Hello everyone, I am Evelyn Alcaraz. I am an FGCU Communication intern for K is for Kids this summer and I will be bringing you my favorite top news each week.
If you wish to receive the latest eNews, click here https://kisforkids.org/sign-up for-enews/ or you can email [email protected] to sign up.
“The wonderful aspect about opportunities such as these
is they allow you to learn and discover things
about yourself.”
During my internship, I am keeping a journal – Here is my first entry!
If I were to describe my experience thus far as an intern for K is for Kids’ I would say it has been enriching. I have had the opportunity to learn so many different skills that I know will be extremely helpful when I begin my career life. I recall during my first interview while speaking to Mrs. Clawson, founder & executive director of the organization, she asked me a very thought-provoking question. In fact, it was the first time someone had asked me this. She asked, “If you were able to do something for the rest of your life for free, what would it be?” (Author Joe Johnson, a guest at K is for Kids’ book fair in February, had inspired this question, she said.)
As I pondered for a while, I said I would love to do arts and crafts for the rest of my life. I mentioned how I love hands-on projects, such as scrapbooking. Basically anything that involved cutting, pasting, decorating, coloring, you name it! It has become an outlet for my creativity to flow. I’ve been working for several years in the Children’s Ministry at my local church, so doing arts and crafts with the children is something I love very much. So with that being said, Mrs. Clawson took into consideration my interest and abilities and said that I might really enjoy creating newsletters. She said it would be sort of like scrapbooking, only it’d be digital. I was willing to try!
FGCU Communication Intern, Evelyn Alcaraz, captured K is for Kids’ mission in words and images as she created a 3D poster for the foundation’s literacy events. Chewy, the founder’s 2-year-old Morkie, pauses for the photo.
My first hands-on project was to recreate a 3D poster for K is for Kids. I was really excited about this project. I was given a good deal of leeway as to how the 3D poster should look. An image can convey a powerful message and this is exactly what I intended to do.
As a Communication major, I have learned that everything sends a message, whether intentional or unintentional – how you dress, the color of your room, the car you drive, etc. All these nonverbal cues communicate something. In this case, my objective was for the 3D poster to communicate the organizations’ mission statement, “building readers and leaders.” I thought of words that described what it means to be a reader and a leader and use those words along with a silhouette of a child reading to convey K is for Kids’ message. After much cutting and pasting, I completed the project and was very pleased with its appearance. I was also happy that Mrs. Clawson liked it as well.
My next project was to edit photos and create the “top stories” for K is for Kids’ website, starting with the foundation’s recent Top Leaders Reception. At first I had trouble with this and attempted to embellish my writing, but then I learned that the stories were news posts, more similar to news releases. I learned the importance of sticking to the “5 W’s” – the “who, what, where, when and why”.
Evelyn begins applying her talents and skills to digital “scrapbooking” – sharing K is for Kids’ top stories on its website. Here she is creating the web page about author Gerald Hausman, shown here with Florida State University student Thomas Reber.
Sticking to the facts involved having to research and extract information that would be useful in articulating my post – including previous stories, social media and sometimes even googling information about students and events. With Mrs. Clawson’s help and guidance I published my first ever web post! Since then I’ve created and published several with more to come. This was a whole new experience for me and I am so thankful for it.
Currently, I am working on creating the e-newsletters based on the stories. Mrs. Clawson was definitely right when she guessed that I would enjoy applying my interests and skills I’ve learned in the classroom to this area of Communication. Crafting newsletters has given me the chance to be creative from a whole different angle. I have more to learn, but at least I can say that I am enjoying and applying all that I have learned.
One of Evelyn’s first days serving as communication intern for K is for Kids ends with a big smile!
The wonderful aspect about opportunities such as these is they allow you to learn and discover things about yourself. As of now, I have learned that I enjoy projects in which I am behind the scenes, creating, editing, writing, and things of that sort. So far my internship experience has been very rewarding. I am really thankful with Karen Clawson because she has been an awesome mentor. I know I am acquiring a wide variety of tools that will enable me to climb higher on the ladder of success!
Update August 2015: I am now nearing the end of my internship and I must say it has been an amazing journey! I’ve learned how to create e-News and much much more! I am happy to announce that my e-News will continue to roll out through Fall and I’ll also be helping aspiring teens through a leadership training workshop. Can’t wait!
1st Leadership Workshop of the Season! Evelyn takes the lead helping Lorenzo Walker Technical High School students (L-R): Katrina Cortada, Amanda Cortada, Daylin Baez. Daylin is also a videography intern with K is for Kids.
Evelyn with Conner Casey, a sophomore at Gulf Coast High School, sharing tips for data entry utilizing Excel.
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Please support our Readers & Leaders programs today –
Donate just $5.00 to buy a book for a child in need.
LITERACY IS OUR PLATFORM
TEENS ARE THE ENERGY AND INSPIRATION FUELING OUR CAUSE!
To make a tax-deductible donation to K is for Kids’ Readers & Leaders Program:
click here.
Or you may mail a donation to:
K is for Kids Foundation
c/o Karen Clawson, Founder & Exec. Dir. * 4601 Oak Leaf Drive * Naples, FL 34119
Together we will “Climb higher. Help others.”