Thank You Anytown!

2.      For your final assignment, write a thank you letter to your supervisor and/ or organization as a whole. Feel free to send a copy of your post to them as well.

I want to extend a huge thank you to the Anytown Organization as a whole. As a participant I not only gained a stronger sense of social awareness and the injustices that take place in our own society, but I also was given a network of leaders who enriched my life. Through Anytown I have made lifelong friendships that have stayed with me for years and have shaped the person I have become. I have also been connected to mentors who continuously teach me how to be a better leader and inspire me to have growth in all aspects of my life.

As an intern, I was able to gain valuable skills that will allow me to further my career once I leave. I  have learned a breadth of knowledge ranging from how a non-profit functions to how to successfully run fundraising efforts. Above all, my interpersonal and communication skills have seen a lot of improvement. Before I was a bit of an introvert, but now I am comfortable in articulating messages to a variety of audiences. I am deeply grateful for the impact this organization has had on my character.  

Most Important

1.      What were the most important things you learned from this internship? Look back to your first blog post. Did you meet your initial goals? Why or why not?

I think the most important thing I learned from this internship is that a small group of people can in fact enact change. My initial experience with Anytown was as a camp participant and I did not realize that behind the scenes of this influential non-profit was only a small group of leaders. Now, that's not to say that the organization itself is not large, because all participants are somehow part of the Anytown community.

These were my initial goals a the beginning of my internship and how I attained them.

• Learn how a non-profit can act as a catalyst and facilitator of community change: I saw first hand how even a small non-profit can make a big impact in a community. Programs like Anytown especially have a large reach because they teach others to become agents of change, even furthering their reach.,

• Facilitate workshops that instill leadership skills within young people to foster inclusion and respect among all members of society: One of my favorite parts of my internship was participating in camp and watching young leaders reach their “AHA” moments that will change their outlook on their community.

• Through community outreach, ensure that the organization has a healthy outlook for future growth: I participated in a variety of projects, such as outreach and recruitment, which I am confident will ensure Anytown Leadership Camp continues to make an impact on young lives.

Ikea

3.      Free Write: Ikea and decorating

I never know if I am more excited to go to Ikea or if I dread it. Since we moved in to our new apartment my girlfriend has been adamant about “finishing” it. Whatever that means! Apparently we don’t have enough “stuff.” So last Tuesday we went on a “quick” trip to Ikea. Who were we kidding? There is no such thing as a “quick” trip to Ikea.

She had wanted to scope out a headboard she had seen online but after seeing it in person we decided it was too cheap looking. So we instead strolled over the downstairs where there's other stuff besides furniture. Holy Crap does Ikea have EVERYTHING. We grabbed straws, trash bags, extra trash cans, and even some decorative stuff like picture frames, potted plants, and mirrors. We came home with a car full of “essentials,” and I was excited put some of the hanging stuff up. Now, I must admit that we have not finished putting some of the picture frames up but I thought we were finally “finished.”

So on Friday when I asked my girlfriend if she was happy with how our place looked, I was surprised to hear “well, its not finished, we still need a headboard and a new bedspread” I give up.

Carreer Fair

4.      Career Services write-up: Career Fair

I went to the Career Fair in February that was open to all majors. I spoke to big companies like Target, Vanguard, and some government employees as well. I had a couple of target companies that I made sure to reach out to. However, I made sure to also walk around and talk to companies to just get general info with.

What was really surprising was that there were so many sales recruiters. I was a little scared that my major was too specialized and that not many employers would be looking for a Public Service and Policy student, but as it turns out most companies are just interested in you having a degree in general. It seems that the focus is not on what major you studied but more so the kind of leadership qualities and critical thinking skills you developed on the way. This was a huge relief because as I reflect more and more, I have learned that the only real “Public Service” job I am really interested in is a job in law enforcement. Now, I realize I probably should have pursued criminal justice instead but I really enjoyed my coursework. I am excited to explore other career opportunities besides that of a police officer just in case my hiring process is delayed. The career fair helped open my eyes to the variety of opportunities that are out there.

