the addition of digital design, the field of art careers is greatly expanded. The most common field in which art careers can be found is that of digital design. Digital design, often referred to as “media arts” is defined as “the study and practice of examining human communication through photography, film or video, audio, computer or digital arts, and interactive media" (Bequette and Brennan 328).

With the addition of new technologies comes the addition of new jobs. The transition between the role of artist and designer is a subtle one, for both careers require the same visual “eye” and understanding of art elements and principals. Bradley illustrates this idea by describing the connections between careers in theatre and video game design: “Many artistic endeavors, including theatre, film, literature, and video games, strive to create a believable world in which the observer becomes immersed. What fuels these creations is imagination; the logistics are just the assembly of bricks and mortar. The thinking behind the process is the same” (62).

With the addition of many electronic devices in which viewers can access videos, movies, and television shows from virtually anywhere, film and television is another example of a growing career field in which artists are needed. Lockwood’s interview with designer John Iacovelli is a perfect example of a traditional artist who turns his skills into a career in digital design. Iacovelli explains, “It's possible to have a career that spans the breadth of several media, that one can be successful in theatre and film and other design work. That the world of design is interconnected to other media. Those techniques I use in the theatre inform my film work” (Lockwood 30).

Another example of a growing digital design field is graphic design. Graphic designers can work with advertisements, web pages, and animation. One of the most beneficial aspects of digital media careers is the blurring of the lines which separate one career from another. A website designer can use their knowledge of fonts, colors, and lines to become a packaging designer for products; an advertising art director can use their knowledge of composition and simplification to create a logo for a company.

“Successful media arts education has been described as empowering students to become critical consumers of converging forms of media through inquiry that scrutinizes the human communications that play crucial roles in their lives” (Bequette and Brennan 330). The main use of technology is to make communication easier. Similarly, the main use of digital media is to use art in order to communicate to the viewer. Art is simply the tool used to gain the viewer’s attention in order to convey a larger message that one can express through digital design. Therefore, digital design teaches students to analyze their art in order to successfully convey a message. This method of transforming regular art into art with the purpose of communicating is important because it brings on a new role of art in a society run on consumerism. “Consumption is the means by which individuals invest meaning through manipulation of signs” (Flood and Bamford 92). This idea of art used in consumerism is illustrated through the use of advertising. Advertisements rely on artists to create eye-catching work which draws the viewer in to an idea or product.

Bradley’s article describes skills found in theatre production which can be translated into specific jobs in video game design. Artist Iacovelli found that his work in theatre prepared him for a successful career in filmmaking. Finding common skills in careers is a great way to find a job that suits each individual. These skills can also transfer from one form of art to the next, broadening the spectrum of possible career paths. Bennett suggests, “a core of skills encompassing performance (whether utilized in choreography, teaching or performance activities), small business skills and teaching was common to both the dance and musician cohorts and was utilized throughout the life-cycle of the career” (315). Creating art is the same process of creation no matter the media, which is why it is so easy to make the switch from paper to pixels.

However, with the transition of traditional art careers to technology-based careers comes the need for a shift in the education as well. Bequette and Brennan bring up the argument “that implementation of these benchmarks in state public schools has been hampered by inservice and preservice art teachers' lack of familiarity with the theory and practice of media arts education” (328). The need for more and better funded art programs is apparent throughout middle schools and high schools, and as art expands into the world of computers, the programs need to be expanded as well. Although this seems like another issue to deal with, this recent expansion of “art” means that the importance of having better art programs in schools is more evident now than ever.

