Week 3-Siena Summer Service Scholars

During Week 3, Larry and I began to assess the program areas at AUMS to see what we were working with, and what needed working on. The areas are upstairs in the building and consist of three separate locations. A gym with a basketball court and a large seating section dominates the floor. On the opposite side, two rooms are what our supervisor Elaina calls her main and secondary program rooms. The main program room is fairly large, with multiple round tables in the center surrounded by counters topped by crates full of materials for arts and crafts, board games, sporting equipment, books, and other miscellany. 

Unfortunately, the secondary room is a complete wreck. About half the size of its counterpart, this room is full of random junk. It appears that in the time since the last summer's camp, the occupants of various AUMS's building took to storing their unwanted stuff in this room. It now holds a collection of smashed computers, desolate televisions, a decrepit grill, wood, broken window screens and other assorted trash. On one of its walls has been ruined with large brown stains that resemble projectile vomit. 

Elaina decided that Larry and myself, while developing the theme weeks for the camp in July, should fix this room and the rest of the area to prepare it for children. The two of us removed the noted trash from and discovered a fairly dirty window air conditioning unit that we were instructed to keep for usage during the camp because the second floor of the building has no cooling systems. 

With this accomplished, Larry and myself spent the rest of our week working on curriculum and occasionally helping another Summer Service Scholar, Cari, with the garden she and an Americorp Vista are implementing in a nearby space owned by AUMS. Overall, things are somewhat slow without any implementation for a few more weeks, but we are trying to stay motivated.