I thought it was interesting to see the amount of people that showed up to volunteer their time to help out with the Summit of Hope. Throughout the time I was there it was neat to meet all sorts of different people and see how they each had different reactions to the event. A few people seemed uncomfortable going through each booth but after a while they got used to walking to each one and began to pick up more information from each table. Even though I did not really know the people I had or what crimes they committed I could notice how they were shocked by how many vendors were there and how they each had something new and interesting to offer. At first I was kind of uncomfortable because I was not used to that type of atmosphere but then as the day went on I became more confident with asking people questions and walking around with them. I thought that each table had useful information to offer and that the volunteers were very welcoming towards everyone. I had never heard of the Summit of Hope before so it was neat to be able to take part with the event and help those who are on probation or parole find out information about what they can do for their future. -MH789
I enjoyed the summit of hope. I met some interesting people and felt good to guide them to see different services for them. The first time around was pretty like uh and umms. After the second and third I was able to tell the person what they offered and what it could do to them. Some recommendations would be: make each booth have a sign up paper, some presenters were quiet and in taut atmosphere they need to be loud, and I didn't think it was right that some people left early and so the people weren't able to recieve those services. I never felt comfortable asking the person what they did, but just tried to be as helpful as I could be. I hope people took lot of advantage from it. It is such a nice event for those that are on parole or probation. It would be an honor to do it again. Starburst246
I also enjoyed the summit of hope. I meet interesting people and it felt good to help them out. I hope I’ve made a difference in at least 2 people’s lives in this program. The first person I met ask me if we had to go to all the tables. The second person I met didn’t ask me if we had to go to all the tables. The common theme I got from both people I met is that they want to go to college and get a job. This is a good program and there needs to be more programs out there like it. All these people that are on either parole or probation is help. Kevin246
The summit of hope was really excited for me. i got to meet some really nice people. it was also very interesting to see so many volunteers who came to help out with summit of hope. the first person i helped was a young man named Jerome, he was 20 years old. he has been on state parole for two years now. he dropped out of high school on his sophomore year. he doesn't have a GED at this point but he is will to get his GED at any time soon.he was really happy to be there. he also told me that he wants to go to college. i was thinking while he was in the prison why they didn't help him get his GED? but i didn't ask him the question. i felt like i was relate to him in some ways. we went through booth very smoothly. my second trip was with two young ladies, both were 19 years old. they were "hard headed". they didnt want to me there at all. but i was little though on them at the end. the summit of hope was very good experience and i will definitely do this again. soccerboy456
The summit of hope was an interesting learning experiance. I not only got to learn about all of these programs and agencies to help out the parolees but I got to meet some really nice people. While I was there i got to help two people through the event and help tear down all the booths and put away all of the table and chairs. I was not really sure what to expect when I got there but I am happy that I help two nice men through the summit of hope.Everyone there was really cooperative and understanding of others around them. I was glad to see that both the men I walked through were want to expand their education and better themself. I was surpised with the second guy I walked through the summit. He asked a lot of very good questions at ALL of the booths to understand what type of services they offered, which was good because most of the vendors were winding down and not really explaining the services that they provide anymore. I thought that this was a good experiance and it felt good helping others out. -Tyler246
I like the summit of hope program. I got to meet some good people at the summit of hope. Both people I interview and guided wanted to go to college and get a job. They both wanted to turn their life around. The male I met was 20 years old and the female I met was 26 years old. Both of them are young people that made mistakes and want to redeem themselves. I’m glad we have this program in place here in Illinois to help them get back on track. All the tables we visited offered good programs that can help someone turn their life around. The people at the summit of hope were nice and polite. They said thank you to everybody and weren’t difficult to deal with. Kevin246
The Summit of Hope was great and it was a learning experience. The people there were nice and caring. It was a calm atmosphere when I was there at the summit of hope. What I learned from interviewing 2 people is that they want to go to college and get a job. I learned that they want to turn their life around and they were corporative. I had no problems getting them to go to the different tables and they were willing to go to every table. The first person I interviewed was 20 years old. He wanted to go to college and get a job. He wanted to turn his life around. The second person I interviewed was 26 years old. She wanted to go to college and get a job too. She also, wanted to turn her life around too. The common theme I got from both people I interview is that they want to go to college and get a job. The summit of hope is a great program and there should be more programs out there like it. This programs helps people out and I was glad to volunteer today. Kevin246
The Summit of Hope was a real eye opener to the needs of people returning to society after being paroled or on probation. Taking them to the tables of vendors was no problem at all, they wanted to go. Three of the one's I interviewed found out they money owed to them by the state, they were happy about that! One young lady was pregnant and talked about how she was going to make changes for her child so the cycle could end. I am proud of her. This was a great experience for me and I'm proud to have been given the chance to be a part of it. I wish them all the best. -Kayaker5(003)
I feel that The Summit of Hope was a very good and enlightening experience. Although the first half of the time I was there was spent helping set up and since I was there early, I still got to get someone through the interview and the stations. Going through that really challenged me into being able to handle some situations and being more outspoken. In certain situations my buddy would try to just grab pamphlets or some stuff from a table and then get to the next one, but I had to explain to him that in some tables where he thought that there was no useful information in there could be something he finds useful. After I told him this he went back to the table and listened to what the vendor had to say and found out that there was information that was useful to him which he could’ve missed out on so after that he actually started listening to the vendors. I also got to know a little about him, he used to be a teacher for parenting and anger management while he was in jail and even some time after. All in all it let me get hands on experience on how to deal with certain situations and individuals. I'm glad i could be a volunteer. -CEM789
The Summit of Hope left was an incredible experience. It felt good to walk around with your buddy and know you are helping them out. At the beginning I thought tour buddies were going to be mean and jerks. By the first five minutes with my first buddy I realized the complete opposite. At least to me they were nice and just a resemblance of a normal citizen. I joked around with them and they felt comfortable around me. By the third or fourth booth my buddies had already learned my name and were calling me by it. What really surprised me was that they really were interested in all of the rehabilitation offers. One of my buddies I got was huge with tattoos and just had the meanest face ever. As soon as I made him smile a little he got comfortable and was asking questions and grabbing flyers. You can see these people do want help and the Summit of Hope was there to help them. What really broke my heart was when one of my buddies was being checked out, I waved goodbye to her, but then she ran up to me and gave me a hug. Right them I noticed these people are not bad they have just committed a bad decision in life. Overall I believe the Summit of Hope was a helpful experience for if I want to pro sue a future in criminal justice. I had the opportunity to get the field of these people out of jail. NR789
The summit of hope was a great experience for me. I worked with three people. My very first on was awesome very understanding and liked being there. I did have an issue with the second one where three probation officers came to talk to my "buddy". Then my third was a minor who thought everything was a joke. We worked it out and walk through. I felt its a great opportunity for offenders to build them self back up. SM789
The summit of hope was a really wonderful experience. Not did I only learn about stuff by helping others, but I also learned a lot of stuff to continue to help and direct people I know in the right direction to get help. At the summit of hope I met two males the first one was really out going and asked questions at the different places and felt that it was really helpful. He loved the chance to get back enrolled in school and also the different support groups because he had a family member that was a substance abuser. The other guy I had wasn't really open at first, but I explained what was going to happen and after going to our first couple tables he opened up and questioned the people at the different tables and was even willing to go back and get his GED. Both of the guys were really great people who didn't realize all the help that was out there not only for them but for their family as well. It really felt good helping people help themselves and encouraging them to go back to school and get their education. I let them know that they can still achieve what they want and become successful. I feel like that is the most important thing everyone doesn't have someone in their corner to encourage them and let them know that they can do something; so if they have never heard anything like that they heard it today.
I thought the Summit was a success! I really enjoyed helping the individuals and was very glad to see them take advantage of each and every vendor! I myself was amazed to see the amount of resources available to ex convicts! I had one young man who as we went by each vendor eyes would light up as he was given knowledge on certain resources! He was so ecstatic to have the opportunity to open his first own bank account free of charge on the spot! I encourage him to enroll n college courses and he's now interested in going thru the steps to do so! I got so comfy helping out that even as it was shutting down I offered to collect chairs but was told they had a crew for that! I look coward to volunteering next year if possible! The complementary massage was great as well!! JESSME246
I had a really positive first time experience with the Summit of Hope. I was thankful for the experiences and situations I had encountered and the memories I made. I was able to help out three offenders find programs that would help them fill the void gaps in their lives. The first was a young black man of 18 years old. It was hard at first to make a connection with him because he possessed a very quite and introvert personality and had a very distinct accent. However, as the interview continued I bridged the gaps and made connections with him on several levels, getting him to open up more which made the whole process go by faster and made it more enjoyable for the both of us. However, when we started to go around the tables he seemed to get more and more impatient the farther along we went. His patience started to wear thin very quickly. I feel the major reason for this kind of behavior he displayed was due to his apparent detachment to society. It was sad to witness. All the same, we went to every table to see what each individual program had to offer him and there were definitely a few programs that I saw he might potentially follow up on. The second "buddy" was a middle aged white man of 31 years of age. We instantly connected from the starting line. It made the process all the more enjoyable and it really seemed to motivate him to learn and absorb as much as he could from what all the different programs were presenting. The last was a elderly black lady of 58. We made a great connection and she seemed to fit right in between the personalities of the first two "buddies" I had previously escorted. Very enthusiastic, but very impatient. What I found that helped myself the most as a volunteer was adjusting the approach to fit each person specifically. By doing this, I was able to make strong connection with the person I was escorting. It seemed to make the buddy more comfortable and easy going. As far as the Summit of Hope as a whole, I found it to be a great opportunity for offenders to reintegrate back into the real world and become productive members of society once again. I feel like it also will serve as a deterrence to crime by giving individuals the opportunity to seek out programs that will help them in their personal life (whether it correlates directly with the family, religion or financial aid.) A Summit of Hope would definitely be something I would be interested in doing again in the future and I would recommend it to friends and family to volunteer and get involved. Not only to help out these offenders get back on the right track, but to also grasp a greater appreciation for the hardship and struggles these offenders have to face every single day. ChiefO'Keefe456
I see most of the buddies I walked through the Summit of Hope program recidivating in the near future. I witnessed that many of these offenders had problems that are not easy to overcome. Whether it be trouble finding employment, dealing substance abuse or some form of negative habitual behavior (anger management, etc.) Many also were paying for child support or were currently housing a child under their own roof. However, I was glad that I had made a positive impact in their lives by connecting with them and helping to guide them to the help they would need to reintegrate back into the community. ChiefO'Keefe123
The summit of hope 2013 was the first event of this kind I've attended. I found it to be an interesting experience and I'm glad I was there to help. From what I saw the group of ex-offenders participating in the event seemed to be mainly white and black with the largest group being black males. The four participants I lead through were representative of this with my first being a young white female and the next three being young black males. The first two I lead through seemed to be appreciative of the event and we're interested in seeing what the vendors had to offer. The third was my only participant to be on parole and had no interest in the event, even when I pointed out different vendors who could assist him with some of his problems. My fourth participant was the youngest of the four at 19 years old. He seemed to be a bit apathetic of the event at first, but once I explained there would be vendors who could help him obtain his GED and a college degree he was interested. I'm certain some things could be changed about the invent to improve it, such as potentially allowing participants more time to speak with vendors who could assist them. But in the end the event was just as useful as the participants would allow it to be. If they decided to ignore the vendors and not care about the event then they we're simply wasting everyone's time and would gain nothing. But if they actually listened and took the vendors information then I'm certain they would find something to help them.-Anonemoose123(456)
After further discussion with class mates I can tell that my previous assumptions about most of the participants there was correct. Most of the ex-offenders were white or black with the largest group being young black males. Something I never considered, though should of, was the amount of people there with mental disorders or disabilities. The reason I didn't take this into consideration is because all of my participants were mentally stable, except for the last who possibly had some slight learning disabilities. The issue of mental health is definitely a large factor in these ex-offender's lives and is likely what led to their original offenses and what will likely be a factor in their offenses still to occur. The vendors there could help with this situation by providing the participants with the counseling and mental health programs they need, but in the end treating mental health issues is the same as every other issue there; they can only be fixed if the offender allows that to happen and takes advantage of the services provided. The role of drugs was also very prominent at the event, though only one of my participants had drug issues to my knowledge. Some of the participants were there simply because they were caught abusing drugs, but that drug abuse can easily lead them to commit greater crimes. Once addicted to a drug the users will do anything necessary to make sure they get their fix and don't have to endure withdrawal. This means rather than serving a sentence for drug crimes, they can easily be serving a sentence for vehicle theft or burglary; just so they can get the money they need for a fix. A final observation is on the role of parenthood and juvenile delinquency at the event. The lives of these offenders and ex-offenders is a vicious cycle. They go through their childhood without a father to care for them or with parents who participate in crime on a regular basis, and then find themselves involved in crime as well. Soon they're going in and out of juvenile institutions and have dropped out of high school, and make a living selling drugs and stealing. They continue this into their adult lives and become adult offenders, winding up on probation or in prison. During their adult lives they have various partners, or just one, and from these relationships they have children. These children end up repeating the lives of their parents, and this problem can only grow. With each offender having around five children, that means there's likely two or three children who will grow up to be like their parents. This issue is likely the biggest, and treating it can help stop the rest. The adults may be long gone, and beyond helping, but the children can still be reformed. Giving these children jobs, and a proper education can encourage them to stay out of crime and get on the right path, ending the vicious cycle they're a part of. The summit can definitely assist with these issues, but as I've stated before the participants need to let that happen. But the Summit isn't the only solution out there, there needs to be reform in our juvenile institutions so that juveniles can be proper educated and reformed, kept away from drugs, and given proper mental health care. In the end the problems have no easy fix, but with time and patience results can be achieved.-Anonemoose123(456)
This would be my first year attending The Summit of Hope. I loved this experience! I went in very nervous of the outcomes but all in all I had lovely people that made my first experience enjoyable. My first participant was very open minded to everything going in. He knew what he was wanting to look for. My second participant was a little difficult because he would look around while I was speaking to him and then would ask me to repeat myself(simply because he wasn't listening to me), but we looked at everything that applied to him and collected a ton of brochures that hopefully would be useful. My third participant was a female whom was "dressed to impress". She had a smiley on her sticker, (which I didn't realize till after going through the vendors), so I sent her off to the employment room after collecting some information as well. My last participant sort of hit home for me. His attire and personality kind of reminded me of my own dad. He talked about bits and pieces while going through the survey, to a point where I was almost teary-eyed. He reached that point as well so I knew this experience was doing an impact for him as well. I thought each vendor was very helpful as well as the surveys. After filling out the surveys, I was able to put pieces of his offense together and was also able to find out which vendors were more important for them. I loved this experience and would most definitely do it again. CountryGirl456(123)
Listening to others experiences, it sounded like everyone had a great learning experience. Some had interesting stories on each of their participants. It sounded like at least each person who went had a difficult participant. I think that the people who were unable to make it to the event had missed out on a great opportunity, because I could explain my experience there, but my words just would not be enough for how I felt there. I was actually helping someone who was in need of things and financial aids and it felt great to actually help give someone advice about how they can change there lives for the better. Also, during my experience, they served lunches in the food/break room. When I took my break, I sat by myself and pretty soon this old African American lady sat next to me and after a few moments, she had told me that she was on probation and was told to come work at the Summit of Hope and help others who are in the same boat as she was. I thought that was pretty cool. She was hilarious making jokes about everything. I definitely had a great time. CountryGirl123
