#nscap

Hello Everyone,

I decided that since this is my last week at the Membertou C@P site, I thought I would recollect on my times here at this great site.

Let me start off by saying when I started this position on June 24th, thoughts of doubt were crossing my mind as if I could handle this sort of responsibility and since we are attached to a youth centre and dealing with many children ranging from different ages the question ran through my mind if the children will like me.

However, after a few week my doubts were diminishing and the question if the children will like me was answered a few weeks later especially after C@P day. Before that I think the children just seen me at this tall guy with a beard with an infatuation for wrestling t-shirts, however after C@P day at the site they started to call me by my first name and always asking me to play computer games with them mainly from a website called Roblox.com and to other games with them like pool, ping pong and four square. I have to admit after working at this fantastic site my ability to play pool has gotten slightly better. 

I should also point out how helpful everyone that works at this site both on the C@P site and the youth centre side as they made me feel more than welcome everyday that I came into work. May I point out as well there is nothing more rewarding then coming into work at this site and the children asking you to play games with them and at a rare time getting greeted by a hug from one of the kids.

With that I would like to talk more about my memorable summer at this site, but I don't wish to fill up this whole page with this reflective blog. But I have to say that I hope the person that gets hired on at this fantastic site will have as much fun next year as I did this year!

Sincerely

It's been another great summer here at the Mira Seniors and Pensioners C@P Site.  My 3rd summer working here has been one of the best yet.  I got to meet a lot of great new people- coworkers and people in my community- and got a sense that I was helping in my community a lot.  I loved it when people came in for help and I was able to help them with their problems and they were really grateful.  It just goes to show how much these sites mean in rural communities like Marion Bridge and all over Cape Breton.  

I enjoyed helping the seniors throughout the entire summer with any events/activities that had planned and got to know a lot of them.  I also really enjoyed C@P Day this year at our new location in Membertou with all the different activities we had.  Parades and grading day at the mall were a lot of fun too.  My favourite times were when we all got to get together at all the different events; it's nice to get out and see everyone when you're in your site most of the time.

This summer was by far the busiest one at my site since I started here 3 years ago.  A rough estimate would say that I had over 100 people use the site since I started here at the beginning of June, more than last year and the year before that. I had a really enjoyable robotics camp, which I found putting the robots together and programming them just as much fun as the kids did! I also got to have 3 cyber camps this year, more than any other year. The kids seemed to really enjoy them too.

I always say that working for C@P isn't like your ordinary student summer job, because you get to really enjoy your job and meet some really great people.  You don't consider people your bosses or coworkers because they're more like friends at the end of the summer.  Sadly, this is Jill's last summer with C@P and I had a lot of fun working with her the past 3 summers. But we'll all be sure to keep in touch down the road!

Thanks for a great summer everyone!

For my last tumblr post I'd like to say a big THANK YOU for having me back for another summer at C@P! It was great to meet everyone, and see the familiar faces of all the returning interns. My experience with C@P has taught me so much, how to be patient, organized, how to plan and execute projects of my own, and how to clean up marker smudges and giltter in record time haha. I'll miss it! Thanks again, hope everyone has a great school year :)

My Cyber Camp kids having a little snack after playing with the Wii on our final day!

The last two days at East Bay I was lucky enough to help out with the Robotics camps. A total blast all the way, the kids enjoyed every minute, including us "older" interns. We had a great group of kids, all excited to learn. I really enjoyed seeing their enthusiasm, it reminded me of what it was like being a kid again. The fundamental things still hold true; something to build, a little teamwork, and lots of imagination! That's all you needed to have a fantastic time. 

We had a great team to help out with the camps as well; with Cara to teach the camps, and Yurij from Big Pond's C@P Site, and of course myself. It was great experience all around, and we got to learn a thing or two as well!

It was amazing to see kids sad to leave; when the camps were over. Parents seemed very impressed with the robots that their kids had helped to build and program within their groups. 

All in all, a day well spent. Good job kiddies! :) Hope to see you all again soon.