By Hibist Bedasso, Justice and Legal Thought
I learned to be more persistent and patient and I learned that every kid has their own individual background that plays a role in their behavior. While I was working at EBB, I formed so many great and meaningful relationships and memories with children and I also learned a lot of things about myself. I was so happy to be a counselor and I hope I touched the hearts of the kids at my program just like they did mine.
Hello! I am Hibist Bedasso and for my capstone I decided to do an internship where I was able to be a part of a program called Excel Beyond the Bell! Excel Beyond the Bell is a non-profit afterschool program that is offered to children who are underrepresented. The program consists of 120 students every school day from 3 to 6:30 pm. The mission of this program is to not only give students the opportunity to try new extracurriculars, but give students the extra help they need by offering educational activities that supplement their education. Most of these students that are in the Excel Beyond the Bell program are in positions where they do not have the chance to participate in the sports program they want to join, or the dance program, or whatever leisure activity they wish to join because either they cannot afford it or they don’t have the resources to participate in such programs. This is why programs like this exist, it is not about money at Excel Beyond the bell. We offer transportation so that parents do not have to worry about picking their child up and they also get lunch to last them throughout the day. There are two counselors for each group of 20 students; this is why we are able to really get to be personal and form close relationships with these children. Throughout the program, I learned to be more persistent and patient and I learned that every kid has their own individual background that plays a role in their behavior. While I was working at EBB, I formed so many great and meaningful relationships and memories with children and I also learned a lot of things about myself. I was so happy to be a counselor and I hope I touched the hearts of the kids at my program just like they did mine.
What stood out to me was the whole topic of education equity. This is because I have recently done a project on that exact same topic. This poster helped me realize that while education inequity is a serious problem in this country, organizations like this one really do their best to make a positive difference. One question, are you still in contact with these kids to this day?
Hi Hibist! I really enjoyed reading about the work you did with Excel Beyond the Bell. Many students, especially those who may not have access to the best quality education, can significantly benefit from having extra help with homework, basic reading and math skills, etc. Learning that Excel Beyond the Bell also incorporates physical activities into the students’ schedules it great, it emphasizes the importance of their physical health. It’s great to hear that you’re working towards opening a non-profit healthcare facility, it would help so many community members who have trouble accessing healthcare.
Hibist, the internship you decided to do for your capstone project really stood out to me because the prevalent issue of educational inequality is one that I've become especially interested in and passionate about this past school year. One thing I learned from your poster is the importance and impact non-profit organizations like EBB can have on a community and its children who don't always receive the same opportunities. I could really sense the passion you have for this program and the children you worked with while reading your poster. I'm so glad that this internship has inspired you on such a clearly meaningful level and I wish you all the best on your non-profit organization endeavors!