Volunteer Experience
Indiana Artisan Marketplace
I had the wonderful opportunity to volunteer at the Indiana Artisan Marketplace at the Indiana State Fairgrounds! I worked with my amazing classmate Nwane McLean at the Indiana Artisan booth, where we encouraged attendees to enter to win door prizes, handed out Indiana Artisan magazines, sold annual memberships, and gave artisans information on how to join Indiana Artisan. The best part of my experience was connecting with individuals in attendance and hearing their stories. The experience was different than I was expecting in that it was very busy throughout my shift, and the attendees were more diverse in terms of age than I was expecting. It was great to see individuals of all ages enjoy the event! A skill I developed during my shift is problem solving. A couple of attendees had joined as members the year prior, but had never been contacted with ways to enjoy their membership. I was able to resolve these issues by offering them a new membership free of charge. All of this made my volunteer experience an amazing learning opportunity.
Indy 500 Festival
I was able to volunteer for Indy 500 Festival. I was tasked with guiding forty-four 4th Graders, as well as their teachers and chaperones, through various stations at the track. I learned so many interesting facts about the Indy 500, its history, and its traditions while making friendships and connections with the students. Being responsible for over fifty people getting to the right station at the right time and staying on schedule throughout the day seemed like a daunting and challenging task, but I was able to stay organized and keep the entire group on task throughout my shift! This opportunity was a great learning experience for me, and helped me improve my leadership and communication skills. The most challenging part was keeping track of all the kids while moving from station to station, but through effective communication with the other leaders it went very smoothly. Something that surprised me was how much I learned myself throughout the day! I am so thankful for this experience and all the ways it helped me grow, and look forward to similar volunteer opportunities in the future.