I thought the summit of hope was a great time. I had some really good conversations with three really cool people I was lucky enough to work with younger people who had just been released from prison. With their crimes people would title them as bad people or people that you should stay away from. But they were the type of people I would talk to again they were all very nice and respectful with me and when we talked to the people at the booths they were using yes ma’am yes sir and no ma’am and no sir. I had a really time there and it was something I would want to do again. I love the feeling of helping people and trying to give them the best advice I can. I think the summit of hope is a great program for people who are out on release. For the first time of doing something like this it was a great time and a great learning experience. -Football456
The main thing to remember, is that all these people are just like you and I, they just made a mistake and got caught. Most of them learn, and move on. They are repectful because they are taught that in prison, or by their mother or grandmother, they do respect you. These people usually don't want to go back into prision, they have been locked up and know how it is. This was a great learning experience for all, I think. - zigzag001
The summit of Hope to me was really fun. I had got there early with another class mate and we participated in setting up some tables and a lot of chairs. We help unload all the stuff that some of the orginizations. like the secretary of state and driver licencse program had brought. I also did take one person through, because thats i the time i had left, but the person i had was very friendly and he was very cooperative, because i talked to him as a friend, or a "buddy," and we took our time stopping at every station and talking to everyone at the station. In the end i think i got him everything that he asked for and more. In the beginning he asked where to go to get a drivers license and a couple of other things. I had just told him to fill his bag and ask what information each service provided, and he did as i said, because in the end he got everything he needed and more. He had also at least a hundred bucks of unclaimed cash at the Secretary of States booth, from to of his houses or apartments that he had lived in. I also think that it would be fun to particapate in next year. -AEK789
I really enjoyed helping out with the summit of hope. It was nice to see so many people show up to help, and also nice to see the difference of people their for the program. I walked 1 female, and 4 males through. The female was really grateful for all the services provided, she filled out forms at a lot of the booths and finally got her new id. She gave me a hug at the end and said she was really glad that I was her buddy that day. One male was upset because he had to pay someone to watch his child, so he could attend, but I tried to cheer him up and just grabbed things for him off the tables. I walked my old manager through, he was embarrassed, but I said, "hey at least you didn't get someone you didn't know, and we can have a good time." The last man I helped really could care less about any of it. I tried to make him laugh a little. He told me he has been involved in all these shootings in Peoria, and he has a bullet in his leg. So I really tried to reach out to him the most. The others, just made bad mistakes, and they want to change or have changed, but that last one still hasn't learned. So if I could make a positive impact on his life that's what matters to me. They all said at the end that I was the best part about the day, and that really made my day. I really did have a great time. -zigzag001
The Summit of Hope was really interesting and I was lucky to get good buddies. They were easy to talk to and when they didn't want to stop at a table I told them you might know someone that could use that company/business to help their needs and they picked up a brochure anyway. It kind of opened my eyes to see how good I have it and also the fact that those offenders are just like any of us. It gave me hope for the fact that there are companies out there that care about giving people second chances. One of my "buddies" name was Lacorlis and to me he was the most down to Earth guy and just simply got popped for DUI and was on probation looking to get back on his feet. I would be interested in doing it again a year from now or if there is any other similar events. I also enjoyed it because it looks good on a resume and the obvious reason of extra credit. LF789
I was also fortunate too to have been paired up with good people that I got along with well and had no problems with. I was worried after we did the practice runs in class doing interviews with the people who would have issues, but the girls I had didn't complain or anything and I got along with them really well and had interesting conversations with them. kmoney246
I went into the Summit of Hope with concerns that things would be a little frightening. I walked out with a completely different attitude. While I had some people that I walked around who were grumbling. There were others who were nothing less than pleasant. In fact the first person that I walked through was around my age, and had two kids. I couldn't help but feel sorry for her as her story unfolded with certain comments. She was living at home, and her boyfriend was an alcoholic. She had a lot of problems to cope with, and I feel like the summit of hope really helped her out. She looked into some of the parent classes, and the dream center shop will help her out in the future. She also completed the programs for helping her find a job. I have no idea what her crime was, but she said she lost her job when she found out she was pregnant due to the chemicals that she worked around. She had her baby about 6 months ago, but her former job would not hire her back. So hopefully after the summit she found an employer. She also collected information to go back to school, and programs that will help her buy a house in the future. It was nice to see so many people that are being helped get back on their feet. Like I've heard before, I don't think that any of these people were bad people. They just got caught doing something that a lot of us have done before. It was a very interesting experience that taught me a lot. Just because you commit a crime doesn't mean that you are a bad person. Bullardml13-246
I thought the summit of hope was really amazing. Like we talked about in class all sorts of people showed up to walk around and look at the booths. During my first walk through a girl was a buddy for another girl our age, it seems ridiculous to imagine, but these people are just like us and they shouldn't be limited to the services they are given because of their pasts. I walked with three people before I left, and they didn't really give me much trouble. The last guy I helped really wanted to leave, but he still walked around and talked to the people there. It was my first year, and I would definitely volunteer again it is an amazing experience. Everyone there seemed more than willing to listen to the services that these people offered, you could tell that they wanted help. My first buddy was going through the process to get his GED and really wanted to get into classes. Most of these people are just excited to get help and cheerful as they walked around with us. I really wish I could have stayed longer, but I am glad I got to go regardless, it is really eye opening. RMG789
I agree that it was a great experience and I also am really excited to go again next year, I only had one person who you could tell was wanting to hurry through towards the end but that was because his wife was calling him while we were going booth to booth and telling him to come outside. He still received enough information to really help him out in addition to a missed check from Denny's he had years ago. -EAB789
I agree too it's such a great opportunity for people on probation or parole that need services like getting a GED or a state id if they don't have one. Each person at the booths gave a lot of information as into what services they provide and gave out some nice little goodies to them to put into their bags. I thought that was nice that they could look up and see if you had any extra cash that they hadn't received. kmoney246
I thought it was interesting the difference in attitudes of the people attending. It seemed like you would either get someone super excited to be there or someone who was going to do their best to make it as painful as possible for both the volunteer and the parolee. KAM789
The summit of hope sounds like a good program for people on parole and probation. When hearing the people in my class talking about the people that they toke through the summit I was surprised that there was not more mental health problems present. I was also surprised that there was not more vets at the summit. We have been learning that a lot of homeless people tend to commit crime and that a lot of vets are homeless, and a lot of them have mental health problems. I was not surprised that most of the women at the event had drug and alcohol abuse problems. It also seemed like a lot of the people had kids but only a hand full wanted help and parenting classes. Some of the people did not want to go and get their GED s because they may have felt that it would have been a waste of time. It also seemed like the people that wanted help would be less likely to recidivate. Snapple123
I did not attend the Summit of Hope, but after hearing what my classmates shared it seemed to be a good experience to attend. I felt that my classmates achieved a good hands on experience by helping and working with offenders who are in the community. It seemed like everyone got to help an offender who came from different backgrounds, ethnicity, and races. I also thought that it was interesting how my classmates could figure out what the offenders have done by which booths they were avoiding and going to during their time at the Summit of Hope. I think that this is applying what we are learning from our courses into a real life experience with the criminal justice field. It was also cool to hear about the positive stories from the Summit of Hope where people wanted to receive help to better their themselves. I thought that it was also interesting to hear about the people who did not want to receive help and just went because they were told to. I feel like these are the people who will stay in the criminal justice system because they will eventually offend again. Overall the Summit of Hope seemed like a good hands on experience for dealing with people who are in the community.
I was not able to make it to the Summit of Hope but after discussion in class the people that my classmates were describing were all sorts of people. They had old, young, white, black, Hispanic, ect. the way that they said were acting was interesting. They said that some of them didn't want to be there what so ever, some said that they would actually take advantage to what they were offering and go to every booth and see what is available to them. I went to the Summit of Hope last year and it was beyond interesting. it was a good experience for me if i did decide that i want to go into this field. i got to interact with people i normally wouldn't not be around at all. Some of the people there had some sort of mental health issue which to me wasn't really that surprising to see there. People are there for all sorts of reasons, some were because of just drugs or domestic violence and some were there for robbery. It would be very interesting to go back again and do the same thing. i like helping people and when im there i think im doing good for other people and its just a good feeling. Firefighter123
The Summit of Hope was a major learning experience. The summit gave me an opportunity to have hands on experience with the same kind of people I will be dealing with in my career. I was able to meet offenders and learn their back stories to why they committed crimes. It gave me insight into their lives and the struggles they have to deal with whether it be mental, financial, or an addiction. I could see that a person's life influences their criminal career. I feel that the booths and the summit was a success, because I could tell that half of the people I walked through with will use the services provided. This gave me the chance to see a person without the bars between us and realize that they are not evil people but some just didn't have the same opportunities that I was afforded as a kid. Even though my last guy was the most difficult I could see that he was just a kid who never had anyone to teach him wrong from right. I stressed to him that he should be that difference in his young son's life and change the pattern of going to prison that his father passed down unto him. Collegeboy123
That's really good that you were talking to your last person about how he needs to be there for his son and break the cycle of going to prison. It's sad that a lot of times if a parent has a criminal record, their child ends up having one too. Children look up to their parents and follow in their footsteps. If they grow up in a criminal environment, a lot of times that is all they know and they end up going down that same path. I really hope he took what you said to heart and changes his life around.
The summit of hope was very interesting. I met some really nice people. it was also very interesting to see so many volunteers who came to help out with summit of hope. the first person I had was a young man named Jerome, he was 20 years old. he has been on state parole for two years up to now. he dropped out of high school on his sophomore year. he doesn't have a GED at this point but he is will to go back to school to get his GED.he was really happy to be there and to see what the summit of hope has to offer. he also told me that he wants to go to college. i was thinking while he was in the prison why they didn't help him get his GED? but i didn't ask him the question. i felt like i was related to him in some ways. we went through every booth very nicely. my second participants were two young African American ladies, they both were 19 years old. they actually told me they do not want to be there at all. but i was little though on them at the end. from what i learned in correctional and juvenile class, i can see those two ladies going back to prison. because they did not take the summit of hope very serious and they didn't make best out of it. my participants didn't have any mental issues and they don't have any kid at this moment but i noticed that some of them have substance abuse problems. by talking to other volunteers i don't any body had problem with their offenders. the summit of hope was very good experience and i will definitely do this again. soccerboy456
I was surprised at how many needed their GED. That was a popular table for my buddies too. I guess that I just assumed that they would have already gotten it while in prison so they could be ready to jump back into society upon release. I hope my buddies keep good on their promises and go back to get it and onto college. I too, look forward to doing this again next year. -Kayaker5(003)
I had so much fun at the Summit of Hope and plan to go there again next year if possible. My first person was an older black male who was very interested in volunteering for community outreach programs. He was very interested in some of the credit score information because he had suspected that his Dad used his social security number while he was in prison. I loved the look on his face when he found out he had an unpaid check from Denny's 18 years ago. He was a really easy going guy and made my first trial through the booths easy. My second person was a 23 year old who was really quiet but still pretty easy to get along with, he was interested in the gambling addiction brochures and education opportunities as well as job opportunities since he had just been released 5 days before the Summit. My third person was a pregnant black female who was also easy to get along with and even laughed and smiled occasionally. She was interested in housing and employment opportunities since she was currently living with her mom. My very last person was a 22 year old white male who actually had a stable living condition and a full time job. He was probably the easiest to get along with but unfortunately most of the booths were packing up and leaving as I was walking him through, he didn't get any information about ICC which was one of the main things he wanted, but I told him how he could get the information online and one of the police officers there gave him a business card with some info so he could get the ICC documents from her. Overall it was a very eye opening experience, I found everyone easy to get along with and that it is true that they are just like us only they got caught. Nobody I had grabbed any information about alcohol or drug addictions for themselves, although the few who grabbed the brochures for someone else just might not wanted to admit it was really for them. I saw many young black males there but white males were not too far behind as far as population goes. I did overhear one individual say that he was really glad he came to it because one of the booths had a volunteer who was very energetic and friendly about getting these people jobs. It really was a great experience and it only makes me more interested in continuing to pursue my criminal justice education and career. -EAB789
I thought the Summit of Hope was a very fun experience and I would love to do it again next year! It was a lot different then what I had imagined it was going to be like. The first girl I walked around with was 19 and had been put on probation because she gave this disabled guy money to go buy shoes and took him to Kohl's and the guy ended up pocketing the money and stole the shoes and got busted and because she was his ride got in trouble for it along with him. She went to jail for ten days and got two years of probation. That's the story she told me and if that's true I don't think that sounds fair at all that she got blamed for the shoes getting stolen. She ended up finding out she had some money from some stocks or bonds her and her dad have and got a new license and state id which she liked a lot. The next lady I helped out with was a lady in her fifty's that had an argument with her seventeen year old daughter and she called the cops on her and her mom had only made it down the street and was going to turn around and they stopped her and arrested her right there. She only told me about the one charge of reckless driving, but I'm sure she got others because she's on two years probation and has a three thousand dollar fine she has to pay. I felt bad for her because she was telling me about all her problems she's been having and it just made me appreciate how fortunate I am. She went to all the booths and found each one to be helpful. What I found interesting was that when I asked her about looking for jobs and filling out applications she brought up that its hard for a person her age to find a job and that they go for the younger aged people most the time even though she's got more experience. I told her we had just gone over a chapter in class about ageism and we talked about that for a little. She was so upbeat and happy the whole time we went around and I think the Summit helped her out a lot. I'm glad we got the opportunity to go and look forward to volunteering again! kmoney246
Unfortunately due to other classes I had to be at I couldn't make it to the summit of hope this year the discussion in class in CRJ 110 was very informative on what other students experienced and the offenders they took around. The diversity of all ages, ethnicity's, genders was pretty shocking probably from most of the responses in class alot of the other students had black individuals. The Summit of Hope was a great opportunity for these offenders to come receive the necessary help and assistance they needed and its great that they were able to go somewhere to get that. TMilligan 789
I felt the summit was very helpful for the offenders to rebuild them selfs. i was saddened when i took my first offender around. it was lunch time. every vendor was eating and most wouldn't stop to talk they just tried to find someone else to talk to us. One both i passed with my first offended said they where closed. my offender actually wanted to see what they had to offer. When i walked my last offened through at 330 a third of the booths where closed. i felt that all the booths need to stay open till the closing time. they came to help people out. well why didnt they stay till the very end. SM789
I hear what you're saying loud and clear. I have volunteered for several things over the years, and it seems there's always that one thing that disheartens you. You get all excited because you're able to be a part of this great thing, with likeminded people all working together for a cause...and then something happens that bursts your bubble. What I try to do is always look at the upside. (corny I know, but it's better than the alternative) YOU were there and your 'buddy' knew it. YOU, I'm sure, spoke with them, looked them in the eye, treated them with respect, and reached your hand out to help them, and they knew that too. You may never know what just that alone did to help. YOU did what YOU were there to do, and unfortunately that's ALL you can do, and that's something. :) shirleyfan001
Alhough I did not attend the Sumitt of Hope, I enjoyed hearing the experiences my clasmates shared. It is very interesting to see how some of the criminals who attended are actually very nice, and simply took a wrong turn at some point. I saw a report about it on the news last night and how it impacted people's lives. I am glad that criminals are able to have a second chance after getting back out in the world again.
