(FLOC welcomes new staff each summer. In this miniseries, we are recognizing our summer associates and interns by publishing blog posts about their experiences. Daniel Peek is a Site Coordinator for the Summer Reading Academy.)
Q: Where are you from?
I was born in St Louis, MO, but I’ve lived in Northern Virginia since kindergarten and that’s where I live now.
Q: Where do you go to school and what do you study?
I go to school at Davidson College in North Carolina. I’m a psychology major.
Q: How did you hear about FLOC?
I heard about the ExxonMobil internship and then applied to a few organizations [through the program]. This was my top choice.
Q: What is your job description at FLOC?
I am a site coordinator, [so] I oversee the volunteers for the reading program. I make sure that they have everything they need and that all the [tutor-student] pairs are working well on program days. On non-program days, I am usually inputting data, checking lesson plans, and…just generally making sure program is running well.
Q: What have you learned?
I’ve learned a lot about what strategies to use to help kids learn; things that work and things that don’t work. Bouncing ideas and trying new things. I’ve also learned to be patient and that when something doesn’t work, try something new.
Q: What are some of the challenges you’ve faced this summer?
It was hard at first to get accustomed. There were a lot of meetings and there was a lot of information. I was really nervous when program started, because I had all of this information given to me really quickly. After seeing program a couple of times and getting the hang how things work, everything settled in.
Q: What are some of your hobbies?
I’ve played sports all my life. I played basketball and soccer in high school, and now I play soccer at Davidson. I love watching movies, any type of action or comedy movie.