New Car

2.      Free Write: New Car

I have had a GMC truck since I was old enough to drive. I loved having a big truck but lately I have wanted to upgrade what I am driving. My girlfriend’s family is selling their 2009 Lexus sedan and are going to be giving me a really great deal on it. I have had to wait for a couple of months now though as they shop for another car.

So in the mean time I posted my truck on craigslist and the interest that I received was a lot greater than I expected. I ended up getting a couple of offers so I sold my car rather quickly. For now, I am driving a sedan that my parents let me borrow but I am really eager to get into something new. Whats making things even more complicated is that I have been really looking into Jeeps lately. I had never considered them before but it seems like they are kind of a hybrid between Truck and a smaller car. What's surprising is how much they hold their value! I was looking at a 2006 Jeep that was selling for almost 25K! I might just stay with the Lexus, but I don’t want to regret not getting the Jeep! We will see what happens.

Anytown Strengths

1.      What are the strengths of your organization? If you were in charge of a similar organization, are there any things you would do differently?

One of the major strengths of Anytown Leadership Camp is that it does not have to have a big infrastructure to make a huge impact. Every year 600 students attend camp and have a life changing experience. I have personally seen camp delegates go back to their communities and become agents of change. Whether they start student clubs within their schools, or are inspired to become part of community action organizations, these young students are inspired by the time they spend at camp.

Now we really only have a working staff of about 12. Most of these staff members are volunteers and run the organization on a part-time basis. Furthermore, the camp counselors who staff the camp are all made up of volunteers who we choose through an application process. Most other non profits require a large infrastructure. and the impact they make is hard to measure. Anytown, however, impacts  the lives of every single student and volunteer who participates.

Graduation

Free Write: Graduation

I have started to plan my graduation for May. It is becoming a bit complicated to plan a big celebration because I have to celebrate with my family in Tucson even though the graduation ceremony will be happening here in Tempe. I am also planning on inviting childhood friends and family friends so I am anticipating a large crowd. What futher complicates things is that I don’t want to put out any of my brothers and sisters by asking them to host. So, I am currently looking for a venue in Tucson.

The past couple of places I have inquired as of yet are either too small or out of our price range. So, it seems I am going to have to ask someone to host. Either way, I am definitely excited to graduate and am even trying to schedule time with a professional photographer. I am eager to start my professional life. I am also filled with a sense of anxiety because so much is unknown as of right now. I am not sure if I will get into the police academy and the other jobs I have applied to have not given me any definite offers. I can only hope that everything will work out for the best, and am excited to embark on a new journey.

Anytown and Public Service

  How does your organization demonstrate public service and/ or urban governance?

Any Town's main goal is to instill a sense of social justice within its participants. So the organization demonstrates public service indirectly because we are encouragin our participants to become agents of change within their community. We have seen graduates of Anytown go on to work in Nonprofits and government organizations.

We do so by having the delegates discuss their different experiences with discrimination and social injustice. They share their experiences so they can have a well rounded view of the kinds of things their peers go through. It is one thing to hear about the pain others feel but when you know the person you connect with the story in a much deeper way. Delegates leave camp with a newfound compassion for their peers. We also talk about how we can take what we learned from camp and apply it to the real world so that our young leaders can be empowered to become

agents of change.

Easter

Free Write: Easter

I can’t believe Easter is so early this year. Easter is one of my favorite holidays because coming from a big catholic family, we always plan something big on Easter. Our tradition is to go to the river each year, and this year we will be fishing for the first time. Last year, we rented a couple of Jet Skis and I was able to take some of the kids out on the water. It was definitely my favorite memory with them thus far.

