Hello! My name is Shravya, and I’m a rising sophomore studying Public Health Sciences at the University of Michigan. This summer, I’m working with Brilliant Detroit, a non-profit dedicated to creating successful outcomes for children and their families in the Detroit Community.
To me, “community” means a group of people united by similar backgrounds and experiences. Still, each member of their community adds nuance from their unique perspectives and past. I have always had a passion for social justice, but recently, my interest lies in learning more about how social factors (ex: socioeconomic status, race, etc) influence their health and outcomes. Because of this, having the opportunity to do community-engaged work is perfectly suited for me because of the rich history and wonderful people this city has to offer.
A previous experience that I have that can help me be successful in my position is that I used to be a gymnastics coach. This summer, I’ll be facilitating a summer camp for kids to learn gardening skills and fun ways to exercise, so having coaching experience will help me. A skill that I want to develop this summer is being able to think on my feet. Because I’m working with kids, I need to ensure engagement by keeping the lessons entertaining while also making sure they’re still learning, so I may have to adapt certain lessons to make sure they’re still having fun.
By the end of the DCERP program, I hope I will have made a positive impact on the kids I’ll be working with, even if it is for a short amount of time. Making people smile and laugh is something I love doing, so I hope I have that effect on the kids while also teaching them sustainable habits.
