Hello! It’s week 2 at ETSS and I’m getting into the nitty-gritty of event planning. This week, I’ve begun working on all the projects required for the day. This includes coordinating with corporate volunteers, nailing down logistics, and reaching out to companies to secure in-kind donations. My master notes document has grown unwieldy already with answers to the many questions I’ve asked. I am placing heavy emphasis on record-keeping, both for my own organizational purposes and for the organization’s future. I hope to create a folder of resources like donor lists, marketing pitches, and SOPs for various tasks for the next person who undertakes this project.  

I am working closely with the Advancement team, who have been a huge help with everything relating to communications and fundraising. I also met with our wonderful Volunteer Coordinator to flesh out all the various volunteering roles we’ll need for the Youth Summit—over 100!  

On Friday, I got to help with the Teen Summit, where middle and high school students from our after-school program came together to celebrate the end of the school year. Each site has been working on a student-led group project focused on mental health, including a line of t-shirts and tote bags with the Suicide Hotline number (988) they designed themselves, and a soccer club they used to raise awareness. It was incredibly rewarding to see the program’s tangible impact on their lives. I was so impressed by how seriously they took it, remembering how cynical I was at their age.

Working on the Summer Youth Enrichment Program has left me feeling inspired. Later today, I will tag along on our Whitehall site’s first field trip, where they will be playing soccer. I’ll get to meet some of the kids and get feedback on their Youth Summit experiences, since it is their day first and foremost.

See you next week,

Sanay