As the last week of Eureka! camp, this week was undoubtedly bittersweet for me and a lot of the other Duke students as we built relationships and said goodbyes. Like last week, we held two synchronous meetings for STEM lessons and life skills each day. I continued to gain new valuable information from these sessions, but I was surprised that I also learned so much from the students themselves. This week included the students’ final projects, which covered a wide range of topics, from mental health awareness to LGBTQ+ rights. There was one student in particular who I worked with one-on-one for two whole sessions, and it was amazing to get to know her and to see that my advice and support was actually helpful!
Over the past two weeks, we have all gotten to know so many brilliant and caring young people in Orange County. I have been amazed with their deep understanding of so many social issues that divide the adults of America. Further than just understanding these issues, the students are so well-spoken and inclusive in each response they offer, and they are consistently open to learning and listening to other perspectives. I have made so many wonderful relationships through Girl’s Inc., and I know that I have learned so much from the curriculum, the staff, and the students.