I learned the importance of acceptance, love, kindness, and joy through every encounter!

I am so grateful for my time working at GiGi’s Playhouse in Raleigh this summer. I learned the importance of acceptance, love, kindness, and joy through every encounter. I also got to see the behind-the-scenes of program creation and implementation. I had the opportunity to help with the Gratitude Committee, where we discussed the importance of being gracious towards those who help make GiGi’s possible, and I was proud of all of the hard work our friends put in to thank others. I also worked with Ms. Julia to help with Ukuleles which was a huge success! Music is a way to spread joy and connection, and it was fun to see how engaged our friends were when learning new notes and chords. I also had the opportunity to moderate the virtual speech therapy sessions. I am amazed by the hard work and dedication each individual put in to achieve their goals and how far they have come this summer with varying sounds, articulation, reading comprehension, and more. Lastly, I learned the importance of advocacy and acceptance for individuals with Down syndrome. Our friends are so capable of success and are dedicated to treating others with kindness and respect; we as a society must do the same. As my internship comes to a close, I reflect on how positive this experience was and am so grateful for the new friendships and memories that I have made.