The summit of hope was a very eye opening experience. I had two people who were complete opposites. One she wanted to go to every table and was very eager to see what each had to offer. she also loved the candy. She wanted to get her GED and State Id was her main focus. She told me she wanted to become a nurse but i do not think it is a realistic goal because she is pregnant and the time she will have to dedicate to the child will be very much. She was not interested in getting a job though which i found odd. Then the other person i had was very apathetic and just wanted to get through. I do not think it really did anything for her because she just didnt make an effort to get more information than what was on the pamphlet. Overall i think it is a good experience and it gives many people who want to change the oppurtunity to change and better themselves, their family, and the community. Also i heard from other paroles by me that some people wanted to speak to younger kids about gang violence and to stay away from it which i thought was cool that they want to teach and give back to the younger generation. Ramadan789
The Summit of Hope to me was really fun. I had got there early with another class mate and we participated in setting up some tables and a lot of chairs. We help unload all the stuff that some of the organizations like the secretary of state and driver license program had brought. I also did take one person through, because that’s I the time I had left. The person I had was very friendly, his name was Darryl and he was very cooperative. He was a 57 year old African American that was on probation for fighting, and he had wanted to become a Preacher. He had also used to live in various locations in Chicago. The reason for this was I talked to him as a friend, or a "buddy” and we took our time stopping at every station and talking to everyone at the station. In the end I think I got him everything that he asked for and more. In the beginning he asked where to go to get a driver’s license and a couple of other things. I had just told him to fill his bag and ask what information each service provided, and he did as I said, because in the end he got everything he needed and more. He had only did this though, when I told him in the beginning, after he complained that he only needed a few things, is that if he went to every booth and asked what they could do to help him. After that he went to every booth and talked for a while. He had also at least a hundred bucks of unclaimed cash at the Secretary of States booth, from two of his houses or apartments that he had lived in. I also think that it would be fun to participate in next year. -AEK789
The Summit of Hope was both exciting and sad for me at the same time. Exciting because I really got comfortable with my buddies. As I walked them through all the stands they we exchanged conversations joked around and had a pleasant time. Some of the times they did not even need the information on the booths, but I still put the brochure in their bag. I was just trying to get them the much information they could have possible. And they honestly didn't mind, one of my buddies even said she was really grateful I was walking with her because without me she would just gone through it without paying attention. The sad part is knowing the your buddy has high chances of going back to jail . I mean I read them and right away knew it. And its hard to walk around with them and that thought always being on the back of your mind. I really wish I was wrong, but I know I was not the only one who felt the same way about there buddy. NR789
After our in-class discussion I realized that I only knew what one of my buddies was charged with. I did not know that I could check their sheet and see what they had done or I probably would have done it both out of curiosity and to help them with anything else they might need at the booths. My first buddy, Tyrone, the ex-GD from Chicago seems to know what he wants to do in life and seems like he has gotten his moral compass right. He and his wife are looking to get a house and some of the credit information there will probably help if he takes advantage of it. My second buddy was really quiet and I couldn't quite tell if he was one who had no hope or was just too tired to be lively and energetic. I wish the best for him but I'm not sure if he was going along with it as a formality or if he was going to take full advantage of everything there. My third buddy was taking a lot of the brochures for employment and housing and seemed genuinely interested in both so I believe she might be able to stay out. My fourth and last buddy I honestly didn't think would have any issue staying out, he has a full time job and has realistic goals for the future and stable living conditions. He was really easy to get along with so I think he'll be able to make it. -EAB789
I did not attend the Summit of Hope but I did find it very interesting from what I heard in class about it, and I can also relate from it from family memeber who has done wrong his whole life, from burglary to forgery to now being offended as sex offender for something he didnt even do, he was always in to drugs also like meth, herion, cocaine, all of that. My point is with what I feel with the Summit of Hope and from what I heard in class with it, is people make mistakes, everyone makes mistakes thats what makes us human, but the fact that people are going to this Summit of Hope to find hope to regain their lives back to make things better. It is easier said then done though, the toughest part about regaining there lives back is that they are going to have to want to do it, and not listen to anyone else but them selves, its all a mental state and to be honest I respect those kind of people who want to regain there lives back, for there wrong doings. I mean somethings that some of those people did were worst then others but who are we to judge with there wrong doings, as we have many wrong doings of our own, maybe not that sever, but its good that some people out there are giving these people a chance of hope to regain there lives back. Some people just look at them and be like there never going to change but with this Summit of Hope there different, it shows that there are care hearting people out there and not everyone is the same, and thats what I felt on The Summit of Hope... KYLE789
Going to the Summit of Hope wasn’t just volunteering but gaining knowledge as well. I only got to take one person around since my first half of that morning was spent setting up but even then I got a lot out from it. I learned some things about my offender like how he was a father of 2 children which lived with their mothers, and from what I could gather he wasn’t involved in their lives that much. I also learned that he was teaching parenting classes and anger management classes while he was incarcerated and even sometime after that. Knowing this brought me to see him differently than when I first saw him, thinking of him being not so intellectual. I also found out that he had his high school diploma and that he wasn’t going to college but that he really wanted to go. Another thing that I got out of the Summit of Hope is learning how to adjust to someone different than me. While we were going through the questions in the beginning it was as if he didn’t want to be there but then we went through the tables and that’s when he began to open up more about himself as I got him to go to tables he wasn’t so fond of going but later found a lot of useful information at. I would hope that he starts heading on that route of getting his life together and continue teaching parenting classes and anger management classes since he talked about his teaching days proudly, but I feel that he won’t be doing that anytime soon because he didn’t seem too motivated to do so. -CEM789
I actually enjoyed the Summit of Hope. I took 4 guys through. The first was pretty laid back and didn’t really object to going to any of the tables. His primary focus was getting information for housing so whenever we would get to a table that seemed like it might help with that situation we would spent extra time there. I’m not sure how many of the other programs or places he will follow up on but I’m pretty sure he will look into any of the places that help with home ownership. My second guy was really quiet. His goal was to be a welder. So we spent time at the ICC table to learn about welding classes. Apart from the he set up a bank account as well as checked to see of the state owed him money which it did. At the end of his experience I think he is trying his best to turn his life around. The third guy didn’t have a good education so anything related to learning took priority for him. We stopped to see if the state owed him money as well but it didn’t. At the end of it I like to think he will follow up on some of the education opportunities but honestly I don’t think he will. The last guy I worked with didn’t really seem like he wanted to be there but went to all the tables anyway to take the free stuff. He didn’t really seem to be there for any particular reason so out of all the guys I walked through the summit with I think it helped him the least. Realistically though I think the summit did a lot of good for a lot of people. KAM789
While attending the Summit of Hope my impression on probationers and parolees was changed immensely. While there I took through three males two Caucasian and one African American and one Caucasian lady. Out of the four people I took through the older lady gave me the most trouble. She was not very cooperative about stopping at all the tables because she believed she did not need the help that they had to offer. Although towards the end she lightened up and became more cooperative. The three males however were cooperative from the beginning and were willing to take in the information that the booths had to offer. The Summit of Hope is a great opportunity for some criminals to get a good start on turning their lives around in a positive aspect. During participating at the summit of hope I seen a wide variety of people there from the Judges and officers to felons. DO789
After discussing further in class on the Summit of Hope and hearing each person’s story, I realized how this event positively impacted a lot of people. Though some of the people did not want to walk through every vendor, the volunteers did a good job pursuing them to go to each vendor to see if there was something offered that could help someone they might know. At first it was very overwhelming to see all of the vendors there because it was kind of crowded but after a while I got a better feel for the environment. It was interesting to hear all of the different stories that were shared and hearing how each person reacted differently. After helping with the Summit of Hope it made me motivated to do more volunteer work to help others that might need it. -MH789
To add to my previous post about the Summit of Hope. My buddies were both very cooperative and found help with most vendors and the ones they didn't want to stop at I just told them to grab a pamphlet in case someone they knew were to need some help. While I was there the majority of offenders were black and white I didn't see to hardly any Latinos and no middle eastern or asian offenders. While moving from vendor to vendor the two black males I had slowly were becoming more comfortable with me and I like the fact that they both gave me a hand shake and said thank you at the end of the whole thing. I would definitely like to do it again next year. LF789
I really enjoyed the Summit of Hope. I had 5 guys, 1 was and older black male 1 was a young white male and 3 were young black males. 4 out of the 5 guys that were my age so it was easy for me to relate too. But as sad as it is those were the ones i found just didn't really think there was anything else for them except to be criminals. Only a few of them had any type of state identification and the ones who didn't, didn't even bring any proof of who they were so that they could get an ID. Everyone there was trying to help them and asking questions and they were just answering generic answers to just be done talking to them, and it was honestly just sad. My favorite person was Donorlando or Donald. He was just super excited that people were helping him you could see it in his face and hear it in his voice. He was just so happy he had the opportunity to be there and i wish the other kids would have opened their eyes to see what opportunity they had sitting in front of them. That being said, Donald was also 51 years old. I don't know what he did to be incarcerated or what his situation was but if it took him that long to appreciate help from others you could almost assume that the other kids would follow that same path, and will not except help and fall into the system. WISCO_hurdler246
It seemed like there was alot of people just wanted to get through all of the booths just to get over with it, because they didnt think they could help them. Until you made it simple for them did they realize that there was actual help waiting. None of these kids were very smart so i think education is a big part on why these kids are being locked up simply because they dont know any better. One of my buddies was on parole for having a gun on him and all he could say to some of the parole officers is that peoria is ugly he would say it over and over again to anybody he knew he really wanted to get out of Peoria. But he also admitted he was using marojuanna to the guy at the Teen Challenge booth while on parole and that is just stupid! The 4 hours i was there i didnt see a single person with a smilely face on their name tag. I was under the impression that these were the nice guys getting this opportunity. I kinda think the religion group was a little pushy on the people telling them the will definitly go to hell if they dont go to that church or except Jesus or whatever but maybe they need people to push them into some help and im not one to tell them right from wrong in that whole context nor do i even want to talk about it so i just let them do their thing. But overall i think they need to be more prepared next year both the summit of hope and the buddies, whether its the paroles bringing the right paper work or the booths staying till the deadline or bring more panphlets it realy seems kinda unorganized. WISCO_hurdler246
I wish I could have been apart of this years Summit of Hope. From listening to all of my classmates speak about their experiences it's sounded like they were not the only ones that benefited. A few class members said some didn't want to stop at every booth, but it sounded like there weren't very many hiccups. It was encouraging to hear that some paroles picked up extra handouts for others. EAW789
I believe that The Summit of Hope was a phenomenal experience for myself as a volunteer and for those who attended in hopes of creating a brighter future for themselves. I learned a lot, as did the gentlemen I helped through the process. Domestic violence is a hot button issue with me. I have learned over the years that the universe always gives us an opportunity to explore the things we don't understand, and yesterday was an example of just that. Not one, but ALL of the men I paired up with were there for DV (domestic violence) related issues. I didn't ask...they offered the information. I still have a zero tolerance, but gained more of an appreciation for 'the plight of the other side.' While they all expressed remorse, one shared that he was a witness as a child, and another told me that he felt he would've handled things differently if he'd had the coping skills he learned in the anger management program the state required him to take. I was encouraged by their openness to take in any and all information and help that was offered to them, and their willingness to pass the information onto others even if it wasn't applicable to them personally. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with each of them and will continue to pray that they accomplish the goals they seem to have set for themselves at this point.
I LOVED SHIRLEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I cannot ignore the weight that a success story holds. I loved her openness and candor about where she'd been, where she is, where she's going (straight to heaven) and her genuine invite for EVERY PERSON SHE SPOKE WITH to join her. It takes courage and determination to take her journey, and I just can't say enough how much I appreciated her willingness to share and her passion for giving back. People like her change the world one person at a time. I have taken classes in Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, Eating Disorders, and Addiction. All the experts say never share your personal experiences. I am more convinced than ever that they are wrong. That woman had a group of people in front of her every time I walked by...because they knew she KNEW where they are. She inspired them, and it showed. shirleyfan001
I had two complete opposite experiences at the summit of hope. The first person I was able to excort through the summit of hope stated over and over he did not want to be there. He would not let me finish reading the questions before he would answer, most of his answers were not true. When we entered the vendor room he would not stop at the tables, walked ahead of me and ingnored all requested to come back and talk to vendors. We were one a the first people in that morning so his behavior was easily reconginzed by Robin. When Robin approached him, she made him go back to the first table and told him he needs to talk to every one. His parole office joined us at the first table and wanted to know what the problem was. I explained to her what he was doing and her response is that he is homeless and does not want any help and will not talk to these people. This made me questioned why he was here. Couldn't she just have done her normal parole visit if she knew he did not want help? My heart goes out to this man, he looked so sad and unhappy. I tried to make small talk and ask about his children (5). He said they fine, they taken care of.