I am extremely excited about seeing all my nieces and nephews.Since I am the youngest, I have the luxery of enjoying them as kids but without the responsibility of taking them home with me. It really is the best of both worlds. Since we are fishing, I am not sure if it will be more of a relaxed time this year but it is still bound to be a fun time. I do however, think the little ones might start to get antsy if we are not entertaining them as much as usual.  I actually have only been fishing once before so I am eager to try it again. I mean, how hard can it be?

Tucson

Free Write: Tucson

I am originally from Tucson and love visiting my family there. I am the youngest of six and all my brothers and sisters live in Tucson so I have a lot of neices and nephews to visit. I am really close to my family and being far away has been pretty hard. I especially wish I could be around more for my nieces and nephews. I really enjoy watching them grow up but when they are young it is too easy to see the passage of time since they grow up so fast.

I thought I would stay in Phoenix or even move away farther after graduation, but if I get into the Tucson PD I could end up living in Tucson again. I am excited about the idea of living closer to my family again but I have to say that I have enjoyed making a life for my self here in Phoenix. It is an interesting concept that in your first adult years you start to plant your own roots somewhere. I am not sure where I will be next year but I am excited to find out.

Leadership

Leadership

Even though leadership is in the title of “Anytown Leadership Camp.” The leadership that we instill in our camp participants is a non traditional type of leadership. Our camp sessions are not necessarily instructing the participants on how to lead a group of people by studying the different leadership styles, or whatever it is that other leadership programs do. Instead, we build leaders by making them socially aware of some of the injustices that take place in American’s daily lives so that they can become leaders among their peers and fight against them on a micro level.

In my role, serving as one of the camp counselors I specifically have to lead a group of young adults through workshops and discussions. However, as a role model I have to demonstrate leadership not just in the way that I lead these activities, but also in how I respect other’s opinions and express my beliefs. I also serve on the executive board and we constantly discuss how we have to hold ourselves to a higher standard because we are role models to these young adults. This means making choices even in our personal lives which role models would make. My co-workers take on the same responsibility of constantly acting as if one of our youth participants was watching. This experience has made me more self aware of the repercussion of my choices, not only in my personal life but how those choices affect others.

My Interview with a DPS Officer

Interview: DPS Officer

Last week I interviewed a friend of the family who retired this year from the Glendale police force. He had been a police officer since he was 23. He spent 30 years on the force and had a really diverse career. First, he started as a DPS officer on the freeway, he mentioned that most officers start monitoring the highway early in his career. He later spent time on the SWAT team and then spent 10 years as a sniper for DPS. At the end of his career he spent time on the Anti-Terrorist task force here in Phoenix. When I asked how much terrorism happens in Phoenix, I was surprised to learn that he had served on the task force when Phoenix hosted the Superbowl a couple of years ago and that there had been a lot of terrorist threats during that time. It was shocking to think about how many threats and behind the scenes police work is in place in our everyday lives. At the end of his career he had more of an administrative role and organized conferences while also serving as a SWAT instructor.

I have been lucky enough to have him as a mentor through my interview process for the Police force. I asked how the process had evolved since he had originally interviewed and he said that back then they would hire hundreds of recruits at a time. Now, the process is more drawn out and there are a lot of hoops to jump through. I also asked if he had ever considered any other career, especially since he had been so young when he joined the force. His response was that he enjoyed his job so much, he never had any reason too.

This is what I was really interested in! After all, I had my own interpretation of what being a police officer was like but this was my chance to hear it from someone who had actually experienced it. I thought it would be something about knowing that you are doing something noble with your life, serving others etc. Instead he talked about the brotherhood the men on the force experience and the sense of family he feels. I was invited to his retirement party and I felt it too, his friends were there telling stories of him as a young man and how much he was grown.

After our talk, I was even more sure that I wanted to become a police officer. When I was in high school I was captain of my football team and of my wrestling team, and what I enjoyed the most was the friendships I made while on those teams. To think that I can experience that again for my career is really exciting.

OrangeTheory

Free Write: 

OrangeTheory.

