Reaction to "Tinkering School"

My first reaction was “wow, those kids are amazing and creative.” Even though some of the projects were not that appealing to the eyes, they were still very creative for children of that age. When I saw the tree house project, I thought to myself, “even some adults would have a hard time building a similar project.” While the video was playing, I also thought about my experiences while working with youths. Little of topic but I have been working for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater La Crosse since my high school years. Gee, I feel really old… anyways, I first started there as the IT guy, or the computer support guy, but eventually I had the opportunity to work with the youths. I now work at the Amie L. Mathy Center. It is a teenage club for middle school through high school youths.

Anyways, I thinking about some of the youths that come there and I instantly thought of a few youths that I am currently working with now and since that club opened in 2005. Most of them come from broken homes or disadvantaged circumstances. Since I started working with them, I realized that they really needed positive influences, role models, and positive tools in their lives. Examples are the outdoor club and coaching football. Many of the youths get to experiment the many opportunities that the outdoors offers, like fishing, hiking, etc., which they may otherwise miss out on if they may be getting in trouble elsewhere. Sports are a great way to get to know each other and teach one another on how to work successfully together as a team. If the club was not there, what would they be doing out on the streets? Around that neighborhood, I would probably say that they would be up to no good. Most of us grew up going home after school and there would be something to eat on the table. Most of us came home and our parents asked us how our day in school went and engaged in activities with us. But most of the youths that I work with now do not have that “prize” that we had as youths. I feel a great sense of joy when I see the smiles and positive choices made by these youths. It is the most rewarding part about the job. During the video, I related my experiences with the smiles and joy that I saw in the youths during the TED presentation. Like Tinkering School, my experiences taught both myself and the youth’s valuable “life lessons.”