The second young man I excorted through was extremely thankfully that he was able to be there and get information to help him self. He had just got his first job two weeks ago and was so excited about it. He kept asking me which table offers narcotic support groups. He told me the life he has "sucked" he has been clean for over a year, just completed his GED program and got a job. When we got to the GED table, they hugged and cried. He told me she has had a big part in changing his and his girlfriend's life around. He told me that he is trying to help some of his friends and would grab information at the tables for him. I was so touch by this young man. I wished him good luck and told him to keep up the good work. GMD246
After listening to everybody and the experience they had I thought that it would of have been an amazing experience. I thought that hearing all of the stories of the people that went through would of been great because you are around so many different people and backgrounds for what they have been through in life and hearing some of the stories would of been real interesting. I also would of enjoyed helping them out to be themselves whether they wanted to be there or not leaving there I would of known that I possible could of helped somebody change their life or want to get a GED or go to ICC. I really wish I would of went because all of the stories that I heard were outstanding but some of the people did have a hard time but I have done interns before working with people like that and it would of been a great experience for me if I would of been able to go. I would really love to go to again if they every do it again next year. MDD246
Well I for one did not attend this event due to scheduling conflicts with the time of the program. But in class today listening to everyone talk about the Summit of Hope, and how much fun they had. I honestly was very interested in each person's stories. After each one would finish their stories, I would anxiously await the next. I am kind of sad that I didn't get to attend, but that's life. The stories made me laugh, smile, feel sorry for some of the young ones, and even the older ones. I'm glad I got to at least hear the stories of everyone who went. Seems people did not have to much trouble, and there weren't too many people being cranky, which was nice to hear. Overall, just hearing everyone's stories made the night quite enjoyable. blub246
I did not get to go to the Summit of Hope because I had to work but hearing everyones comments in class tongiht made me realise I truly missed out on an experience that would have been educational not to mention interesting. Some of the stories of rudeness I feel should have been handled better either by the parole officers or police that were present, there is no reason to be out right shitty with the people who are attempting to help you. If some of those people were previous offenders who keep making the same mistakes over and over, their attitude may be part of the problem. I personally dont have the tolerance for behavior like that so it might have been a good thing i didnt go. It is nice that there are organizations and people int he community who care enought to put on events such as this one in an attempt to better our society and the people in it, no matter what life choices they have made in their past. Its encouraging aswell that some of the people were very receptive to the help and education the recieved thru the Summit of hope. mfroggyus246
From everything that I heard, I missed out on a great opportunity. People had their ups and downs, but in the end everyone was making a big difference in these peoples lives. These people were there because they cared, and the volunteers were committing their own time to ensure that these people had a better and brighter future. It sounded like a learning experience, and also a powerful one. The feeling of helping others and the gratitude that they feel towards you for what you are trying to do to help is one of the best feelings in the world and I wish I had been able to go and take part in the event. Everyone has been given memories to treasure and keep with them forever, and have given others new starts and chances at life that they otherwise wouldn't have had if they had gone into this with some of the negative attitudes that some of the volunteers saw while they were there. -alterend246
While volunteering down at the Summit of Hope I ran into several former classmates. Some whom i had not seen in years. I was saddened to see what some of their lives had resulted to so far because growing up with some of them they all had promising futures at one point. This assured me that yes I myself chose the right path in life. I was excited to be able to help someone whom not only was in my age group, but someone who grew up in the same neighborhood as me but just chose a different direction. I posted on facebook that I was going to volunteer and 3 of my friends inboxed me for info on how to volunteer for events out in the community. This made me happy that other young people like myself are out there willing to help out as well! I think that the Summit could have been better organized and was disappointed on the lack of enthusiasm on some of the vendor's and probation/parole officers's faces. Overall I felt good that I was able to help someone get on the right path to bettering their education. I look foward to attending the one next year and years to come! JessMe246
After listening to the stories my classmates shared with us today in class, I can honestly say that I regret not going. I was very apprehensive toward the entire thing, but I wish I wouldn't have been. It was so interesting to hear the stories that these people have gone through. It would have made it even more enjoyable if I had been there first hand. My favorite story, however, was of Brittany's. If I was to have that older black gentleman that had just out of prison I would have been freaking out. I would have been nervous, I wouldn't have been able to concentrate that well, and I would have been scared. Which is the main reason that I did not want to attend. However, her story is what made me change my mind. Her staying positive and making it a learning experience is something is something that I wish I could have done, knowing that I wouldn't have been able to. I was too quick to judge those who had came out of prison, and I can admit that. I didn't care to get to know them or help them because In my mind it was there fault that they were in that position. The summit of hope seemed like a great learning experience for those who participated. Maybe next year when the time comes, now that I know what it really is like, I won't be so hesitant to write my name down as a volunteer. josko246
From what I was hearing in class, most of the individuals that attended the Summit did not even have a GED. Its sad to think that this is a general observation among this specific group of individuals. It sounded like the resistant ones, for the most part, changed their attitudes as soon as they saw what the vendors had to offer. I did not hear anyone who said that their individual had a negative outcome from the Summit. The only real problems I heard came from the vendors portion of the event. I heard that they were unorganized, unreliable, and unprepared. This seems to have a positive impact not only on the individuals on probation or parole, but also to those who volunteered. They all took away a feeling of accomplishment and pride helping someone potentially turn their life around. If I had the time I would have loved to go, not just to volunteer, but to take away the experience that my other classmates have taken home with them. Gross246
I did not attend the summit of hope I was busy with work. But what i heard in class some things were pretty intersting i was mostly excited to hear about what the people got locked up for but, it seemed like people didnt ask that question really. I applaud people for taking time out of their day to help others that arnt getting paid for it and enjoying it. But for me i didn't really want to go because I dont have alot of patience for people like that. I understand that some people do need help but other people are not ever gonna change hearing some of the stories that kids wanted to go back to school, wanted a job, and to help other family members was a good thing to hear. -TylerP246
As I came into class, I was expecting to hear lots of stories about the parolees and everyone being inappropriate and unwilling to go through the procedures. I did hear some stories about that, but most of the ones I heard were people who were willing and happy to go through all the steps, even eager. It made me disappointed that I was not able to go; I had to work all day. I think, if I know about it in time, I may choose to go to Summit of Hope the next opportunity I get. I am in no way a person that likes telling others what to do, so if I would happen to get people that were very unwilling to be there, I would probably feel uncomfortable, but I'd be able to get through knowing they'd one day be thankful to that one lady that helped them around Summit of Hope when he was on parole, making him see all of the available offers and helping him make sure he did everything. -Moony246/789
I enjoyed this experience. My person was a 23 year old African American male. He was on probation. I have to say the only thing he and I were wanting to see more of were booths where they could help someone get a job or even know how to apply for a job. It was a little overwhelming in areas for we felt like cattle. For even me towards the end around the voting booth it was loud and caotic. I wish I could have went further with him to see if he received the care he needed. There was an abundance of counseling and addiction booths. Not all people that went to this convention have the addictions. He and I really enjoyed the young lady at the GED booth. She was very up beat and gave a lot of good information to get started on the GED program. I know he wanted to get his state id but I feel he got a good experience at the Summit of Hope. Will do this again! labrador246
I got really intimidated by the Summit of Hope. I planned on going, but then decided against it at the last minute. I missed class the week before and I think I would have gone I would have been in class preparing for it. I wish I would have gone now that I've heard everyone's stories. I think it was just the large number of people there that made me scared to go. I heard alot of people telling different stories before class started. They seemed angry about the people that were not interested in taking advantage of the resources available to them at the Summit of Hope. They were questioning why they were even invited. I didn't really hear anyone mention that during the class discussion. I'm a really quiet person, and I questioned whether people would be able to take advantage of me there and didn't think I would be forceful enough to make them go to every table. Again, I regret missing class the week before the event. I think it probably was a good feeling helping people, but I also know its easy to feel discouraged and annoyed when people aren't trying to participate when they should be and you're taking time out to help them. I think the Summit of Hope would have been a really great opportunity to realize the general in the particular. I think its something I would like to try again next year. I think it would be an eye opening experience to see all types of people that are on parole and probation. I agree that for some of them the only difference between them and us is that they got caught. I have a business law class with Glen Collier on Thursday nights and it was interesting to hear that his son was invited there. YellowSubmarine246
At the summit it was really a learning experience. I got there at 1 p.m. and helped 2 males. When I got there they didn't really have any good direction to tell me how to start they just assumed that I knew everything which was kind of a down fall, but I figured out everything on my own and was able to get through it. Working with theses guys was really a great experience. I knew when they walked out the door they had all the information possible to help them move forward in their life. The fact that the guys took time to have a complete meaningful conversation at some of the booths let me know that even if they didn't use the information right a way they still had it for when they needed it. School was a big priority for the both of my guys and I also stressed it as we walked and gave them more information about signing up for classes at ICC. One of the things I love most is helping people that's what I want to do for my career help people in some type of way, so leaving there knowing that I put some type of imprint in their life made my day. There was also one other down fall I forgot to mention. When I was walking my guys through all of the booths weren't open and that concerned one of them. They felt as if that could have been something important that they could have benefit from, but besides that everything went well not all of the booths explained things well but I was able to sum it up for them. I wish I knew about the booths that were shut down so I could explain it to them but they got information from the rest. Really great experience that I wouldn't only do once again but every time they had it.
It was pretty amazing to hear the experiences some people had to face when dealing with people that did not want to get help. When I went over the questions for practice in the classroom, my classmate gave me a hard time and was not very helful when awnsering the questions but I took it very serious and that will help me later on in life when dealing with people. I was shocked to hear some young kids that drop off high school and dont even care about getting help but also hopeful to see that some people actually want to get the help they need to do better in life. My cousin is only 15 and got pregnant (she went to private school, had everything she wanted and dropped off high school because of her pregnancy). With this experience I learned that it doesnt matter where you come from or your class, so for that reason I didnt judge the person for their mistakes. Doglover246
I know what you mean about getting a hard time. I had this lady who tried to convince me that she didn't even need to be there, and that her life was just fine. She told me she came there voluntarily, even though on her nametag it said PAROLE in big letters. I was able to convince her to answer the questions and walk through the vendor's area with me without too much more problems out of her. Now getting her to stop at the tables even though "she didn't need any of that" was a bit of a chore. The rest of the people I encountered were very friendly and cooperative, which was a relief after the first experience. I hope that they can get the help they need to get their lives straight, and not let their mistakes haunt them for the rest of their lives. RedOneBravo002
I am not sure even where to begin as to what I thought the Sumit of Hope was like. I was terrified at the emotions that was going to be in front of me or what was going to happen. I was lucky to have a nice young lady for the first time around to really break the seal of the first go around. She really showed me that there actually might be hope for some of the paroles out there. (I am very quick to judge at that kind of stuff and people will never change once they are sucked in a hole, but she made me believe that there is hope for people like her!) ((Maybe she snowed me too, I will never know.) But from how she acted and how she wanted to work and take parenting classes to get her child back and start a savings account really made me view her differently. The others, unfortunately were not how I wanted the experience to be. I had a young, jock-ish kid that was only there to go through the motions, if you even want to call it that! I made him thank every vendor that we talked to, and if they talked to him he needed to acknoledge that he was listening! I didnt really care that he didnt want to be there. He is lucky to even have the opporunity to be there. I was very intimidated by some of the men I walked around, the way they carried themselves, the way they talked to others, their past, their little motive to change or want to be helped, that really made me think differently about them! I felt like the men I had almost brought out that "people don't change" attitude. I hate that I even think that, but in reality they just proved it in front of me by not even taking advantage of the opportunities that were RIGHT in front of them literally. 1/6 people that I had, had a job. 2/6 of them wanted to look or have the opportunity to find a job, that shows me that obviously nothing is going to change in their life. (I know you all probably think I have a piss poor attitude about these people but I really wish the best for them, but when they carried themselves the way they did throughout the period of time I had them showed me that they liked how their life was. And that was living with their momma or living with this person one week and this one the next.) I did wish them all the best as they left me, because I really do want and wish the best for them. I do not know their whole story. I just know what they did to get where they are, just wish people like that can take societies help and accept it. I am really glad that I had the opporunity to volunteer at something like this because it really did open my eyes to what the other side of the picture is like. feb246
I walked around 3 people. First was a 38 year old african american man. He had 4 children and lived with his children and wife. I didn't ask him what he did, nor did I think it was my business. He seemed really interested in getting a job and was dressed to the nines. He was ready for an interview. I felt great after walking him because he had a purpose and seemed like I helped someone in my community. The second individual I walked around was a 38 year african american man too. He seemed a little sketcky but we got along fine. He knew a couple of the helping groups. He wanted information on the bank, and wanted some education. We didnt connect as I would hope, but I wish him luck on his future endeavors. The final girl I walked around was a 23 year old girl who was 7 months preggers due in jan.. We really seemed to connect, I try to explain every booth before we encounter them to see if she wanted to visit them. She needed so much help which that was why the was there. She signed up for GED, parenting classes, planned parenthood, and etc.Back to the girl, she seemed so scared to have a baby, but I am sure she will make a good mom. It comes natural. I am glad there is a summit like this for individuals in need. I do wish there was something like this for everyone, personally. I told her after she got some prayer in her life, I sent her in the adjecent room and wished her luck on her new baby and life. I really hope these people get to see the positive in life and what it could bring. I am fortunate that I have been able to see that as well. I felt good, it really wanted me to see if I could fit more volunteeering in my life. I am doubtful because my education comes first and my GPA I don't wanna ruin; however, there is always someway somehow. I learned that not everyone in the parole or probation system is a bad person, they just caught got at the wrong time. They are no different than me or the president of USA. Everyone is free and deserves the right to a education, housing, and food. (clothing) I will deffintely be gettign with Dr. White about going next year. Earlier I posted that I didn't like how vendors left early, and there wasn't shifts being covered. I think to run a business and promote it too people. most people would have done more. For instance, one guy was pulling peolpe in and having them sign up. He made everyone feel comfortable and friendly. He was apart of the Urban League. Overall, after every year I am sure there is some learning to have they will make it a system that is flawless and the patients (parolees and probationers) will get a the benefit out of it they deserve. I felt like sometimes I take stuff for granted and there are people who don't have the things I do. I am glad my mommma raised me right to know the difference between right and wrong. I can only help the people to the best of my abilities, but I also have to look out for me. I have to do what is in my best interest and continue my education and teach. starburst246
I had two complete opposite experiences at the summit of hope. The first person I was able to excort through the summit of hope stated over and over he did not want to be there. He would not let me finish reading the questions before he would answer, most of his answers were not true. When we entered the vendor room he would not stop at the tables, walked ahead of me and ingnored all requested to come back and talk to vendors. We were one a the first people in that morning so his behavior was easily reconginzed by Robin. When Robin approached him, she made him go back to the first table and told him he needs to talk to every one. His parole office joined us at the first table and wanted to know what the problem was. I explained to her what he was doing and her response is that he is homeless and does not want any help and will not talk to these people. This made me questioned why he was here. Couldn't she just have done her normal parole visit if she knew he did not want help? My heart goes out to this man, he looked so sad and unhappy. I tried to make small talk and ask about his children (5). He said they fine, they taken care of.
The second young man I excorted through was extremely thankfully that he was able to be there and get information to help himself. He had just got his first job two weeks ago and was so excited about it. He kept asking me which table offers narcotic support groups. He told me the life he had "sucked" he has been clean for over a year, just completed his GED program and got a job. When we got to the GED table, he saw his teacher and they hugged and cried. He told me she has had a big part in changing his and his girlfriend's life around. He told me that he is trying to help some of his friends and would grab information at the tables for him. I was so touch by this young man the changes he wanted to make and the path he was on, he truely seem gueinue. I wished him good luck and told him to keep up the good work.
The Summit of Hope I think is a great program. They seemed a little unorganized in the morning but quickly took off and seemed to run smoothly during the time I volunteered. I did hear some complaints from class mates for example the ones who showed up later in the day did not receive any instruction on where to go. Also vender tables where empty with no one to talk to the attendes. There of course is the issuse of those who did not want to be there. And in the case of the first one I excorted throught the parole officer did not care that he did not want to follow direction and do what was asked for his parole visit. I enjoyed this experience and would like the oppurtunity to volunteer my services further. I would even be willing to help with planning prior to the event. GMD246
I enjoyed going to the Summit of Hope. I didn't know what to think or expect even though I was told about it and given a crash course in how to handle certain situations. Upon arrival I noticed that it was controlled chaos. I didn't see the rhyme or reason to how it operated until I started getting directed and what not. I had two men around my age that I escorted. The first one was single living alone and didn't have a job. He was very quiet and well mannered. Yes sir, No sir was the extent of what I heard from him. He seemed like he really didn't want to be there but he still went through all the motions. Nothing really interested him and usually I'm a great salesman, but for him he just had other things in mind outside of the Summit. The second person had the same manners in the beginning. I knew the booths this time and he had a different set of circumstances than the first. This guy was 28 (my age) and had 5 kids, all from different women. We had more of a dialect and he was more open to the booths. We actually talked to everyone that was at their booth. By 3:00 some booths had no people and very little literature. Neither one of us were to upset by this because we were making good time in getting through all of it. He did upset me when he did something that I thought was disrespectful. He had his GED but was interested in college. When we got to the ICC booth the lady was very nice in giving as well as simplifying the information for him, but he got a phone call midway through her pitch and he answered his phone. I looked at her and it looked like she wanted to say something to either him or I. I apologized to her and gave him a look that let him know, "not cool." He quickly ended his conversation and she finished giving him the info he needed. A few booths later his friend came up and gave him his cell phone which had someone on it already. He talked to them real quick and we continued. I wasn't sure if I should have said something or not, but I knew he wanted a bank account and that he needed his ID to get it. We were so close to being done that I didn't say anything and just kept going. I think that he will find some use if he takes advantage of any of the services/help he was given information about. After my second person there were no other people waiting to be escorted and there were at least 2 dozen volunteers just waiting. I help clean up and close up shop so to speak and that was the day. Ethos246
The Summit of hope seemed to be an eye opening experience. Going in I was a little nervous about having to work with whom I pictured to be criminals. The very first person that I had was about my age. We immediately hit it off and talked about her kids. She told me that she had a child when she was 17, and another one that was 6 months old. She never told me what her offense was, nor did I ask. She seemed to be a little shy at first and wasn't sure if there was anything there to help her at first, but she ended up finding things that would. She was very interested in finding a job, and even had the smiley face to prove it. She was living at home with her mom, boyfriend and kids. She also told me that she was married to someone and lived out of state. When they went through the divorce he took everything from her excluding the car. She lived out of her car for a week, until the bank came after her car and that forced her to move in with her mother. The second guy that I walked around seem very polite as well. He was very interested in getting a job, and finding out about his credit report. They both seemed to have done bad things in the past, but were not bad people. He told me that he had a couple kids, but were taking care of them. The third young lady was not sure of her offense and seemed to give me a little bit of attitude. She was not interested in any of the booths at first and even answered her phone. After seeing that there were programs to help her, it peaked her interest. The thing that seemed to help her the most was the dream center booth. She is currently working at Wendy's, but is interested in finding a better job. The dream center told her about the closet give away where she could find nicer clothes to help her in her job search. The very last kid that I had was 19. I once again did not know what his crime was as he did not volunteer, nor did I ask. He told me that he was living with his girlfriend and had recently got hired on for a job. He seemed to be most interested in the GED program. He said that he dropped out after his sophomore year, but didn't give me reasons why. I felt like maybe he was the most impacted by this experience. Maybe he was just a young kid that did something wrong, but knew better now.