The development of basic artistic skills is what is going to get students technology-based jobs in the future. Having a good set of skills and experience is what companies are looking for instead of a specific major: For example, Scott Sinclair, the art director for the game Bioshock, has a degree in illustration from an art and design school and worked as a successful illustrator for years before moving into web design and then video game design. The common theme in the training of most designers appears to be a solid portfolio as a visual artist, including non-digital media, as well as the ability to work with graphics software. (Bradley 67)

The tricky part of developing better digital design based courses in schools is making sure to incorporate traditional art skills as well. It’s important for students to learn the basic design principals primarily through the use of traditional media before they get their hands on new media. For example, it is much easier for a student to grasp the concept of composition when they are planning out a painting in which they have total control than to have the students take a photograph where they are required to search for the correct composition using permanent, unchanging subjects. Bequette and Brennan quote Randy Nelson, Dean of Pixar University: "Teach sculpture with clay first, and once students have clay under their fingernails ... [and] know you have to walk around a sculpture to experience it, they can start on 3D computer modeling, where you stand still and rotate the artwork" (Bequette and Brennan 331).

In addition to traditional art skills, artists must also develop skills beyond that of creativity because they have to. In order to be a successful artist, one must develop skills in teaching, performing, business, and technology (Bennett 315). According to Bennett’s study: “Participants confirmed that grant writing and acquittals, arts advocacy, self promotion and financial management are particularly important ‘to create and make the most of opportunities and to cope with the requirements of a sole trader/artist’ (S25D)” (318). These skills will, of course, vary slightly from different areas of art. Bennett emphasizes on the skills developed in performing arts, specifically dance and music, therefore, skills such as performing and communicating are more prominent and may not be as crucial as in other fields.

Incorporating media arts into art education programs is important not only because it expands art students’ educations concerning media, but also because it teaches them the other skills necessary to have a successful career. Along with a grasp on the elements of art and the principals of design, it is important for students to understand the different types of media they can also use for their work: film, photography, web design, animation, etc.

All of these career options mean nothing without the education to pursue them. Bequette and Brennan suggest that the Minnesota arts education policy and the CTE policy put in effect a media arts certificate program for licensed teachers as well as media arts prerequisites for admission to preservice licensure programs (339). Flood and Bamford express the need for a shift in education through the first person view of art educators: “By informing and educating individuals to understand these processes and products we can provide them with a clearer view of the imagined and constructed world, thereby enabling them to articulate their own visions through ever growing and changing technologies” (91). Through educating students about digital design and the career options that media art opens up for them, the possibilities of promoting careers in the arts are more realistic than ever before.

Works Cited

Bennett, Dawn. "Academy And The Real World: Developing Realistic Notions Of Career In The Performing Arts." Arts & Humanities In Higher Education 8.3 (2009): 309-327. Art & Architecture Complete. Web. 27 Oct. 2012.

Bequette, James W., and Colleen Brennan. "Advancing Media Arts Education In Visual Arts Classrooms: Addressing Policy Ambiguities And Gaps In Art Teacher Preparation." Studies In Art Education 49.4 (2008): 328-342. Art & Architecture Complete. Web. 1 Nov. 2012.

Bradley, Catherine. "From Plywood To Pixels: Career Transitions From Theatre To Video Game Design." TD&T: Theatre Design & Technology 47.3 (2011): 61-67. Art & Architecture Complete. Web. 29 Oct. 2012.

Flood, Adele, and Anne Bamford. "Manipulation, Simulation, Stimulation: The Role Of Art Education In The Digital Age." International Journal Of Education Through Art 3.2 (2007): 91-102. Art & Architecture Complete. Web. 18 Nov. 2012.

Lockwood, Debra Garcia. "John Iacovelli, Production Designer." Td&T 40.1 (2004): 28-37. Art Full Text (H.W. Wilson). Web. 18 Nov. 2012.

An Analysis of Career Academies

When reading the article “Career Academics and the Arts: Implications for Schooling” by Rebecca Gajda and Dorinne Dorfman, I first thought the article was another boring newspaper story about a local school program, however, after reading through the piece, I found myself feeling inspired by the stories featured. This article is a great example of arts-based learning and its benefits on students, and the piece reflects my own opinions about how art should better promoted in schools. Gajda and Dorfman begin the article by predictably explaining how the Peoples Academy Career Academy of the Arts (PACAA) was introduced into the school system in Vermont. They describe the launch of the Career Academy of the Arts in the Morristown School District and the need for such a program in this district.