My girlfriend has been doing OrangeTheory fitness classes for the past couple of weeks. She keeps telling me to go with her but it seems that class type environments are traditionally mostly attended by women. I don’t mean to come from a sexist place, but in the past she has tried to take me to Zumba classes and it was definetly not my thing. I had heard JohnJay, a local Radio DJ personality from the JohnJay and Rich show talk about OrangTheory and how much he likes it. He used to be overweight and now is sitting at atound 11% body fat. So, I was a bit more inclined to try out OrangeTheory.

I am so glad I did! First off, this is not just for women. There were plenty of men in the class that I attended and some of them were obviously athletic. The class is actually really cool. Its all based on HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training), and the class itself is circuit training. So, you spend a certain amount of time on a treadmill, then you rotate to a rowing machine and the weight room for strength training. The “orange” part ties into the heart monitor that you have to wear for the class. Monitors are placed in the room with everyone’s heart rate and your goal is to stay the “orange zone” for most of the time. What I really liked about it is that since you are only spending a short amount of time on each activity, it is easier to push yourself harder. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who is looking to do a fitness class. My girlfriend really enjoys it and she has self-identified as non-athletic, so I am sure anyone would enjoy it. I am not sure when will be back but it was a good experience!

WP Carey Spring Career and Internship Fair.

Career Services Blog

Last month I attended the WP Carey Spring Career and Internship Fair. Even though I am not a WP Carey student, I really wanted to talk with a medical device company called Stryker. I was first introduced to the company through my girlfriend. She graduated in 2012 and has been working as a sales person for a payroll company. Even though sales is not my first career choice, I have only been considering it because of the amount of growth, both financially and professionally that is available.

I didn’t realize it, but Stryker was using the career fair as a first interview. The recruiters liked our conversation and invited me to a more formal interview. It was my first time doing an interview with a company from a career fair and it was very interesting. First of all, I wasn’t being interviewed for a specific position. I was interviewed by a recruiter just to see if I would fit in to the company culture. Now, she recommends me to the department she thinks I would be best in. I am not sure if it is an industry I want to go into but I will see where the interview process leads me.

Biking

Free Write: Biking

I really want to bike more. When I used to take classes on the downtown campus I would ride my bike from my place in Tempe and would take 30 minutes each way. I absolutely loved it. Recently though, I am taking all my classes online and now that I live where I work, I don’t really have a commute anywhere.

I enjoyed biking so much that I trained to make the trip from Tempe to Tucson. I did so by riding from Tempe to Peoria around 3 times a week. The first time I tried to make it to Tucson was freshman year. I didn’t make it and only made it half way. I was pretty disappointed in my self but I tried again my sophomore year and made it in 12 hours. It’s been more than a year since I have even been on my bike. I really want to start again.

Awhatukee

Free Write: Awhatukee

It has been a couple of weeks since we moved in, and just as I had thought it would happen, there are still unpacked boxes in our den. It is extremely hard to finish unpacking because we simply have too much stuff and haven’t established were anything goes! I really like our apartment though and it has more of a home feel than our last apartment. I would have rather moved into a house but not being tied down to a lease is what makes the most sense right now.

I love Awhatukee! I had never considered living here before, but it is so new and my neighborhood has everything close by. It I think that when I do decide to buy a home it will be in Awhatukee. Last year I was house shopping but couldn’t decide on what area of the valley to live in. I even was working with a realtor and had gotten approved for a good loan but in the end I couldn’t decide.

It was also really hard to decide since I am still in school and am unsure of where my career will be. I don’t want to be tied down to a house if I have to move to a different state. However, even if I do stay in the valley, I would want to be close to work! That’s the one down side to Awhatukee, even though the neighborhoods are close by to shopping centers, grocery stores, etc. Awhatukee is generally far away from everything else. So I will keep considering where I want to end up, but for now Ahwatukee is nice! 