Overall, this experience made me feel like I helped someone. These individuals walked into the dream center with expectations that they were forced to be in an environment. They thought that they would come out and nothing would change. My hope and goal is that someone stopped at one of the tables and they found something that will impact their life for the better in the future. It might not be a huge impact, but if the young kid that I took around follows through and gets his GED then maybe a life was changed.
I feel like this experienced changed my life in a small amount. I did not realize that there were so many programs to help others out there. I had obviously heard of AA and things like Planned Parenthood. But I did not know that there was a support group for the family and friends of those who were abusing alcohol. The first girl that I took through, Jillyn, told me that her boyfriend was an alcoholic that abused all the time. So despite the fact that he would never join AA, we talked about how there is a program with support to help her cope with what she is going through. I do hope that she followed through, because they had a young child together. I also hope that all the others that were there to get help followed through with something to help them get their life on track.
When I arrived at the Summit of hope I was given 2 people to help. The first person I got was a white male about 24 years old. He was very laid back and nice but he really didn't seem like he wanted to be there. I did get him to stop at every booth and he kind of opened up to me and told me that he was on probation for substance abuse and DUI. He belived in God but was not interseted in joining any faith based groups. He had two children and lived with his brother. I asked him what he wanted to be in life and he told me " A hard worker'. There wasnt anything he felt like he really needed he was just there because he felt like he had to be. The seconed person I helped was a 20 year old African American male. He was very sweet and nice. He kept a smile on his face and it seemed as if he was nervous. we also went to every Booth and he seemed really interested in AA classes for a few of his friends. He told me he had an anger problem but did not disscus why he was on probation. He did have one child and was intersted in Planned parent hood, school, and a Job. He was able to get his SS card and Drivers Licenes. Over all I thought this was a very good experience for me. It felt good to show these people that there are others out in the world who want to see them do better with their lives. Also to be honest With me being african American it felt good to be out there helping because you dont see many african amarican people out helping in diffrent programs like these and i feel like im breaking a cycle and getting out there and being more than just a stereotype and that makes me feel Acomplished. LadiKay_246
The first person that I walked through the summit of hope was a 39 year old African American who was quite and well mannered but I could tell that he did not want to be there. Even though he did not want to stop at all the booths i made him stop at most. The best part about walking him through the summit was stopping at the state treasurer. He was certain that they did not have anything to offer him but i made him stop because i didn't know what they did. As it turns out he had somewhere between 20 and 200 dollars at the state treasurer and he seemed shocked that he had money there and was really excited about it. There were also several programs that he seemed interested in and took pamphlets from several of the booths. The second guy that I walked through was a 36 year old African American that came out of a Federal Penitentiary in Philadelphia. He is originally from Chicago and is currently living in Peoria. The questionnaire at the beginning was kinda of hard with him because he talker fast and quite, but once we got to the vendors he stopped at most of the tables and asked them good questions to learn more about the programs that they had to offer. He really surprised me because he seemed pretty smart and liked to read but I don't think that he cared and was just going through the motions to get through the summit so that he could go home. He told me that he wanted to be an underwater welder so that he could make lots of money. I ended up getting him a state ID and he was able to sign up for Obama Care. After i walked him through the summit they were starting to tear down and there were no more people to walk through the booths. I liked volunteering because i got to help a couple people take advantage of the services that are available to them. -Tyler246
I was very inspired about volunteering for this program..I did see a few things that need addressed. Some of the vendors left early and there should have been more shifts at each table...there should have been better communication with the offenders from their parole officers about what was expected for this event. This was a good opportunity for the offenders, and I wish more of them would have realized that this could make a difference in their lives, if they showed up. I had one person who was under the impression as well as I was ..that someone from the unemployment office was going to be there, to help them apply for a job. I also wish that their were more companies come in, who will hire ex-offenders. I have a son-in law who was in prison..and he complains all the time that he can't find a job because companies out there will not hire ex-offenders or ex-felons. I hope that this program gets bigger and better every year... i enjoy helping people, especially if they want to help themselves. I hope that I will be able to go back and volunteer again next year and many more years to come.
My experience at the Summit of Hope was that of a great one. I went in with a positive` attitude and an open mind. I want to give everyone the same opportunities that I am given. I ended up walking 10 males through the Summit of Hope. Each male was that of an African American besides the last feller who was white. The first male I walked through was not very pleased to be there. I had to remind him that it was a blessing he was there. He was chosen from hundreds of people. Once I said that to him, he opened up and wore a smile the rest of his time there. I even had him laughing at certain points(which made me feel like I had accomplished something.)
The second guy I walked through was a black male around the age 23. He also was not happy to be there, but again I reminded him that he was chosen to be here. That there are people out there who wanted to come but who were not chosen. This kid didn't like to talk. I had to really push answers out of him. Which I did, because in order for me to help him or for others there to help him, he needed to open up and talk. Once he started to talk, he got himself answers to questions ( again feeling satisfaction.)
The fourth guy I walked through was 17 years old. This is the kid that touched me the most while being there, with him being so young and being so close to my sisters age. When I got out of him why he was there, I was in complete shock. Which I did not show on my face, but thought to myself. He had no problems walking through the summit and out of all the people I walked through that day, he was the most well mannered. He shook everyone's hands. He got to talk to his GED teacher, and in return she introduced him to a lady at the Don't Shoot table. When we got done walking through the summit, I grabbed the young mans hand and told him, you are way too young to be shortening your life. You have a whole life in front of you and I hope this was a new beginning in your new journey. He told me thank you. I hope this made a difference in his life.
The last feller I walked through was a white male in his late thirties, who was there on probation. He was an alcoholic as he would like to call himself ( as I smell the fresh alcohol on his breath when he speaking to me.) When we started walking through he was taking nothing seriously and made everything a joke. I really wanted to make a difference in his life. I come from a family full of alcoholics and wish that I could make a difference in one. He kept making perverted jokes as we walked through. I just tried to hurry through it with him because I was starting to feel uncomfortable.
All over my experience was a great one. I will be doing this next year for sure and bringing along family and friends to volunteer with me. CooCoo246
The Summit of Hope was a good experience for me. I think it's great that there is a way for ex-felons to receive help. I was slightly disappointing that there wasn't more than just pamphlets for the people. I felt like it was a lot of information that they aren't going to use. There were a lot of the same type of vendors there, like support groups. I didn't feel like there was a lot of variety in vendors. I walked 6 people through the tables. They ranged from the age of 22 to somewhere in their 50's. For the most part they didn't seem to have a problem going through. The older gentleman that I walked through didn't want to be there and didn't like the idea behind it at all. He thought crazy having the people be escorted through and have to have someone with him at all times. He wasn't interested in any of the stuff that was being offered. He especially didn't want anything to do with the religious aspect of it. The younger gentleman that I walked through with was very interested in it. He had his GED and was very proud of it. He was looking for ways to help with bills and also was interested in going back to school. One of the females that I walked through with didn't have a problem with going through but she didn't want any help or information. She stopped at the tables but didn't really get any information. One of the gentlemen that I walked through with thought the whole government system was bogus and didn't want to register to vote, didn't want help with support groups, or anything. He said that he actually teaches a support group in the area. He said he didn't want help with raising his child cause he is a hippie and doesn't care what his kid does. He basically told the people at the tables he didn't care about their information at all. Most of the people that I walked through thought it was a good idea to have an event like this. They liked the ease of having the information at their fingertips and not having to go and find all the info themselves. Kristen246
I really enjoyed the Summit of Hope and liked that I got to help out the people on probation getting the things that they needed wether it be a state id or information on going to college. The one lady I had that was in her fifty's I felt really bad for. Her daughter that was seventeen had called the cops on her and the mom left the house in her car and didn't make it far down the street before she was pulled over and arrested. She got a ticket for drinking and driving plus a couple thousand dollar fine. She was also explaining to me how tight on money she is and how its just her and her daughter and that if she got a flat tire that day that there would be no way she could afford another one and she would just have to deal with it. I really sypathized for her because when I asked what she wanted to do she said she's always wanted to go back to college, but wants to get her daughter straightened out first and to me I just thought that after what her daughter had done to her I wouldn't be putting her first. She was one of the sweetest ladies I've met and she stopped at almost every booth and took information regardless of if she needed it. I felt really nice afterward knowing that I helped her out getting things that she needed since she was going through financial issues and problems with her daughter. It was really nice to go go to the one booth and find out she had some money from a debt that they were giving her from her old PO box she had a while back and she was really happy about that. What was really nice about the Summit of Hope was that they were giving them state id's and licenses for free and I know when I lost mine it was thirty bucks to get a new one and for them to get the chance to get them for no cost was generous. I took my time with the two ladies I walked around with because I wanted to find out more about them and wanted to make them feel comfortable so it was easier to go around. I did feel like it was a little disorganized and that the lady in the room with the id's was rude, but other then that it was a good experience and I learned alot from the experience. kmoney246
I am so glad I was given the opportunity to volunteer at the Summit of Hope this year. I had a wonderful experience, and it was great to see all the ex-offenders getting resources to help change their lives. Unfortunately, I was only able to volunteer from 7-12 because I had to get to work, but during that time I got to be a buddy for three people. My first person was an 18 year old male that was on federal parole. It was crazy to even think that an 18 year old had already served multiple sentences in the DOC. At first he was very quiet, but after talking with him and asking him lots of questions about his life, he really started to open up. He had gotten his GED while in the DOC, and he was very serious about wanting to go to college. I talked to him about ICC and how I attend there, and he seemed very interested in it. He told me one of his favorite vendors was the ICC booth because he was given all the steps he needed to get into school. I was very impressed with the respect he had for everyone because at every vendor table, he introduced himself and shook the person's hand. My other two people were both women that were on probation. They were both very nice and actually enjoyed being at the Summit to get all the information. One woman was living with her parents but really needed to find a place on her own so she could live with her children, so she said the housing booths were her favorite part. She even set up a time to meet with one of the housing vendors to fill out an application for a place to live. The other woman was in desperate need of a job and wanted to go back to school to finish her last semester in order to get her welding degree. Her favorite booths were the career ones that gave her resources for finding a job. At the end, she told me she really enjoyed being there and it didn't feel like a court ordered thing to do at all. That was really great to hear, and I am very grateful for getting three people that really took the Summit seriously. I actually work in the State's Attorney's Office in Peoria County, so I recognized quite a few ex-offenders while I was there. Most of the time, we see the bad sides of these people that sometimes just made a mistake and ended up getting caught. It was really nice to see these people in a different light and to see them taking steps to better their lives. I obviously know that not everyone there is going to turn their lives around for the better, but I really believe there will be a number of people that got something out of the Summit and will do something good with themselves. roxie003
I had a pretty good time volunteering at the summit of hope. I was able to walk two people through, a white female in her 40s and a 67 year old black male. Both previously had substance abuse problems, had attended the previous year, and were interested in getting the free issues of the daily bread. Neither had a high school diploma or GED and highest grade completed was 7th. The female was polite and mostly interested in substance abuse support and contraceptives for her son. The male was initially not very interested in any of the information, but more concerned with being funny and stocking up on as much candy as possible. After having some of the vender talk with him, he became more interested in finding better housing. As far as the layout and function of the summit goes, I find having the volunteers go through the venders first would have been beneficial in finding them answer questions from their buddies and get them to open up to the venders. I was a little bothered that when I first walked in there were buddies lined up in the chairs and volunteers were standing around talking to each other when there were available seats to get started. I imagined myself in their shoes and could not help but feel like I was sitting at the DVI waiting on a disgruntled government worker to help me. I was bothered once a going when I found me and my buddy waiting on, what we thought were two venders at their table talking to each other, to talk with us which turned out to be two volunteers who got up and walked away after finishing the discussion without ever acknowledging us. I was not very happy that venders were folding up and leaving at 2:30 as I was going through with my last buddy. I was a little let down when the majority of the volunteers left without helping clean up and load all the equipment on to the truck and at least half of the ones that did stay sat and watched us clean up. Ending on a high note we did meet some venders that actually cared, learned about some support that was available, and was able to show me buddies that people do care about them. Glide246
I got to the Summit Of Hope around noon. By the time I got there, the people who were directing the Summit, were no where to be found. They didn't give any of the afternoon volunteers any direction. So it was a good thing we had the training session.
Overall, it was a great experience for me to apply what I have learned from this course. I also feel that it will help me in my career choice as a nurse. I helped a total of three individuals through the Summit. Two white males and one African American female. Their ages ranged from 20-67. The first gentleman I helped through was really polite. I introduced myself and we shook hands before starting the paperwork. He said a lot of "yes, ma'ams" and "no, ma'ams." Right away I could tell he actually wanted to be there. He had a folder with resumes and cover letters and had all the paperwork with him that he would need. We stopped at every table, even if the services wouldn't benefit him. He later shared that he worked for his dad buying houses to fix up and rent or flip. During his jobs, he meets many people and he tries to help them out.
In particular, he found many resources at the Center for Aging's booth. He currently had an older homeless man living with him. He was currently working with this gentleman to find permanent housing, medical care, etc. He said that when he got in trouble, It was one of the best things that happened to him. He said he was forced to get his life back on track. He was so thankful to everyone that had helped him in his journey, that he said he wanted to give back and help others too.
The second gentleman was a well educated older Veteran. He was at the Summit due to being on probation for Substance abuse. He said he had turned to narcotics after serving in the Military. He had completed high school and had attended college and actually had a degree in Computers. He didn't feel that the Summit would offer him much at first, but once he got in there, he actually found a lot of resources to help him on his journey to sobriety.
The third person I walked through was a 20 year old African American female. She really didn't want to be there and was there because it was a requirement of her probation. She had an attitude and was not prepared at all. All she was interested in was getting SSI benefits and if she couldn't get those she said she wanted a good paying job that wouldn't make her do anything. She had no interest in going to school or anything. She was living with a family member and really didn't want to find housing for herself.
Even though we had talked about the possibilities of what to expect, it really shocked me that she had no interest in better herself or her situation. She knew what continuing her life like she was, was going to lead and she really didn't care. She knew she would probably end up back before a judge and most likely in jail.
It made me get really firm with her, and maybe that's the motherly instinct in me. I could see potential in her, and I could see that she was wasting her life. She was more than content to just be a "Ghetto Queen." Mooching off the system and always expecting the system to take care of her and her kids. Having grown up where I did, it really surprised me to see this behavior. She was most definitely going to be one of the 2/3 of recidivism. What shocked me the most about her, was you could tell that after I told her she had potential and could do anything with her life, that she didn't believe me. I kept insisting and it amazed her that someone who had no ties to her, would actually care what would happen to her. It made me sad to think what her life must have been like growing up. That no one cared to tell her to dream and that she could be anything that she wanted to do or be.
