DC Public Boarding High School 4/21-23/2009

In 140 characters or less, describe this program, population, and their goals in bringing their group to our facility.

High school, 9th-graders 4/21-23, first public boarding school located in Washington, D.C. Introduced myself as PG (after the county I'm from).

What did you like or enjoy about your group?

M (guy not in my group) has hiked all over Wyoming, going to Utah. Lots of cool kids, lots of energy. Did a good job sitting with my students instead of at a staff table.

What were the soft facilitation skills you feel you did well?

Learning names, providing a decent amount of down-time to respond to group needs. Good rapport built with students.

What activities did you do that were new to you during the program?

Since our night walk was scheduled early, I had my students write or draw near the creek by Baking Tin bridge until it was too dark for them to do so. I cut pages out of composition books and halved legal-size paper, and cut pieces of uncorrugated board from cake mix and granola boxes in the kitchen to keep with my facilitation backpack. These things worked really well for me.

What were challenges you encountered while facilitating this group?

Like herding cats--short attention span. Some gang associations. Not prepared as well, some were completely turned-off and hard to engage the entire time (Obama was scheduled to be at their school the day they came up). Gang signs and flagging were pretty prevalent.

What did you learn from the last program that you wanted to apply to this program? Were you successful?

I had a lot of trouble with names and did a whole lot better with names this go around. Success!

What feedback from participants, co-workers or chaperones did you receive that you would like to remember?

Students said: "More things to bring people together."
"I learned that I have to 'avoid the tyrranny of the status quo.'"
"Keep doing what you are doing."
"I liked everything about this place."

Travis suggested that since a gang covenant is often that you don't deny being in a gang, asking about it and asking that it be left at home since they are in a new environment. "I understand that is a reality where you're from. I accept that about you. I need to to be present to here and now, though."

Improve chaperone talk.

Better transference.

How can you apply what you learned during this program next time? (What groups might it be applicable to?)
Next time I have a primary-service population group definitely address gang membership. I also typed up my chaperone talk topics to tape to the back of my miniature clipboard for the next time.