The Beacon Issue 3 | 2019 The Beacon Issue 3 | 2019 | Page 14

SUMMER
APPRENTICSHIP:
AN INTERVIEW WITH
SISTERS EMMA AND
MADISON DONOHUE
THIS SUMMER YOUTH FROM ALL OVER TULSA ARE INVOLVED IN OUR SUMMER APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM AND
ARE LEARNING MORE ABOUT POSSIBLE CAREER FIELDS THROUGH A HANDS-ON-EXPERIENCE AT THE LITTLE LIGHT
HOUSE. WE DECIDED TO INTERVIEW TWO OF OUR SUMMER APPRENTICES AND HEAR WHY THEY LOVE IT SO MUCH!
HOW DID YOU FIRST HEAR ABOUT THE SUMMER APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM?
MADISON: I HAD AN AUNT WHO ATTENDED THE LITTLE LIGHT HOUSE FROM 1988-1997. I WAS VERY CLOSE TO HER AND HELPED TAKE
CARE OF HER WHEN MY GRANDMOTHER HOME SCHOOLED ME. I DECIDED TO START VOLUNTEERING WITH LITTLE LIGHT HOUSE MY
FRESHMAN YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL WHICH WAS 2012.
EMMA: 2015 IS WHEN I STARTED VOLUNTEERING, WHICH WAS MY FRESHMAN YEAR AS WELL. I’VE KNOWN ABOUT LITTLE LIGHT HOUSE
MY ENTIRE LIFE BECAUSE OF OUR AUNT, AND WHEN THE OPPORTUNITY AROSE IN 2015 TO VOLUNTEER I WAS FINALLY OLD ENOUGH.
WHAT LESSONS HAVE YOU LEARNED FROM THE PROGRAM PREVIOUSLY AND WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO
LEARN THIS SUMMER?
MADISON: DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR AFTER MY FIRST SUMMER VOLUNTEERING, I ACTUALLY WROTE A PAPER ON HOW THE LITTLE
LIGHT HOUSE HAS AFFECT ME. I WROTE THAT IT TAUGHT ME PATIENCE, UNDERSTANDING, HOW TO BETTER LISTEN AND COMMUNICATE,
AND GAVE ME A GREATER SENSE OF RESPECT; I THINK THIS STILL HOLDS TRUE TODAY AND EVERY SUMMER I LEARN MORE. THIS
SUMMER AS AN INTERN WITH THE OCCUPATIONAL AND PHYSICAL THERAPISTS, I HOPE TO LEARN MORE OF THE MEDICAL ASPECTS OF
THE SCHOOL.
EMMA: THROUGH MY TIME AT THE LITTLE LIGHT HOUSE, I HAVE LEARNED A GREAT DEAL OF RESPONSIBILITY. BEFORE VOLUNTEERING,
I DID NOT KNOW HOW TO WORK WITH CHILDREN OF ANY CALIBER. I HOPE TO CONTINUE TO LEARN RESPONSIBILITY AND PATIENCE
FROM THE CHILDREN AND TEACHERS AT LITTLE LIGHT HOUSE.
WHY DO YOU FEEL LIKE IT IS IMPORTANT TO SUPPORT LITTLE LIGHT HOUSE?
MADISON: I THINK IT’S IMPORTANT TO SUPPORT THE SCHOOL BECAUSE IT HAS SUCH A POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE LIVES OF THE
CHILDREN ATTENDING AND THEIR FAMILIES. EVEN TWENTY YEARS AFTER HER GRADUATION, MY AUNT UTILIZED SKILLS LEARNED AT THE
LITTLE LIGHT HOUSE.
EMMA: I FEEL LIKE IT IS IMPORTANT TO SUPPORT THE LITTLE LIGHT HOUSE BECAUSE OF THE RICH COMMUNITY BETWEEN THE
STUDENTS AND FAMILY’S OF THE STUDENTS AND THE TEACHERS AND VOLUNTEERS. THERE IS NO OTHER GROUP OR SCHOOL I HAVE
SEEN WHERE EVERYONE KNOWS EACH OTHER NAMES AND FAMILIES KNOW EACH OTHER SO WELL.
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