The Summit was a great experience. It let me prepare myself for what I will deal with as a healthcare professional. And made me see just how much our society looks down on these people. I know I am not perfect. I have made mistakes just like all of these folks. While I was lucky to have parents who beat my arse and made me learn from the consequences, not everyone has this at home. Anyone can make a mistake.
I honestly think the summit of hope is an amazing opportunity for participants and volunteers. I walked three 'buddies' around in the course of my time there and it changed my perspective completely. I have to admit that before going I was extremely nervous, I had no idea what to expect and I am glad I went. I was assigned my first man who was this extremely tall black male. He talked really quiet and I couldn't tell if he wanted to be there. Once we walked out to see the booths I realized that he had been here before. We would walk up to a new table and he would ask what they did or what something meant. I tried my best to explain, and said it couldn't hurt to listen to what they had to say. He listened and when these people spoke to them and asked plenty of questions taking a brochure every time. I think that he can become successful in society if he does what he needs to get his GED and move on. My other two people were taking classes at the college and were less paitent with some of the people at the tables, but they listened regardless. The second person I helped was a black woman who knew what she really wanted to look at as we walked around she seemed set on going to that particular booth, which i think distracted her from what the people were saying. She was most concerned with getting her bills paid. And I think that there is nothing wrong with that. She was my only buddy who stopped and talked with Saint Paul baptist church, and she was a member. She took a lot of time there looking at the things they had to offer. The third person I walked around was the most difficult. He straight up told me that all he wanted to do was go home and sleep. He was attending school, but his attitude was extremely poor. I told him that we just had to walk through these booths and get help for him or someone he knows and then he could go. He did open up a bit more when he saw someone from Urban league that he knew. But like I said his attitude didn't show that he was really ready for what these people had to offer and acted like he didn't want help from them; when I came to interview him his hood was on his head and he had his face in his hands. As much as I hope this doesn't happen, I think of the people I helped he would be most likely to fall back into those old habits that got him into trouble before, and with more serious consequences. Its really important that the summit happens because it provides an opportunity for ex-offenders to get the services they need all at the same place and same time because everything is made so much harder for these people after they've been convicted. Even though there are a growing number of opportunities to get help, there still isn't enough awareness. They are unaware of a lot of the rights that they still have. My first buddy said to me 'the rights I know is the right to remain silent'. I simply told him that he has so much more than that, he is still a part of America and shouldn't be treated any different. RMG789
I thought the summit of hope was a great time. I got the chance to meet three great people I worked with two males one was African American and one was white and then I worked with one African American women. All three of them were extremely nice people. They all opened up to me and told me a lot about them. All three of them had a plan in life and things that they wanted to do to better themselves. On male wanted to be a music producer the other male wanted to be a cook and the one female I worked with wanted to be a counselor. They all were working hard to change there life for the better. They all kind of had a impact on my life hearing their stories because it made me want to make sure that I make the right choices so I don’t mess up and end up in jail. I think the summit of hope is a great program for these people I think it changes a lot of lives and helps people make better life choices to get them back on track in life. I am really happy I went and helped out and got the chance to work with these great people. Football456
Even though I didn't go to the summit of hope I heard my classmates had a enlightening time. For lots of people who had to go to this it may of been just a one a day thing and yeah they might I've gotten some short term help or hopefully long term. I know there was an employment booth in there but only certain individuals who followed a strict program to be able to go to this booth it was probably more helpful on the long term scale. From the most part in my class room all of the people they had to walk through they really wanted to be there, and wanted a change for the better. I believe this a great community based rehabilitation program to help give service that may of been harder to find without assistance. Shotokan456
The summit was very eye-opening for me. We were told that the people we would be helping were just normal people that happened to get caught, and it was absolutely the case. There were offenders from all walks of life, there for many different reasons. The one thing I did notice among most of the people I walked through was that many of them lacked even a high school education. This just reinforces my drive to gain a degree, because the lack of education among the offenders may have reduced the choices they had to make a living, and therefore may have contributed to them being there. It was also interesting to see how differently people accepted the help that was being offered to them. An older gentleman who had a previous drug problem was more than willing to visit every table and hear what they had to offer. But a younger female offender wanted nothing to do with the summit, and tried to convince me that her life was perfect, and that she needed no help, even though she had just got out on parole. I was happy to at least be a part of this program to help these people attempt to put their lives back together if they are willing. It showed me that there are more than enough social programs out there to help, but that the offender must put in the effort. I learned a lot before about crime prevention through the internship program, but this more than anything taught me what is being done on the back end to reduce recidivism. RedOneBravo002
I thought it was interesting to see the amount of people that showed up to volunteer their time to help out with the Summit of Hope. Throughout the time I was there it was neat to meet all sorts of different people and see how they each had different reactions to the event. A few people seemed uncomfortable going through each booth but after a while they got used to walking to each one and began to pick up more information from each table. Even though I did not really know the people I had or what crimes they committed I could notice how they were shocked by how many vendors were there and how they each had something new and interesting to offer. At first I was kind of uncomfortable because I was not used to that type of atmosphere but then as the day went on I became more confident with asking people questions and walking around with them. I thought that each table had useful information to offer and that the volunteers were very welcoming towards everyone. I had never heard of the Summit of Hope before so it was neat to be able to take part with the event and help those who are on probation or parole find out information about what they can do for their future. -MH789
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the summit of hope. I met some interesting people and felt good to guide them to see different services for them. The first time around was pretty like uh and umms. After the second and third I was able to tell the person what they offered and what it could do to them. Some recommendations would be: make each booth have a sign up paper, some presenters were quiet and in taut atmosphere they need to be loud, and I didn't think it was right that some people left early and so the people weren't able to recieve those services. I never felt comfortable asking the person what they did, but just tried to be as helpful as I could be. I hope people took lot of advantage from it. It is such a nice event for those that are on parole or probation. It would be an honor to do it again. Starburst246
ReplyDeleteI also enjoyed the summit of hope. I meet interesting people and it felt good to help them out. I hope I’ve made a difference in at least 2 people’s lives in this program. The first person I met ask me if we had to go to all the tables. The second person I met didn’t ask me if we had to go to all the tables. The common theme I got from both people I met is that they want to go to college and get a job. This is a good program and there needs to be more programs out there like it. All these people that are on either parole or probation is help.
DeleteKevin246
The summit of hope was really excited for me. i got to meet some really nice people. it was also very interesting to see so many volunteers who came to help out with summit of hope. the first person i helped was a young man named Jerome, he was 20 years old. he has been on state parole for two years now. he dropped out of high school on his sophomore year. he doesn't have a GED at this point but he is will to get his GED at any time soon.he was really happy to be there. he also told me that he wants to go to college. i was thinking while he was in the prison why they didn't help him get his GED? but i didn't ask him the question. i felt like i was relate to him in some ways. we went through booth very smoothly. my second trip was with two young ladies, both were 19 years old. they were "hard headed". they didnt want to me there at all. but i was little though on them at the end. the summit of hope was very good experience and i will definitely do this again. soccerboy456
ReplyDeleteThe summit of hope was an interesting learning experiance. I not only got to learn about all of these programs and agencies to help out the parolees but I got to meet some really nice people. While I was there i got to help two people through the event and help tear down all the booths and put away all of the table and chairs. I was not really sure what to expect when I got there but I am happy that I help two nice men through the summit of hope.Everyone there was really cooperative and understanding of others around them. I was glad to see that both the men I walked through were want to expand their education and better themself. I was surpised with the second guy I walked through the summit. He asked a lot of very good questions at ALL of the booths to understand what type of services they offered, which was good because most of the vendors were winding down and not really explaining the services that they provide anymore. I thought that this was a good experiance and it felt good helping others out. -Tyler246
ReplyDeleteI like the summit of hope program. I got to meet some good people at the summit of hope. Both people I interview and guided wanted to go to college and get a job. They both wanted to turn their life around. The male I met was 20 years old and the female I met was 26 years old. Both of them are young people that made mistakes and want to redeem themselves. I’m glad we have this program in place here in Illinois to help them get back on track. All the tables we visited offered good programs that can help someone turn their life around. The people at the summit of hope were nice and polite. They said thank you to everybody and weren’t difficult to deal with.
DeleteKevin246
The Summit of Hope was great and it was a learning experience. The people there were nice and caring. It was a calm atmosphere when I was there at the summit of hope. What I learned from interviewing 2 people is that they want to go to college and get a job. I learned that they want to turn their life around and they were corporative. I had no problems getting them to go to the different tables and they were willing to go to every table. The first person I interviewed was 20 years old. He wanted to go to college and get a job. He wanted to turn his life around. The second person I interviewed was 26 years old. She wanted to go to college and get a job too. She also, wanted to turn her life around too. The common theme I got from both people I interview is that they want to go to college and get a job. The summit of hope is a great program and there should be more programs out there like it. This programs helps people out and I was glad to volunteer today.
ReplyDeleteKevin246
The Summit of Hope was a real eye opener to the needs of people returning to society after being paroled or on probation. Taking them to the tables of vendors was no problem at all, they wanted to go. Three of the one's I interviewed found out they money owed to them by the state, they were happy about that! One young lady was pregnant and talked about how she was going to make changes for her child so the cycle could end. I am proud of her. This was a great experience for me and I'm proud to have been given the chance to be a part of it. I wish them all the best.
ReplyDelete-Kayaker5(003)
I feel that The Summit of Hope was a very good and enlightening experience. Although the first half of the time I was there was spent helping set up and since I was there early, I still got to get someone through the interview and the stations. Going through that really challenged me into being able to handle some situations and being more outspoken. In certain situations my buddy would try to just grab pamphlets or some stuff from a table and then get to the next one, but I had to explain to him that in some tables where he thought that there was no useful information in there could be something he finds useful. After I told him this he went back to the table and listened to what the vendor had to say and found out that there was information that was useful to him which he could’ve missed out on so after that he actually started listening to the vendors. I also got to know a little about him, he used to be a teacher for parenting and anger management while he was in jail and even some time after. All in all it let me get hands on experience on how to deal with certain situations and individuals. I'm glad i could be a volunteer.
ReplyDelete-CEM789
The Summit of Hope left was an incredible experience. It felt good to walk around with your buddy and know you are helping them out. At the beginning I thought tour buddies were going to be mean and jerks. By the first five minutes with my first buddy I realized the complete opposite. At least to me they were nice and just a resemblance of a normal citizen. I joked around with them and they felt comfortable around me. By the third or fourth booth my buddies had already learned my name and were calling me by it. What really surprised me was that they really were interested in all of the rehabilitation offers. One of my buddies I got was huge with tattoos and just had the meanest face ever. As soon as I made him smile a little he got comfortable and was asking questions and grabbing flyers. You can see these people do want help and the Summit of Hope was there to help them. What really broke my heart was when one of my buddies was being checked out, I waved goodbye to her, but then she ran up to me and gave me a hug. Right them I noticed these people are not bad they have just committed a bad decision in life. Overall I believe the Summit of Hope was a helpful experience for if I want to pro sue a future in criminal justice. I had the opportunity to get the field of these people out of jail. NR789
ReplyDeleteThe summit of hope was a great experience for me. I worked with three people. My very first on was awesome very understanding and liked being there. I did have an issue with the second one where three probation officers came to talk to my "buddy". Then my third was a minor who thought everything was a joke. We worked it out and walk through. I felt its a great opportunity for offenders to build them self back up. SM789
ReplyDeleteThe summit of hope was a really wonderful experience. Not did I only learn about stuff by helping others, but I also learned a lot of stuff to continue to help and direct people I know in the right direction to get help. At the summit of hope I met two males the first one was really out going and asked questions at the different places and felt that it was really helpful. He loved the chance to get back enrolled in school and also the different support groups because he had a family member that was a substance abuser. The other guy I had wasn't really open at first, but I explained what was going to happen and after going to our first couple tables he opened up and questioned the people at the different tables and was even willing to go back and get his GED. Both of the guys were really great people who didn't realize all the help that was out there not only for them but for their family as well. It really felt good helping people help themselves and encouraging them to go back to school and get their education. I let them know that they can still achieve what they want and become successful. I feel like that is the most important thing everyone doesn't have someone in their corner to encourage them and let them know that they can do something; so if they have never heard anything like that they heard it today.
ReplyDeleteElbow-Knee_246
I thought the Summit was a success! I really enjoyed helping the individuals and was very glad to see them take advantage of each and every vendor! I myself was amazed to see the amount of resources available to ex convicts! I had one young man who as we went by each vendor eyes would light up as he was given knowledge on certain resources! He was so ecstatic to have the opportunity to open his first own bank account free of charge on the spot! I encourage him to enroll n college courses and he's now interested in going thru the steps to do so! I got so comfy helping out that even as it was shutting down I offered to collect chairs but was told they had a crew for that! I look coward to volunteering next year if possible! The complementary massage was great as well!!
