Cianci Head Start School - Giuliana

I spent my senior service project working with the Children’s Friend and Service organization. My project consisted of two smaller pieces, both relating to the school I worked with, the Cianci Head Start School in Providence. The first portion of my project involved me spending the morning at the school working as a teacher’s aid in a classroom of approximately 18 students, aged three to five. Though I finished my days exhausted from all of the playing I did with the children, this was one of my favorite parts of the project. It was in this time that I was able to bond and establish relationships with the very open, friendly, and welcoming children and teachers. At first, I felt as though my services in the classroom, playing with the children and helping clean, was not helpful or necessary. However, my opinion of my role completely changed during the second week when the children’s faces would light up every time I entered the classroom, when they would ask me if I would be returning the next day, and when they would apparently talk about me at their homes. I couldn’t believe how just being a presence, a helping hand, or someone to talk to could make such a difference in these children’s lives.

For the second portion of my project, I worked with my team on a donation drive for the Cianci School. I had spent a week in the classroom at this point and had noticed that the rooms were lacking in basic learning materials necessary for development, such as books and art supplies. This is what encouraged my team and I to do a donation drive. We wrote up proposal letters for local toys and bookstores in Providence asking them if they would be interested in making any donations. Aside from the donations for the school, we wanted to give individual presents to the children we worked with. After gathering many generous donations and spreading the word of our cause we were able to present the school with our gifts. Only one administrator knew of our donation drive so it was a surprise for all of the children and teachers. This was also one of my favorite parts of the project – seeing the reactions. This taught me that all of the hard work that was put in was worth it, because it was for a cause I believed in and one that was very appreciative of it.