When going into my second week of being at Central, one word I might describe myself is OVERWHELMED! I would say overwhelmed in a healthy and growing way. I recently noticed I didn’t introduce myself in my last journal entry…… 

Hello everyone, my name is Jennatta Mensah. I am currently a junior at Otterbein University double majoring in Public Health Education and Health Communication. Growing up I spent most of my childhood at Saint Stephens Community House, a supplement house familiar to Central Community House. Saint Stephens gave me the opportunity to have fresh fruits and vegetables, attend and make social connections at summer camp and have a place where I could go and feel safe. Supplement houses mean a lot to me because they helped me more than I could know growing up.  

While taking in the environment at Central, I can’t help but be happy to be here in this amazing space. Summer camp has started and all you hear is children having fun while learning. While summer camp is in session, our senior program TAP is starting. TAP is the Technology Access Program, a program that supports seniors on learning how to navigate on different devices. Our youth at Transit Arts are working on their upcoming open mic & water dance performance. There’s so much going on at Central, I could never get bored. I’m reminded of my childhood of being able to just go to St Stephens and to be able to participate in any program and feel welcomed.

Here at Central, we have the mission statement of empowering people to reach their full potential, be self-supporting, and live cooperatively with all others by building a community that meets the needs and nourishes the creative aspirations of one another. I see this mission being completed every day I come to work, and it’s only been two weeks. I cannot imagine what will grow to see in the next 9 weeks of the program.