Gajda and Dorfman state their thesis as “the Morrisville community has come to recognize and value the ability of an arts-based Career Academy to instill a passion for learning, an appreciation for the well-being of others, and to engage adolescents who are able to make a positive difference in the local and larger community right here and right now” (18). The main points described are the benefits of the addition of arts-integrated academic courses, teaching advisory meetings, the community arts festival, and school-community collaborations.

The thesis is supported mainly through testimonials given by students and parents of students who have been a part of the program and have found success through it. For example, Gajda and Dorfman state, “According to students and parents such one-on-one attention through the advisory' has paid off. ‘The (Career Academy of the Arts is not only a learning pathway: it's an artist's sanctuary. This has prepared me more than any other class for college and career planning. I've learned time management, improved my skills, and built relationships with fellow students and professional artists. My art has become a place to express what I can't put into words, my ideas, my troubles and my dreams.’ (‘Jonathan,’ a senior at Peoples Academy)” (16). Along with testimonials given by students, Gajda and Dorfman use cited sources in the conclusion to state facts about arts-based learning and the positive effects it can have on students. They make claims such as “Numerous studies, including the local evaluation of PACAA, suggest that an arts-based curriculum has the power to educate the whole child in any setting and demonstrates the positive academic and social benefits of arts-based learning (Deasey, 2002)” (Gajda and Dorfman 18).

The authors play very different roles in writing this article. Rebecca Gajda is Assistant Professor at the University of Massachusetts-Amberst, and Dorinne Dorfman is Director of PACAA (18). Gajda is most likely responsible for putting the ideas in order and actually writing the piece, while Dorfman is the source of information. The article is influenced greatly by Dorfman, who is obviously biased towards her own program. The article is published in an academic journal entitled “Art Education.” The implied audience is most likely educators interested in art-based learning. The authors target this audience by elaborating on the success of this program in the Morristown School District.

The authors’ style is simply put yet academic. The authors use facts and quotes to develop their ideas rather than anecdotes and tangents. The tone is informational with implied persuasion. The tone seems unbiased and the information is presented clearly, yet it is obvious that the authors believe in the success of the program. The authors explain resistance to the program, but then go on to explain how “despite reservations and uncertainties, a critical mass of the Peoples Academy community chose to move forward and support the implementation of PACAA” (Gajda and Dorfman 14). Yet in spite of the implied persuasive tone found throughout the piece, the only time Gajda and Dorfman state their opinions outright is found in the conclusion: “Similarly, we believe that an arts-based career academy can go a long way toward eradicating what Eckert (I9S9) describes as the typical corporate organization and culture of high school in which students' relationships are characterized by isolation from community members, hierarchical structures, a pronounced pressure to carry out a role-oriented individual identity, and one-dimensional, task-based interpersonal relations” (18).

The article is structured through the use of subheadings. The piece is illustrated with pictures and pulled quotes to allow the reader to grasp a better understanding of the program and the activities which took place. The article flows in a predictable manner: first with the introduction of the program, then to resistance following the program, then to the final success. The article is very easy to understand, and the structure helps give it that quality. The reader can break down the article within the given subheadings and jump to each topic from section to section.

The article’s conclusion is set up differently from the rest of the article and is separated as well. The conclusion is written as if it’s an analysis of the program, and almost makes the whole article feel like research and the conclusion feel like the results of that research. The conclusion is where the thesis is stated and explored. The authors used most of their outside research about art-based learning in the conclusion as a means of summing up the article.

This article is important because it illustrates how successful art-based learning programs can be in schools. The Career Academy of the Arts program in Vermont stuck out to me immediately because it reminded me of the LEAF in Schools and States program at Asheville. The similarities between the two are incredible and I found it interesting to read about how successful an art based learning program was in a different community than my own.

Works Cited

Gajda, Rebecca, and Dorinne Dorfman. "Career Academies And The Arts: Implications For Schooling." Art Education 59.5 (2006): 13-18. Art & Architecture Complete. Web. 5 Oct. 2012.

