Ripon students gain teaching experience as Boys & Girls Club interns

Eleven Ripon College students are gaining excellent teaching experience as interns with the Boys & Girls Club of the Tri-County Area at its new Ripon site this summer.

Nicole Arnhold, a senior double majoring in studio art and secondary education, is an art teacher for children in first grade through tweens and teens at the Boys & Girls Club. Her job duties consist of planning age-based art projects for each themed week.

Additionally, this summer, Arnhold is conducting research through her internship with Ripon College’s Summer Opportunities for Advanced Research (SOAR) program.

For her study, she gives each student a sheet of paper at both the beginning and end of art class to log their moods and emotions. Her goal is to determine whether there is a change in their mood linked to her art class.

“I really enjoy working with the ‘littles,’” Arnhold said. “I’ve always had my heart set on teaching younger kids, and working at the Boys & Girls Club has solidified my desire to work with that age group. This opportunity has allowed me to further my own education, even before going into student teaching. It has allowed me to create a fun and safe space for all of my students that I know I will want to continue for years to come.”

Abrianna West, a sophomore music education major, is working as an enrichment club leader. She plans and carries out lessons on “imagination station,” healthy habits, book club, STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) and music for third graders.

“I enjoy the opportunity to work with elementary students as I plan on becoming an elementary music teacher,” West said. “My favorite part is getting to make activities that students deem ‘boring’ into something fun. I also enjoy finding ways to make lessons engaging for their creative minds.”

West said this internship is helping her create her own style of teaching and engagement which she will take with her into her career beyond college.

Haylee Kast, a junior elementary education major and coaching minor, is also working as an enrichment club leader, but for fourth and fifth graders. Her responsibilities include planning, leading and managing daily activities for club members.

“One of the things I’ve enjoyed most about my internship is building relationships with the youth and seeing their excitement when they come to the Club each day,” Kast said. “It’s incredibly rewarding to be part of a space they look forward to. This internship has given me valuable hands-on experience working with kids, including opportunities to practice lesson planning, behavior management and classroom leadership. It’s been a great stepping stone toward my future career working with youth.”

Samantha Schaefer, a senior double majoring in elementary education and history with a minor in special education, is working as an enrichment club leader for the second year in a row.

She plans and implements lessons for a group of third graders.

“I enjoy working with my students,” Schaefer said. “The experience has helped me build skills necessary to be an elementary school teacher.”

Ashley Dodson, the Ripon Site Coordinator for the Boys & Girls Club, said the collaboration with the College is essential for assisting young professionals in launching their careers.

“Many of these students are education majors, and providing them with real-life experience working with youth in our community fosters significant growth and development,” Dodson said. “Over the past year, I have spoken with several teachers from the Ripon Area School District who noted that the past interns who have spent time at the Club demonstrate stronger classroom management skills and have greater success during their student teaching.”

Other students interning with the Ripon Boys & Girls Club include seniors Ashley Anadell, Ethan Bornhofer, Macy Goldthorpe, Michaela Riege, Anthony Snow and Jamar Thomas, and junior Jahquan Hamilton.

The Ripon site is managed under the Boys & Girls Club of the Tri-County Area, located in Berlin, Wisconsin. The Club offers “programming for all youth to assist working families in caring for, feeding, educating and preparing local youth to be productive, contributing members of the Ripon community,” according to their website.