Intern Interview, Part 2

          I loved picking this next Nehemiah Center worker’s brain! Some of you may know that I (the person writing the Nehemiah Center blog) am a student at LAMP High School. Rebecca Lewis, the Assistant Director at the Center, also went to LAMP, and she has a lot of the same qualities that I hold: vision, passion, and dedication to success. As you can see when you read on, Rebecca is a captivating storyteller and sister in Christ. She’s the girl you want to laugh with, share news with, have deep philosophical talks with. Rebecca is our Assistant Director, but this interview will prove to you that she is much more—she’s a present-day Nehemiah, and we thank God for her!

• What is your name?
  • Rebecca Lewis
• What is your degree, and what are you working toward?
  • I have a BFA in Writing, Literature, and Publishing, and I'm working toward getting a Master's degree in Early Childhood Education.
• How did you get involved with the Nehemiah Center?
  • I actually found the Nehemiah Center mostly by accident. I had just finished my second year of college where I volunteered for the Americorps program Jumpstart, working with at-risk preschoolers, and I was looking for a summer job that would be similar. It wasn't until after I'd stumbled upon First Baptist Church's numerous children's programs and been referred to the Nehemiah Center that I realized how many people I knew who were involved. Several of my high school classmates had interned there and one of my teachers happened to be Ms. Rhonda's sister. It was only supposed to be a summer job; but as they have a way of doing, the kids stole my heart. After graduating college, I wanted to take a year off before moving on to graduate school. It's been almost four years since then. I've gone from being a simple intern working with the Nehemiah Kids Club to being the assistant director. The Nehemiah Center offered me so much more than a job. 
• What is your favorite memory from your time at the Nehemiah Center?
  • This is a very difficult question! After six years with the Nehemiah Center, it's impossible to just choose one memory. I honestly find joy in every moment I spend there. Whether it's seeing how much one of our moms has grown over the years, or the way the kids constantly make me laugh, or how they embrace their peers with special needs, the people at the Nehemiah Center are what make it memorable and every moment worthwhile. 
• Is it easier to work with boys or girls?
  • Neither! There are joys and challenges in working with either gender. Girls are more verbal. You can have a lot more discussion time, whereas boys require movement in every activity. However, the challenges with girls are also sometimes harder to spot and more difficult to address. Boys are usually more upfront with their behavior. In the end, a lot depends on the individual child and on the preparation I've put into the day's activities. So long as I've done my job right and set each child up for success, any child is easy to work with!
• What verse do you lean on while working at the Nehemiah Center?
  • James 1:22 - "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says."