The Value of Art in School and Life

“I think that I’ve almost got it,” I muttered as I twisted the string of yarn through the awkward loop I had made with my crochet hook. The lady teaching me, an old woman in her late seventies, smiled as I finally made the second chain to the lopsided square that I had been using to practice crocheting. “There you go!” she exclaimed encouragingly as the level of my frustration diminished.

My art class had come up with a project in which we were going to promote art by yarn bombing, a process in which we wrapped large crocheted rectangles around trees, poles, and other urban structures in public places. The project grew significantly and resulted in us visiting a nursing home to be taught how to crochet by the ladies who have had years of experience with it. This was the best aspect of this project because of the excitement found on the ladies’ faces as they saw our level of interest and started to immerse themselves in the project. They started to share their stories as they reminisced to the time when they were our age. When our art class got back from this trip, we shared our newfound knowledge with anyone willing to learn. Watching my peers spend their time crocheting instead of watching television or getting into trouble filled me with such a great deal of joy, and I wanted nothing more than for this to be amplified.

The beneficial process of teaching and sharing art is something irreplaceable. The joy discovered through creating and the reward of sharing that joy with others is something that I believe should be greater promoted in schools, as a career choice, and as an everyday practice. There are those who argue that art is a waste of time, money, and effort. There are those who argue that being an artist is an unrealistic and silly dream. I know there are those people who feel this way because I have experienced them firsthand. I have taken art classes which have had very limited funding. I have had adults and peers scoff at my choice of having a creative lifestyle as a career. I have seen other art students search unsuccessfully for something else they are good at and passionate about because they felt there was no future for them in the art field.

Art is so important because it allows people to focus their thoughts and emotions in a beautiful way which can be shared and seen by others. I use art to channel my negative thoughts into something positive. Art has always helped me process information and settle my jumbled mind. In order to make art, an idea must be simplified so that it can be read at a single glance. Translating this idea into everyday life is exactly the idea behind visual learning. Many people are visual learners and must use art to either comprehend an idea or get an idea across.

Younger generations especially tend to be visual learners, which is why it is so important to promote art in schools. When children study the basic elements of art (line, value, color, shape, and texture), they become more aware of these elements in everyday life. After taking several art classes in high school, my eyes have been taught to look at the world differently. Because of this, I am not only more aware of the world around me, but I have developed a whole new way of thinking and studying. I can look at an object and break it down into the basics of what it really is. For example, if I were trying to draw my own hand, I would look at it and see that it is composed of abnormal cylinders. I would see how the lines travel and how contact points are made as the skin is stretched and folded. I would see that my skin is complied of a thousand colors instead of a single flesh tone. This kind of thinking is a result of the artistic process and awakes a whole new side of the brain which would otherwise be underdeveloped.

Learning visually is also helpful to students by teaching them to be creative in both school and life situations. It teaches students to think about concepts in a different way than that which is presented to them. For example, when students see the details in a situation they are more than likely to have a better understanding of the situation than they would if they were looking at it as a sum of parts. This kind of detailed thinking allows students to develop an open mind in which they ask questions about everything placed in front of them and constantly search for new ways to look at it.

The process of creating is one which engages others and connects many different types of people. Just like written work is meant to be read, art is meant to be looked at and shared. I have developed countless relationships by asking opinions and sharing work with other artists. There is truly nothing more intimate than sharing art with others because art exposes so much about the person creating it. The project I explained earlier was one of the best examples of the benefits of sharing art because so many people got on board with it. I loved learning from many different people including my art teacher, the ladies in the nursing home, and some of my own peers. I also enjoyed teaching others the process of crocheting. We all helped each other learn and I felt that I learned more as I was teaching than I did when I was simply listening and paying attention.

