SPARK orientation
Last night was my SPARK orientation where i met the other apprentice teachers (AT), the SPARK staff, and my apprentice. We met at John Denman Middle School, just a few blocks from my studio on Oneida Street. Spark's mission is to provide life-changing apprenticeships to youth in underserved communities. I benefited from such a program when i was 14 years old where students were exposed to the health care profession. I worked as a dental assistant
at the Public Health hospital at 15th Ave and Lake (no longer there)and it was a life changing experience. It gave me confidence and i lost my fear of receiving dental work. The orientation was very organized and discussed situations that i am glad they brought up such as what if your apprentice asks you if you have used illegal drugs or if your apprentice asks you to buy shoes. It is so much better for me if i can think about these things and be prepared to answer these sorts of awkward questions than to be dumbstruck. We as AT have to remember we are role models but we are not perfect. We have hopefully valuable life experiences that we can share with our apprentice. My apprentice, Stacy is a sharp, charming, energetic young woman and i look forward to our interactions. She has many interests besides art which is so important when you are young to keep an open mind. She has been drawing and painting for a while already so i need to step it up and keep her challenged and engaged. We meet once a week for 1.5 to 2 hours and the program is 6 weeks long, culminating in an open house called "Discovery Night" where each apprentice will present their work. And while i made an effort to recruit a few people to join me in becoming an apprentice teacher, if all goes well and i fully expect it to, i will be turning on the screws to recruit my friends in the science field as well as my network of art, dance, theater, technology, and food people.
at the Public Health hospital at 15th Ave and Lake (no longer there)and it was a life changing experience. It gave me confidence and i lost my fear of receiving dental work. The orientation was very organized and discussed situations that i am glad they brought up such as what if your apprentice asks you if you have used illegal drugs or if your apprentice asks you to buy shoes. It is so much better for me if i can think about these things and be prepared to answer these sorts of awkward questions than to be dumbstruck. We as AT have to remember we are role models but we are not perfect. We have hopefully valuable life experiences that we can share with our apprentice. My apprentice, Stacy is a sharp, charming, energetic young woman and i look forward to our interactions. She has many interests besides art which is so important when you are young to keep an open mind. She has been drawing and painting for a while already so i need to step it up and keep her challenged and engaged. We meet once a week for 1.5 to 2 hours and the program is 6 weeks long, culminating in an open house called "Discovery Night" where each apprentice will present their work. And while i made an effort to recruit a few people to join me in becoming an apprentice teacher, if all goes well and i fully expect it to, i will be turning on the screws to recruit my friends in the science field as well as my network of art, dance, theater, technology, and food people.
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If any of your readers are interested in being a volunteer Apprentice Teacher, they can email volunteer@sparkprogram.org.