Project Dream Kick Off

Thursday September 22

Before the Project Dream party I had received some information about Kayla through Dr. Davis and through talking with her mom briefly on the phone. I gathered that she is very soft spoken and loves Irish step dancing. I was eager to meet her, but I was also a little nervous about the first encounter. I think I was a little nervous because I did not know much about Irish step dancing and I thought communicating with Kayla might be a little tricky. Another reason I was a little apprehensive was her mom had told me on the phone that she might not like all the group activities and the games that we had planned for the project dream kick off. With this in mind, I planned that if Kayla wasn’t having fun with the group, we could walk around the halls and talk.

When Kay got to the Project Dream kick-off she brought her Irish-Step dancing scrap book that she had made with her mentor last semester. Together we flipped through the book, I was trying to ask questions about some of the pictures and things written in the scrap book, I noticed she used limited words and would use some hand gestures or head nodding to communicate when she didn't want to verbalize.

Over all I think the first meeting went well, Kayla did try some of the games with the group, and we also walked the halls and I learned about some of the things she likes to do in and out of school. It is a little tricky communicating with Kay, because she does talk so soft. I tried to stand close and even then I couldn’t always hear her. I feel as if she gets a little frustrated when I ask her to repeat or I misunderstand what she is saying because I couldn’t hear her. Hopefully this is something we can try to work on throughout this experience.