A Diverse Community

Free Write: 

A Diverse Community 

In addition to the individual growth I experienced at camp. It also gave me a community to belong to which was unlike anything I had ever experienced. While at camp, you have life-changing conversations and open up to the other delegates about very personal experiences. Inevitably you become close friends with the other delegates who originally started out as strangers.

One of the core strategies of the camp is to bring together delegates from a variety of different backgrounds. So I ended up building close relationships with people who I would have otherwise not have had the opportunity to meet. It was a completely different setting than I was used to. Often times high school, work, and even church I was only exposed to people of a similar background than me. Anytown was the first time I connected with like-minded people who came from different backgrounds.

It only helped enrich the experience and added depth to our conversations. I was able to learn how other races and genders experienced prejudice from those who felt it first hand. It deepened my compassion for those groups even more since I was able to put faces to the struggle. My main objective during this internship is to enrich the experience for current delegates.

My initial experience as an Anytown Delegate

Free Write:

My initial experience as an Anytown Delegate

I was first introduced to Anytown in high school. As a student leader,  I was eager to engage with any leadership development programs I could get into. What I found with Anytown though was much more profound than anything I could have hoped for. Ironically enough, I was not searching to have such a mind opening experience. I was just looking for another leadership experience.

What I found however, was much more. I was challenged to question my understanding of myself and my community. As a delegate, I confronted issues regarding stereotypes, disabilities, gender, occupations, faith and religion, body types, sexual orientation, class and privilege. The week was profound and life-changing, deepening my appreciation for others.

I was inspired to get deeper involved with the organization and help others have the same experience I did. The first step was to become a camp counselor that next year. Since then I have participated in 6 camps. Once I came to ASU I looked to be more involved so I worked out an internship role where I not only acted as a counselor but also had a hand in deepening the organization mission outside of camp.

Moving

Free Write: Moving

Since I have been in college I have moved every single year. Every time I move to a new place I vow to never do it again. But alas, I have done it again. I am a leasing consultant at an apartment community in Awhatukee, and I get a discount off my rent in addition to not having to designate a lease term if I live on premise. 

So, when our lease was up at my old apartment my girlfriend and I decided to move to Awhatukee. Moving is such a nightmare! I don’t understand how we accumulate so much unnecessary stuff. Every time I move I go on a tossing binge and just get rid of everything I don’t need. But year after year I still end up with so much stuff!

We ended up renting a U-Haul and had my parents help for a day. We actually finished in around 4 hours. It was great. However, I am unsure of how everything will fit. We moved to a bigger place but its always hard to get settled in and decide where everything goes. So far so good but we will see! 

Introduction

Hi everyone!

My name is Crispin Chavira Alvarez and I am a senior at Arizona State University majoring in Public Service and Public Policy. I am writing this blog to document my experience as an intern for Anytown Leadership Camp. The mission of Anytown is to celebrate diversity and reduce bias, bigotry and prejudice. 

The goals I hope to achieve through this internship are:

• Learn how a non-profit can act as a catalyst and facilitator of community change.

• Facilitate workshops that instill leadership skills within young people to foster inclusion and respect among all members of society. 

• Through community outreach, ensure that the organization has a healthy outlook for future growth.  

I have been interning with Anytown for a couple of years and aim to fulfill these goals by the end of my internship.

Anytown Overview

The organization I am interning with is Anytown Leadership Camp. It is an Arizona non- profit, which aims as being a catalyst and facilitator of community change. The mission of Anytown is to celebrate diversity and reduce bias, bigotry and prejudice. The camp accomplishes its mission by bringing young people of all races, cultures, religions and backgrounds together for a week.

Programming is done in an experiential, interactive and safe setting where all students are involved. Rather than employing a classroom or lecture environment, students experience structured curriculum where one exercise builds on another.

As an intern I am firstly responsible for the logistical aspects of executing the camp. I help in coordinating with vendors, planning curriculum and recruiting for the camp. The bulk of my job though is actually executing the curriculum during the camp’s duration. I work alongside other staff members to lead students through the experience. I also help the executive team strategize on the organizations growth.