Zach's Reflection

The overall service learning experience was new and different than any other I have had in the past. For instance, I had not had much experience with volunteer work. I supposed I had somewhat of a pre-conceived notion about the workings of the inner city and the reason that there sometimes high rates of crime, more issues with the educational systems, etcetera. From working with Our Next Generation and interviewing people that worked there, I learned that the city is not a “bad place” simply because of the people that live there. In fact, that is a completely wrong thing to assume.
The people that live in an urban setting like Milwaukee are placed in a situation that they learn to assimilate into. For example, in an interview I had with a parent of a student, he explained that he believes the reason that there are so many issues with the education system are not because of the schools or the teachers, but rather the parents of the students. If the parents do not value the education of their children, the education their children receive will clearly be of a lower quality. This is because the parents will not force them to do their homework or study as hard. I had not taken into consideration that there are so many factors that influence one another. Also, if a parent is involved in bad behavior like drugs and alcohol (combined with their lack of discipline,) their son or daughter will often imitate this behavior as they see it modeled.
I also feel that my view of living in Milwaukee is somewhat skewed compared to the community that surrounds the organization. When I talked to that parent of a student, I realized that this full-grown adult was still scared of his community, that he did not even feel safe going out after dark. The community surrounding UWM is not the safest, but it definitely feels more safe to me. I think that the service learning hours I spent with Our Next Generation helped me not only appreciate my own community, but it also helped me get a more in-depth look at a community different than my own. My view of the community is less stereotype-ridden, and I feel that I am a more complete person for it.