a summer apart
May 1st, 2006 by webmasterThis article by Venture staff originally appeared in Venture’s former online newsletter, E-Venture.
Karina tells Venture about doing a Venture’s Boston Summer internship, accepting the challenges of working with the visually impaired, and the rewards of putting her ideals in action.
about karina
Karina is a senior at Bates College in Lewiston, Maine, where she is majoring in Psychology. She participated in the Venture’s Boston Summer program in the summer of 1999, which is how she came to work at the Perkins School for the Blind. Her interests include early childhood development and travel, and she has worked in local Head Start programs in Maine, and also has been involved in service learning through a mentoring program as well. She has no specific plans for after graduation, but is applying for Teach for America and also checking out some non-profit organizations through the N.E.W. Ventures program.
about perkins school for the blind
The first school for the blind in the United States, Perkins was chartered by the General Court of Massachusetts in 1829. The school provides education and training for the blind, deaf-blind, visually impaired and multi-handicapped students/clients. While most of their students come from New England, there are some that come from across the U.S. and around the world. Enrollment averages 185 students and clients in both residential and day programs. The programs are designed to develop each individual’s maximum abilities and foster maximum independence.
about venture’s boston summer
VBS offers students a chance to define their goals and explore how to achieve them in the context of a summer internship . It combines paid, hands-on work experiences with a wide variety of Boston area for-profit and non-profit organizations with the knowledge and experience that Venture’s internship professionals provide. The goal of the program is to help students identify what they want to get out of an internship experience and how to achieve it, before during and after the summer. Registration for the program begins in mid-November, so stay tuned to this website for details.
> the interview
what sparked your interest in a summer internship? had you ever done anything like it before?
“I had participated in a psychiatry internship in Portland, ME in the summer of 1998, and really appreciated the opportunities for learning that I was given. Most importantly, I realized through that internship that my future was not in research!! When I signed up with Venture I was hoping for an experience that would expose me to new possibilities and experiences.”
what caught your eye about the perkins school? had you ever worked in a setting like that before?
“The job description for Perkins really appealed to me. It was clear that working with the Outreach Department I would be expected to assume a fair amount of responsibility, but I would also have a good support and guidance network. I had worked in educational settings through psychology and education classes before, but I had never had the chance to work with visually-impaired people.”
what was your first day like - were you nervous?
“I was so nervous on my first day! I was sure that I wasn’t qualified, and that I would do a terrible job, and disappoint the program and myself…but as soon as I arrived at the school, people were so warm and friendly. I was definitely working from the first minute I got there, and I sort of learned what to do as the time progressed.”
what was a typical day at the perkins school like? what was your best day? your worst?
“Shifts were either from 7 am-3 pm, or from 3 pm to 11 pm. During a typical day, students would be involved in activities ranging from braille lessons to aerobics, and I would sort of drift around helping out when necessary. In the afternoons and evenings we would go out into Boston or surrounding areas, and go to events, or participate in a wide range of activities. The best day would probably be when the kids put on an amazing talent show…the worst was when we went to a beach on one of those ridiculously hot days, and two girls got heatstroke!”
what was the biggest challenge you faced working with visually impaired people? was it as challenging as you thought it would be?
“Probably the biggest challenge I faced was realizing the different perspectives on the world that the students had. Staff members would sometimes (with the avid ecnouragement of the kids!) put on black eye masks, and become totally blind. During one such afternoon, I wandered off from a game of musical chairs and had to ask for help in finding my way back! It definitely helped me to understand the situation that the students were in. I think that it was challenging in ways that I hadn’t expected…mediating differences of opinion and conflicts was much more challenging than actually helping with sighted guide!”
what would you say is the most important thing you learned during your summer at the perkins school? what would you change if you could?
“I think that the most important thing I learned was how important it is to be confident in yourself and in your capabilities. I was doing things that I never could have imagined I was capable of, and doing them with the assurance that was necessary to put the students at ease. I really wouldn’t change anything about the experience.”
do you feel that your experience at the perkins school has given you an insight on the non-profit sector you hadn’t had before? could you see yourself working somewhere like the perkins school after you graduate?
“I do think that working at Perkins helped me to understand the work and dedication that goes into running a non-profit organization. I am definitely looking to continue working with non-profits (especially Perkins!) in the future.”
what would your advice be to students who are thinking of doing a summer internship but aren’t sure or don’t know where to start?
“I would say that they should look into the various internships available through Venture, and then just select one that appeals to them in some way. The great thing is that even if the internship turns out to not be as positive as my time at Perkins was, it’s only for a summer! And it’ll be such a valuable learning experience.”