Creating good work also is very time-consuming. When I make art, I dedicate almost all of my extra free time to it. Since I am a teenager, my free time is otherwise typically spent in front of a television, on a computer, or at McDonald’s. Art forces young people to engage in something hands-on and that requires conscious thinking. Having art programs in troubled schools is crucial because it reduces the amount of time that students could be spending with the wrong types of people, getting into crime-related activities like drugs, vandalism, and loitering. By making art, young people spend their time creating rather than destroying or even worse, staying static. I have been in situations with friends where we were bored and had nothing to do, so we went to galleries downtown and looked at art all night. My friend Haley and I spent an evening sitting on her bedroom floor and making collages of everything we were feeling that day. Instead of going home after school and turning into potatoes in front of the computer, my friend Samm and I spent countless hours in the studio of our school finishing projects and doing all we could to make them better.

The process of creation is perhaps one of the most marvelous processes in the world. To transform objects and supplies into completely new forms is a rewarding experience and so few processes have the same result as art. The ability to see materials and transform them into completely new things is a skill that is very important in the “real world” as well. Creativity is always going to be a desired quality in the job market, and because of that one can have a creative lifestyle as a career choice without being a stereotypical starving artist. For example, most marketing and advertising fields need artists. Jobs in which design is involved, including film, television, websites, video games, need artists. The fields of web design and graphic design are growing more and more with each addition of new technology. Applications used on phones, tablets, and e-readers all were made with the help of designers.

Art is as important as other subjects in school like reading, science, or physical education. The way of thinking developed through art is crucial to the holistic mind of a student and therefore should be given the same amount of funding as other subjects. As an art student, I constantly felt like I did not have the resources that I needed to be successful. There was nothing more frustrating, except being told that I could not do what I wanted to do as a career. The benefits of the social aspect of sharing art should be encouraged rather than looked down upon. It is as important to encourage art as it is to fund it.

Elizabeth's Paintbrush

I was lost. I had no idea what I was doing or where I was going. The old farmhouse I was looking for must have been completely obscured by the many trees surrounding the unfamiliar road I was on. The directions the owner of the house had emailed me were perfectly clear; she had even stated that it was hard to find, but with my far from perfect sense of direction, the task at hand seemed close to impossible. After giving up and turning around at the Bradford Store, a suggestion she made in the email, I finally found the curve of the hidden driveway I was supposed to turn on and with shaking hands, I pulled in.

I was dumbfounded at the glory of the farmhouse. It was straight out of a gushy romantic movie that I would guiltily watch with my girlfriends, sobbing over a bowl of popcorn as two lovers struggle to stay together. It was massive and white and just from the outside, I could tell that the house was full of life. Trees and flowers flooded the landscape of the backyard and seemed to pull me in, welcoming me and settling my nerves. I got out of the car and the artist named Elizabeth Bradford greeted me, suitably with a paintbrush in hand.

“I was just working in the studio,” she explained to me as she invited me in to a smaller shed-type building which was beautiful and painted white to match her home. In the room sat a gigantic canvas she was working on which looked very intimidating in its size, yet she had it already filled with colors and vague shapes. She had been awaiting my arrival and had made homemade popcorn and apple cider which she offered and I gladly accepted. She also offered for me to sit down, which I did, pulling up a stool next to her.

With introductions out of the way, she went on to ask me questions about myself, which I found funny because I was there to interview her. She asked me a lot of questions about school and my art class. She was shocked by the fact that my art teacher was bold enough to assign a project in which we had to get in touch with a local artist, schedule an interview with them, and then write a paper about it. A retired high school art teacher herself, Elizabeth found it hard to believe students would actually go through with such an intimidating task, but there I was. I had found her name on the website for the Cabarrus Arts Council which was a group of artists from my home county. Silly as it may be, I picked her name because it was my own: Elizabeth. I clicked it, expecting to go through a thousand links to eventually find an artist I would want to interview, and was immediately encaptured by the work she had displayed on her website.

