Today my Volunteer Odyssey brought me to Porter-Leath’s expansive campus on Manassas Street. I met with my contact Angela in the main building, a beautiful three-story red brick structure that was an orphanage in the 1880s. It was built with funds raised to combat the Yellow Fever Epidemic, and has retained many of its original fixtures. After a brief tour of the administrative building, I was brought to the home of the Early Head Start program on site.
Early Head Start provides intervention and child development services to pregnant women and children from birth to age three. The center has dedicated teachers that guide children through meals, planned activities, and free play every morning and afternoon. This week, the center celebrated Fall Week by making autumn themed arts and crafts like finger-painted pumpkins, and coordinated days to wear fall colors. Today’s color was yellow, and it was a sight to see all of the yellow-clad little ones!
Some of the lovely Fall Fest themed hall decorations at Porter-Leath!
I aided the site manager in refreshing some of the more worn-out signs along the main hallway, and then visited each classroom to help with administrative duties. After making a few copies, I got to have a little fun. I played the bongos with one little boy and then had a few dizzying rounds of Ring-around-the-rosy with a precious little girl. The kids showed me a pumpkin their teachers carved the week before. Some kids were not the biggest fans of the pumpkin, forcing the teachers to reassure the more skeptical kids of the pumpkin’s character and intentions. Spending time in the classrooms reminded me of a daycare center I worked in during high school. I had forgotten how much I enjoyed working and playing with kids!
More amazing hall decorations at Porter-Leath – Pinterest approved!
When the class went outside, I helped another volunteer (and aspiring social worker) facilitate a game of “Pin the smile on the pumpkin” for classes coming in from outside playtime. The kids had a great time taking turns decorating the pumpkin. They planted more smiles on their own faces than the pumpkin!
Being at Early Head Start reminded me of the joy and fulfillment working with children brings me. Porter-Leath is an amazing organization, evidenced by the positive space the Early Head Start program provides for kids to learn and play.