ReplyDeleteJESSME246
I had a really positive first time experience with the Summit of Hope. I was thankful for the experiences and situations I had encountered and the memories I made. I was able to help out three offenders find programs that would help them fill the void gaps in their lives. The first was a young black man of 18 years old. It was hard at first to make a connection with him because he possessed a very quite and introvert personality and had a very distinct accent. However, as the interview continued I bridged the gaps and made connections with him on several levels, getting him to open up more which made the whole process go by faster and made it more enjoyable for the both of us. However, when we started to go around the tables he seemed to get more and more impatient the farther along we went. His patience started to wear thin very quickly. I feel the major reason for this kind of behavior he displayed was due to his apparent detachment to society. It was sad to witness. All the same, we went to every table to see what each individual program had to offer him and there were definitely a few programs that I saw he might potentially follow up on. The second "buddy" was a middle aged white man of 31 years of age. We instantly connected from the starting line. It made the process all the more enjoyable and it really seemed to motivate him to learn and absorb as much as he could from what all the different programs were presenting. The last was a elderly black lady of 58. We made a great connection and she seemed to fit right in between the personalities of the first two "buddies" I had previously escorted. Very enthusiastic, but very impatient. What I found that helped myself the most as a volunteer was adjusting the approach to fit each person specifically. By doing this, I was able to make strong connection with the person I was escorting. It seemed to make the buddy more comfortable and easy going. As far as the Summit of Hope as a whole, I found it to be a great opportunity for offenders to reintegrate back into the real world and become productive members of society once again. I feel like it also will serve as a deterrence to crime by giving individuals the opportunity to seek out programs that will help them in their personal life (whether it correlates directly with the family, religion or financial aid.) A Summit of Hope would definitely be something I would be interested in doing again in the future and I would recommend it to friends and family to volunteer and get involved. Not only to help out these offenders get back on the right track, but to also grasp a greater appreciation for the hardship and struggles these offenders have to face every single day. ChiefO'Keefe456
ReplyDeleteI see most of the buddies I walked through the Summit of Hope program recidivating in the near future. I witnessed that many of these offenders had problems that are not easy to overcome. Whether it be trouble finding employment, dealing substance abuse or some form of negative habitual behavior (anger management, etc.) Many also were paying for child support or were currently housing a child under their own roof. However, I was glad that I had made a positive impact in their lives by connecting with them and helping to guide them to the help they would need to reintegrate back into the community. ChiefO'Keefe123
DeleteThe summit of hope 2013 was the first event of this kind I've attended. I found it to be an interesting experience and I'm glad I was there to help. From what I saw the group of ex-offenders participating in the event seemed to be mainly white and black with the largest group being black males. The four participants I lead through were representative of this with my first being a young white female and the next three being young black males. The first two I lead through seemed to be appreciative of the event and we're interested in seeing what the vendors had to offer. The third was my only participant to be on parole and had no interest in the event, even when I pointed out different vendors who could assist him with some of his problems. My fourth participant was the youngest of the four at 19 years old. He seemed to be a bit apathetic of the event at first, but once I explained there would be vendors who could help him obtain his GED and a college degree he was interested. I'm certain some things could be changed about the invent to improve it, such as potentially allowing participants more time to speak with vendors who could assist them. But in the end the event was just as useful as the participants would allow it to be. If they decided to ignore the vendors and not care about the event then they we're simply wasting everyone's time and would gain nothing. But if they actually listened and took the vendors information then I'm certain they would find something to help them.-Anonemoose123(456)
ReplyDeleteAfter further discussion with class mates I can tell that my previous assumptions about most of the participants there was correct. Most of the ex-offenders were white or black with the largest group being young black males. Something I never considered, though should of, was the amount of people there with mental disorders or disabilities. The reason I didn't take this into consideration is because all of my participants were mentally stable, except for the last who possibly had some slight learning disabilities. The issue of mental health is definitely a large factor in these ex-offender's lives and is likely what led to their original offenses and what will likely be a factor in their offenses still to occur. The vendors there could help with this situation by providing the participants with the counseling and mental health programs they need, but in the end treating mental health issues is the same as every other issue there; they can only be fixed if the offender allows that to happen and takes advantage of the services provided. The role of drugs was also very prominent at the event, though only one of my participants had drug issues to my knowledge. Some of the participants were there simply because they were caught abusing drugs, but that drug abuse can easily lead them to commit greater crimes. Once addicted to a drug the users will do anything necessary to make sure they get their fix and don't have to endure withdrawal. This means rather than serving a sentence for drug crimes, they can easily be serving a sentence for vehicle theft or burglary; just so they can get the money they need for a fix. A final observation is on the role of parenthood and juvenile delinquency at the event. The lives of these offenders and ex-offenders is a vicious cycle. They go through their childhood without a father to care for them or with parents who participate in crime on a regular basis, and then find themselves involved in crime as well. Soon they're going in and out of juvenile institutions and have dropped out of high school, and make a living selling drugs and stealing. They continue this into their adult lives and become adult offenders, winding up on probation or in prison. During their adult lives they have various partners, or just one, and from these relationships they have children. These children end up repeating the lives of their parents, and this problem can only grow. With each offender having around five children, that means there's likely two or three children who will grow up to be like their parents. This issue is likely the biggest, and treating it can help stop the rest. The adults may be long gone, and beyond helping, but the children can still be reformed. Giving these children jobs, and a proper education can encourage them to stay out of crime and get on the right path, ending the vicious cycle they're a part of. The summit can definitely assist with these issues, but as I've stated before the participants need to let that happen. But the Summit isn't the only solution out there, there needs to be reform in our juvenile institutions so that juveniles can be proper educated and reformed, kept away from drugs, and given proper mental health care. In the end the problems have no easy fix, but with time and patience results can be achieved.-Anonemoose123(456)
DeleteThis would be my first year attending The Summit of Hope. I loved this experience! I went in very nervous of the outcomes but all in all I had lovely people that made my first experience enjoyable. My first participant was very open minded to everything going in. He knew what he was wanting to look for. My second participant was a little difficult because he would look around while I was speaking to him and then would ask me to repeat myself(simply because he wasn't listening to me), but we looked at everything that applied to him and collected a ton of brochures that hopefully would be useful. My third participant was a female whom was "dressed to impress". She had a smiley on her sticker, (which I didn't realize till after going through the vendors), so I sent her off to the employment room after collecting some information as well. My last participant sort of hit home for me. His attire and personality kind of reminded me of my own dad. He talked about bits and pieces while going through the survey, to a point where I was almost teary-eyed. He reached that point as well so I knew this experience was doing an impact for him as well. I thought each vendor was very helpful as well as the surveys. After filling out the surveys, I was able to put pieces of his offense together and was also able to find out which vendors were more important for them. I loved this experience and would most definitely do it again. CountryGirl456(123)
ReplyDeleteListening to others experiences, it sounded like everyone had a great learning experience. Some had interesting stories on each of their participants. It sounded like at least each person who went had a difficult participant. I think that the people who were unable to make it to the event had missed out on a great opportunity, because I could explain my experience there, but my words just would not be enough for how I felt there. I was actually helping someone who was in need of things and financial aids and it felt great to actually help give someone advice about how they can change there lives for the better. Also, during my experience, they served lunches in the food/break room. When I took my break, I sat by myself and pretty soon this old African American lady sat next to me and after a few moments, she had told me that she was on probation and was told to come work at the Summit of Hope and help others who are in the same boat as she was. I thought that was pretty cool. She was hilarious making jokes about everything. I definitely had a great time. CountryGirl123
DeleteI thought the summit of hope was a great time. I had some really good conversations with three really cool people I was lucky enough to work with younger people who had just been released from prison. With their crimes people would title them as bad people or people that you should stay away from. But they were the type of people I would talk to again they were all very nice and respectful with me and when we talked to the people at the booths they were using yes ma’am yes sir and no ma’am and no sir. I had a really time there and it was something I would want to do again. I love the feeling of helping people and trying to give them the best advice I can. I think the summit of hope is a great program for people who are out on release. For the first time of doing something like this it was a great time and a great learning experience. -Football456
ReplyDeleteThe main thing to remember, is that all these people are just like you and I, they just made a mistake and got caught. Most of them learn, and move on. They are repectful because they are taught that in prison, or by their mother or grandmother, they do respect you. These people usually don't want to go back into prision, they have been locked up and know how it is. This was a great learning experience for all, I think. - zigzag001
DeleteThe summit of Hope to me was really fun. I had got there early with another class mate and we participated in setting up some tables and a lot of chairs. We help unload all the stuff that some of the orginizations. like the secretary of state and driver licencse program had brought. I also did take one person through, because thats i the time i had left, but the person i had was very friendly and he was very cooperative, because i talked to him as a friend, or a "buddy," and we took our time stopping at every station and talking to everyone at the station. In the end i think i got him everything that he asked for and more. In the beginning he asked where to go to get a drivers license and a couple of other things. I had just told him to fill his bag and ask what information each service provided, and he did as i said, because in the end he got everything he needed and more. He had also at least a hundred bucks of unclaimed cash at the Secretary of States booth, from to of his houses or apartments that he had lived in. I also think that it would be fun to particapate in next year. -AEK789
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed helping out with the summit of hope. It was nice to see so many people show up to help, and also nice to see the difference of people their for the program. I walked 1 female, and 4 males through. The female was really grateful for all the services provided, she filled out forms at a lot of the booths and finally got her new id. She gave me a hug at the end and said she was really glad that I was her buddy that day. One male was upset because he had to pay someone to watch his child, so he could attend, but I tried to cheer him up and just grabbed things for him off the tables. I walked my old manager through, he was embarrassed, but I said, "hey at least you didn't get someone you didn't know, and we can have a good time." The last man I helped really could care less about any of it. I tried to make him laugh a little. He told me he has been involved in all these shootings in Peoria, and he has a bullet in his leg. So I really tried to reach out to him the most. The others, just made bad mistakes, and they want to change or have changed, but that last one still hasn't learned. So if I could make a positive impact on his life that's what matters to me. They all said at the end that I was the best part about the day, and that really made my day. I really did have a great time. -zigzag001
ReplyDeleteThe Summit of Hope was really interesting and I was lucky to get good buddies. They were easy to talk to and when they didn't want to stop at a table I told them you might know someone that could use that company/business to help their needs and they picked up a brochure anyway. It kind of opened my eyes to see how good I have it and also the fact that those offenders are just like any of us. It gave me hope for the fact that there are companies out there that care about giving people second chances. One of my "buddies" name was Lacorlis and to me he was the most down to Earth guy and just simply got popped for DUI and was on probation looking to get back on his feet. I would be interested in doing it again a year from now or if there is any other similar events. I also enjoyed it because it looks good on a resume and the obvious reason of extra credit. LF789
ReplyDeleteI was also fortunate too to have been paired up with good people that I got along with well and had no problems with. I was worried after we did the practice runs in class doing interviews with the people who would have issues, but the girls I had didn't complain or anything and I got along with them really well and had interesting conversations with them. kmoney246
DeleteI went into the Summit of Hope with concerns that things would be a little frightening. I walked out with a completely different attitude. While I had some people that I walked around who were grumbling. There were others who were nothing less than pleasant. In fact the first person that I walked through was around my age, and had two kids. I couldn't help but feel sorry for her as her story unfolded with certain comments. She was living at home, and her boyfriend was an alcoholic. She had a lot of problems to cope with, and I feel like the summit of hope really helped her out. She looked into some of the parent classes, and the dream center shop will help her out in the future. She also completed the programs for helping her find a job. I have no idea what her crime was, but she said she lost her job when she found out she was pregnant due to the chemicals that she worked around. She had her baby about 6 months ago, but her former job would not hire her back. So hopefully after the summit she found an employer. She also collected information to go back to school, and programs that will help her buy a house in the future. It was nice to see so many people that are being helped get back on their feet. Like I've heard before, I don't think that any of these people were bad people. They just got caught doing something that a lot of us have done before. It was a very interesting experience that taught me a lot. Just because you commit a crime doesn't mean that you are a bad person. Bullardml13-246
ReplyDeleteI thought the summit of hope was really amazing. Like we talked about in class all sorts of people showed up to walk around and look at the booths. During my first walk through a girl was a buddy for another girl our age, it seems ridiculous to imagine, but these people are just like us and they shouldn't be limited to the services they are given because of their pasts. I walked with three people before I left, and they didn't really give me much trouble. The last guy I helped really wanted to leave, but he still walked around and talked to the people there. It was my first year, and I would definitely volunteer again it is an amazing experience. Everyone there seemed more than willing to listen to the services that these people offered, you could tell that they wanted help. My first buddy was going through the process to get his GED and really wanted to get into classes. Most of these people are just excited to get help and cheerful as they walked around with us. I really wish I could have stayed longer, but I am glad I got to go regardless, it is really eye opening. RMG789
ReplyDeleteI agree that it was a great experience and I also am really excited to go again next year, I only had one person who you could tell was wanting to hurry through towards the end but that was because his wife was calling him while we were going booth to booth and telling him to come outside. He still received enough information to really help him out in addition to a missed check from Denny's he had years ago.
Delete-EAB789
I agree too it's such a great opportunity for people on probation or parole that need services like getting a GED or a state id if they don't have one. Each person at the booths gave a lot of information as into what services they provide and gave out some nice little goodies to them to put into their bags. I thought that was nice that they could look up and see if you had any extra cash that they hadn't received. kmoney246
DeleteI thought it was interesting the difference in attitudes of the people attending. It seemed like you would either get someone super excited to be there or someone who was going to do their best to make it as painful as possible for both the volunteer and the parolee. KAM789
DeleteThe summit of hope sounds like a good program for people on parole and probation. When hearing the people in my class talking about the people that they toke through the summit I was surprised that there was not more mental health problems present. I was also surprised that there was not more vets at the summit. We have been learning that a lot of homeless people tend to commit crime and that a lot of vets are homeless, and a lot of them have mental health problems. I was not surprised that most of the women at the event had drug and alcohol abuse problems. It also seemed like a lot of the people had kids but only a hand full wanted help and parenting classes. Some of the people did not want to go and get their GED s because they may have felt that it would have been a waste of time. It also seemed like the people that wanted help would be less likely to recidivate.
ReplyDeleteSnapple123
I did not attend the Summit of Hope, but after hearing what my classmates shared it seemed to be a good experience to attend. I felt that my classmates achieved a good hands on experience by helping and working with offenders who are in the community. It seemed like everyone got to help an offender who came from different backgrounds, ethnicity, and races. I also thought that it was interesting how my classmates could figure out what the offenders have done by which booths they were avoiding and going to during their time at the Summit of Hope. I think that this is applying what we are learning from our courses into a real life experience with the criminal justice field. It was also cool to hear about the positive stories from the Summit of Hope where people wanted to receive help to better their themselves. I thought that it was also interesting to hear about the people who did not want to receive help and just went because they were told to. I feel like these are the people who will stay in the criminal justice system because they will eventually offend again. Overall the Summit of Hope seemed like a good hands on experience for dealing with people who are in the community.
ReplyDeleteICC123
DeleteI was not able to make it to the Summit of Hope but after discussion in class the people that my classmates were describing were all sorts of people. They had old, young, white, black, Hispanic, ect. the way that they said were acting was interesting. They said that some of them didn't want to be there what so ever, some said that they would actually take advantage to what they were offering and go to every booth and see what is available to them. I went to the Summit of Hope last year and it was beyond interesting. it was a good experience for me if i did decide that i want to go into this field. i got to interact with people i normally wouldn't not be around at all. Some of the people there had some sort of mental health issue which to me wasn't really that surprising to see there. People are there for all sorts of reasons, some were because of just drugs or domestic violence and some were there for robbery. It would be very interesting to go back again and do the same thing. i like helping people and when im there i think im doing good for other people and its just a good feeling. Firefighter123
ReplyDeleteThe Summit of Hope was a major learning experience. The summit gave me an opportunity to have hands on experience with the same kind of people I will be dealing with in my career. I was able to meet offenders and learn their back stories to why they committed crimes. It gave me insight into their lives and the struggles they have to deal with whether it be mental, financial, or an addiction. I could see that a person's life influences their criminal career. I feel that the booths and the summit was a success, because I could tell that half of the people I walked through with will use the services provided. This gave me the chance to see a person without the bars between us and realize that they are not evil people but some just didn't have the same opportunities that I was afforded as a kid. Even though my last guy was the most difficult I could see that he was just a kid who never had anyone to teach him wrong from right. I stressed to him that he should be that difference in his young son's life and change the pattern of going to prison that his father passed down unto him.
ReplyDeleteCollegeboy123
That's really good that you were talking to your last person about how he needs to be there for his son and break the cycle of going to prison. It's sad that a lot of times if a parent has a criminal record, their child ends up having one too. Children look up to their parents and follow in their footsteps. If they grow up in a criminal environment, a lot of times that is all they know and they end up going down that same path. I really hope he took what you said to heart and changes his life around.
Deleteroxie003 wrote this post.
DeleteThe summit of hope was very interesting. I met some really nice people. it was also very interesting to see so many volunteers who came to help out with summit of hope. the first person I had was a young man named Jerome, he was 20 years old. he has been on state parole for two years up to now. he dropped out of high school on his sophomore year. he doesn't have a GED at this point but he is will to go back to school to get his GED.he was really happy to be there and to see what the summit of hope has to offer. he also told me that he wants to go to college. i was thinking while he was in the prison why they didn't help him get his GED? but i didn't ask him the question. i felt like i was related to him in some ways. we went through every booth very nicely. my second participants were two young African American ladies, they both were 19 years old. they actually told me they do not want to be there at all. but i was little though on them at the end. from what i learned in correctional and juvenile class, i can see those two ladies going back to prison. because they did not take the summit of hope very serious and they didn't make best out of it. my participants didn't have any mental issues and they don't have any kid at this moment but i noticed that some of them have substance abuse problems. by talking to other volunteers i don't any body had problem with their offenders. the summit of hope was very good experience and i will definitely do this again. soccerboy456
ReplyDeleteI was surprised at how many needed their GED. That was a popular table for my buddies too. I guess that I just assumed that they would have already gotten it while in prison so they could be ready to jump back into society upon release. I hope my buddies keep good on their promises and go back to get it and onto college.
DeleteI too, look forward to doing this again next year.
