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Rosedale
Center
1724 East 174th
St., Bronx, NY 10472 *** Tel/Fax: 718-328-4090
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Self-gift: Working at Rosedale
I began at Rosedale last July by accepting the five-week position of the Summer Job Training Program Director. To my surprise, I became very attached to these young adults. They have so much vigor and love for life. Some want to become doctors, lawyers, and artists. Their dreams and aspirations impressed me and inspired me both at the same time. Suddenly, their goals became my goals. I worked with them one-on-one and we set practical, personal goals to achieve these new heights. I also taught the character development class which opened my eyes to the daily struggles they face. These group discussions helped tremendously; the girls told me on numerous occasions that they didn’t realize that their peers met the same obstacles in life.
I suppose you could call it divine providence, but in the fall, a full-time HS program director position presented itself at Rosedale. After accepting the job, we began restructuring the HS Club curriculum and the Summer Job-Training Program goals. This provided a much needed foundation for both leadership programs. Now both are centered on the one-on-one, friendship-based relationship with staff and volunteers that is the hallmark of Rosedale, and that helps the students identify and put into practice important virtues. Because the Director allows for creativity and autonomy to breed new ideas, the HS Club has flourished. We now have 15 students instead of four from the previous year. Through the program stability and friendship, the students in the club have more sincere discussions about abstinence, they are unafraid to talk about their faith, and they engage in short term and long term goal setting, among other things.
Working at Rosedale has been an amazing experience. Because of the mission of the program and the training of the staff, I feel we collaborate well as a team. We respect one another and each of us has different strengths to bring to the organization. In my previous work experience in corporate America, egos and self-interest seem to skew the company’s mission. At Rosedale you “give yourself away,” and the primary goal is each student’s inner and outer well-being. This juxtaposition is so refreshing. Rosedale makes me a better person. I’m always examining my conscience so my thoughts, words and actions reflect something bigger than myself. Because of Rosedale, I have grown in my faith and I am so grateful for this.
Ultimately, when I look at the faces of Rosedale I see talent, intellect, respect, formation and strong will. I see young women with hearts big enough to change the world. I watch them muster the courage to work on their weakness and I see the joy in their eyes when they attain their personal and academic goals. They say having a child makes you want to be a better person… in an analogous way, Rosedale and its students has that effect on me.
Kristen comes to us with ten years of marketing experience in both the corporate world and the fashion industry. She is now pursuing a MA in Social Work. published May 2004
A Place to Blossom
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