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.
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