Thursday, October 23, 2008

How will you discover your passions? What is your story?

I truly stumbled upon my true calling in life. In the summer of 2007, I applied for a job at a fitness center that I was already working out at, but didn't get the job. In turn, the man that I had the interview with offered an opportunity two weeks later to help him out with an innovative children's fitness program he was working on. It sounded interesting and I needed a job, so without thinking, I jumped on the opportunity.
Rec-Pac is a non-profit summer camp program based at elementary schools in Fairfax County in Northern Virginia. Most people that work for Rec-Pac take care of kids ranging from rising first to rising seventh graders. However, my special position asked me to stay in the gym all day to teach fundamental movements to the children while playing their favorite games. I would take them through a dynamic warm-up, stretch session, and organize innovative games. This was by far the hardest job I ever had. I really had to be on top of my game every single day because if I wasn't, the kids would eat me alive. At the end of the six weeks I was exhausted, but then I realized I learned so much from the experience and knew if I did it again I would be infinitely better at it. And that I did. In the Summer of 2008, I decided to come back to Rec-Pac at my same position (with a pay increase :)) I gained the children's respect by the first couple of days and they knew that whenever it was "gym" time they were going to learn, laugh, have fun, and run around!
Through my experience with Rec-Pac, I found what my 'talent' is, working with children.

1 comment:

  1. Great 1st post! How do you think that this experience changed you as a leader or the way that you approach leadership?

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