I found that she was a painter and her preferred choice of media was acrylic on canvas, like me. Nature was the subject in most of her work. She has a strong belief in preserving the natural world, for she succeeds two generations of farmers. Her use of color was what drew me in to her work from the very start. Vivid hues seemed to erupt out of nowhere, sending my eyes on a frantic journey on which they had never been before. Each painting had a different mood to it and each one took me to a new destination. I immediately fell in love with her work and formed a great deal of respect for her as an artist. She showed me what she wanted her viewers to see: the beauty of the world around them. It was as though all of a sudden, I wanted to ditch domestic life as I knew it and live outside forever, and as a girl who loves her bed and a good warm shower, that was saying a great deal.

And there I was, sitting beside the artist I came to idolize. I asked her if I could record a few questions and with an encouraging response, pulled out a composition notebook and a trusted purple pen. Being my school’s yearbook editor, interviewing was something I loved to do. I loved picking people’s brains and finding inspiration within their words. I loved watching the way some people shift as they start to discover more about themselves after answering questions they had never given thought to before. Needless to say, I was overcome with excitement as I was given the opportunity to explore that experience with Elizabeth.

After asking many questions about her life, one thing she said struck a chord with me. She explained to me that her father did not want her to become an artist at all. He disagreed with art as a solid career choice for the same reason that so many other people do; it is just too unrealistic. The argument that artists make art and not money stuck out to me because it was so familiar to me. All I have ever wanted to do was to make art. When someone would ask me, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” I always wanted to respond with, “I don’t know. I just want to create.” So I found myself indentifying with Elizabeth when she told me that the reason she became an art teacher was because it was one of the careers she could think of in which she could simply spend every day of her life dedicated to making art.

Her work inspired me greatly, but Elizabeth inspired me more. When I told her I wanted to attend UNC Asheville and study art, she didn’t laugh and tell me, “Well, good luck finding a job!” Instead, she appeared to be genuinely excited for me as she looked at me and said, “I think that’s great. You know, from the moment I met you I knew you were an artist yourself. I’ve taught a lot of students, and you look like an artist. You have the enthusiasm.”

I found something through this experience that I had no idea I would have discovered when I first received the directions for the assignment, and that was the hope I needed to pursue a career that I loved. The interview with Elizabeth Bradford was one of the major driving factors of my choice to pick a career based on my passion instead of how much or how little money I could make. Seeing her home and how Elizabeth has surrounded herself by all the wonderful things she enjoys and the reflection of her happiness as a direct result taught me more than anything I could have learned from an art textbook. Through this experience, I have developed this driving passion to encourage others to make art or to do what they love. After the interview, I became Co-President of the National Arts Honors Society and I found that all I wanted to do was to spend every Thursday afternoon encouraging others to get as excited about art as I was. I want to continue to try and convince everyone I meet to do what they love. I especially want to focus on the promotion of creating art, because I believe there is nothing more productive or rewarding in the world than creation.

lake eden arts festival

I have heard about LEAF after moving to Asheville. Everyone who mentioned it raved about how wonderful the festival is, so on my last day of my internship when Jocelyn asked me to work the Saturday of the festival, I was incredibly excited. I had trouble sleeping the night before. It could have been the bad cold I was fighting at the time. It could have been the loud buzz of noise which is almost completely unavoidable on a Friday night on a college campus. But maybe it was the anxiousness I couldn't seem to shake. I didn't know how the next day was going to go, and my stomach was a mix of excited and nervous.

On the Saturday of, I took my weekly trip to the William Randolf School. It was cold in the early morning and I was regretting my decision to not wear a jacket. I managed to find the bus I was supposed to take to the festival and I was able to meet four students, a teacher, and some parents on the way there. The students were so excited to perform and I found myself growing excited to see them perform.

The grounds of the festival were gorgeous and filled with light, beauty, music, and the smell of good food. My job title was "Raffle Fairy" and I was supposed to go around the festival and give out these BINGO cards that when completed could be turned in to the Leaf in Schools and States tent in exchange for a raffle ticket. I threw on a flowing red skirt and my gold sparkly shoes and tried my best to get as many people as I could, despite my natural shyness. Luckily, everyone I approached was friendly beyond belief and grateful for the chance to receive a raffle ticket. I was thankful for my job and the chance to put myself in the festival in order to experience it first hand.

