Cents Ability

1. What is your definition of community service? Do you expect it to change through this experience? If so, in what way(s)?

My definition of community service is the ability to give something back to my community and to the people who are part of it, as a form of appreciation and gratitude for the opportunities that my Macaulay Honors College education is providing me with. I do not expect my definition of community service to change through this experience. I do, however, believe that working with CentsAbility will allow me to not just clock in my required volunteer hours, but rather make me feel like part of something important that is making a difference for the children that I will be teaching.

2. Why have you chosen to explore this particular community service opportunity?

I have a lot of experience working with children in the past. My first part-time job was working  as a party counselor for children’s birthday parties and my second was working at an occupational therapy office that specialized in pediatrics. Working with children is very rewarding because they have the ability to brighten your day and make you feel special and important, while you in turn have the ability to see that you have a direct influence on someone’s life. My last volunteering opportunity was with the Brooklyn Public Library, however, I was mostly in charge of shelving books which was neither very demanding nor thought-provoking. I am interested in volunteering with CentsAbility because I would be working with teenager as opposed to younger children which would be a new challenge for me. I truly believe that as an instructor you can learn as much from your students as you can teach them.

3. How do you think that this particular community service experience will influence you as a person and as a scholar?

I believe that working with CentsAbility will allow me to have a better understanding of finance, and while this is not my major, it is important for my future and managing my personal finances. It will also give me the opportunity to better my communication skills.

4. Do you see this community service experience as being connected to larger political, social, cultural, and economic issues?

This community service opportunity is connected to all of the issues mentioned in the question. CentsAbility works with children in underprivileged schools to teach them how to manage their finances. This is important for these children’s future when they may come from economically unsound environments and may not know how to go about achieving their dreams, part of which is making and saving money. Socially, I believe that this opportunity allows me to engage with these children and not just teach them but learn who they are and about their culture, backgrounds, and goals. As far as politics are concerned, my mother is a school teacher so I am  keenly aware of the budgetary problems in schools and general issues with the education system but am interested about learning of the politics and inner workings of the NYC school system in depth.

5. Is this community service experience related to topics/issues you have discussed in any of your classes? Explain.

The work that CentsAbility does is not directly related to what I have learned so far in any of my classes. However, I am planning on majoring in IO psychology. I will be graduating with a business degree, therefore, the understanding of finances is vital. Furthermore, and IO psychologist researchers and tries to understand behaviors, ethics, attitudes and how they can be improved through training programs, feedback systems, hiring practices, work motivation, etc. This volunteer opportunity will be a sort of stepping stone to my career of working with people in a position of leadership.

-Sofya Moshkovich