Intern for Communities in Schools

 By Ryan Dierickx

   Internet Marketing Intern

It is amazing how easy it is to take for granted all of the privileges I have had in my life, a strong education is the one of these.  Before I began as a volunteer for Communities in Schools of Whatcom County I never knew how serious the drop out problem was right here in our own backyard. Volunteering and interning has put this issue at the front of my mind. 

It has not been long since I was a high school student. I remember the confusion as a child coming into an adult world and the stress and anxiety of growing up. Frequently the need to be accepted, problems at home and other issues can make education less of a priority than it should be. Often students do not understand the importance of a strong education or they just assume things will work out for them in the end without any investment in themselves. With all that Communities in Schools does I believe the most important thing that we do is give students individual attention and a gentle reminder that people care whether or not they succeed or fail . This helps them understand that education is a privilege and should not be wasted.

I'm proud to work as an intern in an organization that is committed to solving the drop-out problem. We live in a globalized world where students are required to compete with students in other countries with better education programs. Our leaders are not able to address properly this epidemic in our nation’s schools and that is why it is so important to engage the local communities to respond to this problem. Volunteering as an intern has been a great way to give to this cause. To work and apply my skills as an internet marketing intern to improve and bring our message into the public consciousness has at times been a challenge. Often I have had to learn new skills and develop old ones but there is no doubt that it has been a rewarding opportunity and I look forward to a brighter future knowing that there are people in the world that are dedicated to making it better.