When my feet started to feel blistered and I was tired from walking around, I took a break around noon to go see the students who I rode with. They performed traditional African drumming and some poetry. It was beautiful to see these kids who have had no previous experience in these particular forms of art on stage. I was impressed by how talented they were and how much work they put into the performance. It really illustrated exactly what the LSS program does. It made all of my volunteer work feel so much more rewarding.  Overall, LEAF was an amazing experience and I can't wait to go again. Jocelyn invited me back to volunteer for the spring festival that occurs in May. I would absolutely take her up on her offer in order to do it all again.

the first week

The office was clearly a busy place. Everyone seemed to be fluttering around doing different activities. Some were on phones, some were using the copier, some were busy typing away at their computers. The office only had women working there, and I was thankful I was a girl as well. I can imagine how uncomfortable it would be to be the rooster in the hen house. The girls were all friendly and their "no fear, can do" attitudes inspired me to step up my game. Jocelyn, the director of the program, put me to work right away. I was basically an intern's intern, so all my tasks were simple and mindless like making copies or laminating signs. I didn't mind these tasks at all, however. Many of the girls played calming music to reduce the stress in the office and all the repetition of the activities I was performing was actually kind of zen. I was happy to be there, and I actually learned a lot about working in an office environment. The best thing was turning in a stack of over 50 laminated and cut raffle cards and seeing Jocelyn sigh with relief as she thanked me for getting something done that she didn't have the time to do herself. Everyone I came into contact with was so happy to see me there and thanked me for volunteering. It was incredibly rewarding.

leaf in schools and streets

The LEAF in Schools and Streets program is a non-profit in which artists visit local schools and communities and share their knowledge with kids through workshops, performances, classes, and more. I decided to volunteer for the LSS program as part of my project because the ideas behind the program reflected my own. I was touched when I read about what the program does on its website and what a difference art, music, dance, and culture can make in the kids involved.

I met Jocelyn Reese, the Director of LSS, at William Randolf School just after a few short emails were exchanged. She wanted me to come in to discuss where I would fit in best with the program. After mustering up some independence and taking the bus into the city all by myself, I quickly realized that this whole experience is going to be a learning one.

I felt a lot less nervous when I entered the school. It's been a while since I had been in a "regular school" that wasn't a college campus, and I instantly felt at home. I actually felt a lot older. Here I was, this college student volunteering her time at a high school that she was too old to be a part of herself. The idea gave me some confidence as I started to remember why I was there.

I walked into the room that Jocelyn told me I would find on the lower part of the building. I introduced myself to the intern sitting at the front of the room and she pointed me to Jocelyn. The two ladies were both casually dressed and extremely friendly. After talking to them, I could tell that they woke up every day happy to be going to work. Jocelyn was a smart, strong, and well-spoken woman and I found it hard not to be intimidated even though she was as nice as anyone could be.

We talked for a while, and she gave me two options that she thought I would fit in best with my experience and my available time. One was a job as a teacher's assistant in a jazz music class. She assumed I had no jazz music experience (which was very true) and told me that it did not matter. She explained that the teacher of the class is looking for someone to work with the kids and make sure they are behaving appropriately. I admitted that I did not have much experience with kids; I've only babysat for 2 different mothers before. But the idea was more along the lines of what I was expecting to be doing when I volunteered.

The second option was a job in which I would be sitting at a desk in the room we were in and filling information into databases and basically fulfilling smaller tasks that needed to be done. This idea did not appeal to me much, but the times in which I could come were much more flexible than the previous job. The job at the music class required me to be there at least two days a week for at least five weeks. It wasn't that I did not want to make the commitment, it was that as a freshman with awkward class times and no car, I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to.

Jocelyn understood completely and told me to think about it. She handed me her card, wrote her cell phone number down, and handed me a pamphlet with more information about the LSS program. I left, feeling excited and anxious about volunteering for this great non-profit.