2014 SYP~Meet Jackie and Al'Mond

We are so thrilled with this year's Summer Youth Program participants and we want you to get to know them too. Each week we will introduce you to a few of this year's stellar youth. Today, let's meet Jackie and Al'Mond. Al'Mond is a seventeen-year-old who will be entering the 12th grade this fall at KIPP DC. Al'Mond learned about our Summer Youth Program last year when he attended a Community Lunch with his Green Zone group. He wanted to participate in this year's program because he loves working outside with his hands. When asked if there was anything he was nervous about prior to starting the summer job, he responded that he felt confident in his abilities to work hard and get the job done, even in the heat. "The favorite thing I've done so far is planting the pumpkin patch. I can already see three of my pumpkin seeds growing!". The most surprising thing that Al'Mond has learned so far is how nutritious peaches are; he then explained that peaches have a lot of Vitamin A (which helps with eye site) and tons of antioxidants. Al'Mond is going to start eating more peaches! Jackie is a seventeen-year-old who will be starting college in the fall at Marry Baldwin College. Jackie was interested in our Summer Youth Program because she wants to study nutrition and wanted to get the experience of living a healthy lifestyle through hands-on work. Jackie was most worried about being bored with her summer job, but her experience with Common Good has been just the opposite! "We have lot's of fun and we are outside doing things all day. There's nothing boring about it." Her favorite farm activity is weeding - we think playing games and singing while weeding helps! When asked what she's been most surprised by so far, Jackie said that she is so surprised by how well the group is getting along. "We didn't know each other and it's so hot out, I didn't think we would get along. But, I can't believe how quickly we all became comfortable working together. That's what makes this so fun."