YDEV + Me Reflection

Isabella Caban Velletri                                                                                                                  YDEV + Me Reflection 

 

I went to The MET High School, which is an internship based high school. When I first arrived, my heart we set on social work. Throughout my three years I bounced around from daycares to elementary schools, interviewed countless social workers, and even traveled to build a playground for a school in Mexico. When senior year came around, I was asked the question, by my advisor of three years, “what do you want to be.” When I told him my three interests and highlights from my time at The MET, being social work, non-profit work, and youth work, he told me I had to choose one, and helped me apply for my top three colleges. 

Because of my ongoing indecisiveness of which internship, I valued more, I started my college education undecided. I did not do well in my first year, because of issues happening back home, and the feeling of defeat from my previous conversation with my advisor. I continued for two years at Rhode Island College feeling unseen, unvalued, and that it was time to give up, so I dropped out. 

This ended up turning into a gap year... or two, and when I came back, I had met my new undecided advisor, Colton. When I told him about my experience, he began to explain to me how he got his position at RIC that he has now, and how it was all thanks to his YDEV major. He explained how YDEV is a mix of youth work, social work, and non-profit work, and I'm sure he said something else after that. I was so blown away by the focuses of YDEV that I stopped listening. I was already in. 

I've been an official YDEV major for two semesters, and I have already traveled to Guatemala for a month, thanks to a YDEV professor. It was an honor to learn hands on in a third world country. I went for intensive language classes and teaching at the local school. I didn’t realize, going into the trip, how much more I would take out of the experience. I learned so much about their various cultures, and the ongoing political fight for peace and freedom the community has been going through. The community I stayed in for two weeks was overwhelmingly welcoming and felt like a hallmark community, because they were so inclusive with one another. Before we left, the owner of La Escuela de La Montana told us the story of how he rescued every family from the finca they were staying on and relocated them to where they are now, and where I was staying. The entire trip was such an inspiration and I have YDEV to thank for that.  

Although I’ve only been a YDEV major for two semesters, I’ve found a supportive community that creates a motivating environment to help me finish my college education. What continues to inspire me about this program is, specifically, its holistic approach to youth development. This approach acknowledges the importance of various factors such as play, care, identity, social justice & advocacy, and leadership. By incorporating these anchors into the curriculum, the program aims to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of youth development. 

Furthermore, you appreciate the tight-knit community In Youth Develpoment, where students and professors collaborate to create a supportive learning environment. This collaborative atmosphere fosters mutual support and growth, allowing students to from one another and explore interests in youth development. The combination of theoretical learning and practical application makes it an enriching option for students passionate about youth development. Youth Development gave me the opportunity to be the person I needed when I was younger for current youth.