-Kayaker5(003)
I had so much fun at the Summit of Hope and plan to go there again next year if possible. My first person was an older black male who was very interested in volunteering for community outreach programs. He was very interested in some of the credit score information because he had suspected that his Dad used his social security number while he was in prison. I loved the look on his face when he found out he had an unpaid check from Denny's 18 years ago. He was a really easy going guy and made my first trial through the booths easy. My second person was a 23 year old who was really quiet but still pretty easy to get along with, he was interested in the gambling addiction brochures and education opportunities as well as job opportunities since he had just been released 5 days before the Summit. My third person was a pregnant black female who was also easy to get along with and even laughed and smiled occasionally. She was interested in housing and employment opportunities since she was currently living with her mom. My very last person was a 22 year old white male who actually had a stable living condition and a full time job. He was probably the easiest to get along with but unfortunately most of the booths were packing up and leaving as I was walking him through, he didn't get any information about ICC which was one of the main things he wanted, but I told him how he could get the information online and one of the police officers there gave him a business card with some info so he could get the ICC documents from her. Overall it was a very eye opening experience, I found everyone easy to get along with and that it is true that they are just like us only they got caught. Nobody I had grabbed any information about alcohol or drug addictions for themselves, although the few who grabbed the brochures for someone else just might not wanted to admit it was really for them. I saw many young black males there but white males were not too far behind as far as population goes. I did overhear one individual say that he was really glad he came to it because one of the booths had a volunteer who was very energetic and friendly about getting these people jobs. It really was a great experience and it only makes me more interested in continuing to pursue my criminal justice education and career.
ReplyDelete-EAB789
I thought the Summit of Hope was a very fun experience and I would love to do it again next year! It was a lot different then what I had imagined it was going to be like. The first girl I walked around with was 19 and had been put on probation because she gave this disabled guy money to go buy shoes and took him to Kohl's and the guy ended up pocketing the money and stole the shoes and got busted and because she was his ride got in trouble for it along with him. She went to jail for ten days and got two years of probation. That's the story she told me and if that's true I don't think that sounds fair at all that she got blamed for the shoes getting stolen. She ended up finding out she had some money from some stocks or bonds her and her dad have and got a new license and state id which she liked a lot. The next lady I helped out with was a lady in her fifty's that had an argument with her seventeen year old daughter and she called the cops on her and her mom had only made it down the street and was going to turn around and they stopped her and arrested her right there. She only told me about the one charge of reckless driving, but I'm sure she got others because she's on two years probation and has a three thousand dollar fine she has to pay. I felt bad for her because she was telling me about all her problems she's been having and it just made me appreciate how fortunate I am. She went to all the booths and found each one to be helpful. What I found interesting was that when I asked her about looking for jobs and filling out applications she brought up that its hard for a person her age to find a job and that they go for the younger aged people most the time even though she's got more experience. I told her we had just gone over a chapter in class about ageism and we talked about that for a little. She was so upbeat and happy the whole time we went around and I think the Summit helped her out a lot. I'm glad we got the opportunity to go and look forward to volunteering again! kmoney246
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately due to other classes I had to be at I couldn't make it to the summit of hope this year the discussion in class in CRJ 110 was very informative on what other students experienced and the offenders they took around. The diversity of all ages, ethnicity's, genders was pretty shocking probably from most of the responses in class alot of the other students had black individuals. The Summit of Hope was a great opportunity for these offenders to come receive the necessary help and assistance they needed and its great that they were able to go somewhere to get that. TMilligan 789
ReplyDeleteI felt the summit was very helpful for the offenders to rebuild them selfs. i was saddened when i took my first offender around. it was lunch time. every vendor was eating and most wouldn't stop to talk they just tried to find someone else to talk to us. One both i passed with my first offended said they where closed. my offender actually wanted to see what they had to offer. When i walked my last offened through at 330 a third of the booths where closed. i felt that all the booths need to stay open till the closing time. they came to help people out. well why didnt they stay till the very end. SM789
ReplyDeleteI hear what you're saying loud and clear. I have volunteered for several things over the years, and it seems there's always that one thing that disheartens you. You get all excited because you're able to be a part of this great thing, with likeminded people all working together for a cause...and then something happens that bursts your bubble. What I try to do is always look at the upside. (corny I know, but it's better than the alternative) YOU were there and your 'buddy' knew it. YOU, I'm sure, spoke with them, looked them in the eye, treated them with respect, and reached your hand out to help them, and they knew that too. You may never know what just that alone did to help. YOU did what YOU were there to do, and unfortunately that's ALL you can do, and that's something. :)
Deleteshirleyfan001
Alhough I did not attend the Sumitt of Hope, I enjoyed hearing the experiences my clasmates shared. It is very interesting to see how some of the criminals who attended are actually very nice, and simply took a wrong turn at some point. I saw a report about it on the news last night and how it impacted people's lives. I am glad that criminals are able to have a second chance after getting back out in the world again.
ReplyDeleteThe summit of hope was a very eye opening experience. I had two people who were complete opposites. One she wanted to go to every table and was very eager to see what each had to offer. she also loved the candy. She wanted to get her GED and State Id was her main focus. She told me she wanted to become a nurse but i do not think it is a realistic goal because she is pregnant and the time she will have to dedicate to the child will be very much. She was not interested in getting a job though which i found odd. Then the other person i had was very apathetic and just wanted to get through. I do not think it really did anything for her because she just didnt make an effort to get more information than what was on the pamphlet. Overall i think it is a good experience and it gives many people who want to change the oppurtunity to change and better themselves, their family, and the community. Also i heard from other paroles by me that some people wanted to speak to younger kids about gang violence and to stay away from it which i thought was cool that they want to teach and give back to the younger generation.
ReplyDeleteRamadan789
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ReplyDeleteThe Summit of Hope to me was really fun. I had got there early with another class mate and we participated in setting up some tables and a lot of chairs. We help unload all the stuff that some of the organizations like the secretary of state and driver license program had brought. I also did take one person through, because that’s I the time I had left. The person I had was very friendly, his name was Darryl and he was very cooperative. He was a 57 year old African American that was on probation for fighting, and he had wanted to become a Preacher. He had also used to live in various locations in Chicago. The reason for this was I talked to him as a friend, or a "buddy” and we took our time stopping at every station and talking to everyone at the station. In the end I think I got him everything that he asked for and more. In the beginning he asked where to go to get a driver’s license and a couple of other things. I had just told him to fill his bag and ask what information each service provided, and he did as I said, because in the end he got everything he needed and more. He had only did this though, when I told him in the beginning, after he complained that he only needed a few things, is that if he went to every booth and asked what they could do to help him. After that he went to every booth and talked for a while. He had also at least a hundred bucks of unclaimed cash at the Secretary of States booth, from two of his houses or apartments that he had lived in. I also think that it would be fun to participate in next year. -AEK789
ReplyDeleteThe Summit of Hope was both exciting and sad for me at the same time. Exciting because I really got comfortable with my buddies. As I walked them through all the stands they we exchanged conversations joked around and had a pleasant time. Some of the times they did not even need the information on the booths, but I still put the brochure in their bag. I was just trying to get them the much information they could have possible. And they honestly didn't mind, one of my buddies even said she was really grateful I was walking with her because without me she would just gone through it without paying attention. The sad part is knowing the your buddy has high chances of going back to jail . I mean I read them and right away knew it. And its hard to walk around with them and that thought always being on the back of your mind. I really wish I was wrong, but I know I was not the only one who felt the same way about there buddy. NR789
ReplyDeleteAfter our in-class discussion I realized that I only knew what one of my buddies was charged with. I did not know that I could check their sheet and see what they had done or I probably would have done it both out of curiosity and to help them with anything else they might need at the booths. My first buddy, Tyrone, the ex-GD from Chicago seems to know what he wants to do in life and seems like he has gotten his moral compass right. He and his wife are looking to get a house and some of the credit information there will probably help if he takes advantage of it. My second buddy was really quiet and I couldn't quite tell if he was one who had no hope or was just too tired to be lively and energetic. I wish the best for him but I'm not sure if he was going along with it as a formality or if he was going to take full advantage of everything there. My third buddy was taking a lot of the brochures for employment and housing and seemed genuinely interested in both so I believe she might be able to stay out. My fourth and last buddy I honestly didn't think would have any issue staying out, he has a full time job and has realistic goals for the future and stable living conditions. He was really easy to get along with so I think he'll be able to make it.
ReplyDelete-EAB789
I did not attend the Summit of Hope but I did find it very interesting from what I heard in class about it, and I can also relate from it from family memeber who has done wrong his whole life, from burglary to forgery to now being offended as sex offender for something he didnt even do, he was always in to drugs also like meth, herion, cocaine, all of that. My point is with what I feel with the Summit of Hope and from what I heard in class with it, is people make mistakes, everyone makes mistakes thats what makes us human, but the fact that people are going to this Summit of Hope to find hope to regain their lives back to make things better. It is easier said then done though, the toughest part about regaining there lives back is that they are going to have to want to do it, and not listen to anyone else but them selves, its all a mental state and to be honest I respect those kind of people who want to regain there lives back, for there wrong doings. I mean somethings that some of those people did were worst then others but who are we to judge with there wrong doings, as we have many wrong doings of our own, maybe not that sever, but its good that some people out there are giving these people a chance of hope to regain there lives back. Some people just look at them and be like there never going to change but with this Summit of Hope there different, it shows that there are care hearting people out there and not everyone is the same, and thats what I felt on The Summit of Hope... KYLE789
ReplyDeleteGoing to the Summit of Hope wasn’t just volunteering but gaining knowledge as well. I only got to take one person around since my first half of that morning was spent setting up but even then I got a lot out from it. I learned some things about my offender like how he was a father of 2 children which lived with their mothers, and from what I could gather he wasn’t involved in their lives that much. I also learned that he was teaching parenting classes and anger management classes while he was incarcerated and even sometime after that. Knowing this brought me to see him differently than when I first saw him, thinking of him being not so intellectual. I also found out that he had his high school diploma and that he wasn’t going to college but that he really wanted to go. Another thing that I got out of the Summit of Hope is learning how to adjust to someone different than me. While we were going through the questions in the beginning it was as if he didn’t want to be there but then we went through the tables and that’s when he began to open up more about himself as I got him to go to tables he wasn’t so fond of going but later found a lot of useful information at. I would hope that he starts heading on that route of getting his life together and continue teaching parenting classes and anger management classes since he talked about his teaching days proudly, but I feel that he won’t be doing that anytime soon because he didn’t seem too motivated to do so.
ReplyDelete-CEM789
I actually enjoyed the Summit of Hope. I took 4 guys through. The first was pretty laid back and didn’t really object to going to any of the tables. His primary focus was getting information for housing so whenever we would get to a table that seemed like it might help with that situation we would spent extra time there. I’m not sure how many of the other programs or places he will follow up on but I’m pretty sure he will look into any of the places that help with home ownership. My second guy was really quiet. His goal was to be a welder. So we spent time at the ICC table to learn about welding classes. Apart from the he set up a bank account as well as checked to see of the state owed him money which it did. At the end of his experience I think he is trying his best to turn his life around. The third guy didn’t have a good education so anything related to learning took priority for him. We stopped to see if the state owed him money as well but it didn’t. At the end of it I like to think he will follow up on some of the education opportunities but honestly I don’t think he will. The last guy I worked with didn’t really seem like he wanted to be there but went to all the tables anyway to take the free stuff. He didn’t really seem to be there for any particular reason so out of all the guys I walked through the summit with I think it helped him the least. Realistically though I think the summit did a lot of good for a lot of people. KAM789
ReplyDeleteWhile attending the Summit of Hope my impression on probationers and parolees was changed immensely. While there I took through three males two Caucasian and one African American and one Caucasian lady. Out of the four people I took through the older lady gave me the most trouble. She was not very cooperative about stopping at all the tables because she believed she did not need the help that they had to offer. Although towards the end she lightened up and became more cooperative. The three males however were cooperative from the beginning and were willing to take in the information that the booths had to offer. The Summit of Hope is a great opportunity for some criminals to get a good start on turning their lives around in a positive aspect. During participating at the summit of hope I seen a wide variety of people there from the Judges and officers to felons. DO789
ReplyDeleteAfter discussing further in class on the Summit of Hope and hearing each person’s story, I realized how this event positively impacted a lot of people. Though some of the people did not want to walk through every vendor, the volunteers did a good job pursuing them to go to each vendor to see if there was something offered that could help someone they might know. At first it was very overwhelming to see all of the vendors there because it was kind of crowded but after a while I got a better feel for the environment. It was interesting to hear all of the different stories that were shared and hearing how each person reacted differently. After helping with the Summit of Hope it made me motivated to do more volunteer work to help others that might need it. -MH789
ReplyDeleteTo add to my previous post about the Summit of Hope. My buddies were both very cooperative and found help with most vendors and the ones they didn't want to stop at I just told them to grab a pamphlet in case someone they knew were to need some help. While I was there the majority of offenders were black and white I didn't see to hardly any Latinos and no middle eastern or asian offenders. While moving from vendor to vendor the two black males I had slowly were becoming more comfortable with me and I like the fact that they both gave me a hand shake and said thank you at the end of the whole thing. I would definitely like to do it again next year. LF789
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed the Summit of Hope. I had 5 guys, 1 was and older black male 1 was a young white male and 3 were young black males. 4 out of the 5 guys that were my age so it was easy for me to relate too. But as sad as it is those were the ones i found just didn't really think there was anything else for them except to be criminals. Only a few of them had any type of state identification and the ones who didn't, didn't even bring any proof of who they were so that they could get an ID. Everyone there was trying to help them and asking questions and they were just answering generic answers to just be done talking to them, and it was honestly just sad. My favorite person was Donorlando or Donald. He was just super excited that people were helping him you could see it in his face and hear it in his voice. He was just so happy he had the opportunity to be there and i wish the other kids would have opened their eyes to see what opportunity they had sitting in front of them. That being said, Donald was also 51 years old. I don't know what he did to be incarcerated or what his situation was but if it took him that long to appreciate help from others you could almost assume that the other kids would follow that same path, and will not except help and fall into the system.
ReplyDeleteWISCO_hurdler246
It seemed like there was alot of people just wanted to get through all of the booths just to get over with it, because they didnt think they could help them. Until you made it simple for them did they realize that there was actual help waiting. None of these kids were very smart so i think education is a big part on why these kids are being locked up simply because they dont know any better. One of my buddies was on parole for having a gun on him and all he could say to some of the parole officers is that peoria is ugly he would say it over and over again to anybody he knew he really wanted to get out of Peoria. But he also admitted he was using marojuanna to the guy at the Teen Challenge booth while on parole and that is just stupid! The 4 hours i was there i didnt see a single person with a smilely face on their name tag. I was under the impression that these were the nice guys getting this opportunity. I kinda think the religion group was a little pushy on the people telling them the will definitly go to hell if they dont go to that church or except Jesus or whatever but maybe they need people to push them into some help and im not one to tell them right from wrong in that whole context nor do i even want to talk about it so i just let them do their thing. But overall i think they need to be more prepared next year both the summit of hope and the buddies, whether its the paroles bringing the right paper work or the booths staying till the deadline or bring more panphlets it realy seems kinda unorganized.
DeleteWISCO_hurdler246
I wish I could have been apart of this years Summit of Hope. From listening to all of my classmates speak about their experiences it's sounded like they were not the only ones that benefited. A few class members said some didn't want to stop at every booth, but it sounded like there weren't very many hiccups. It was encouraging to hear that some paroles picked up extra handouts for others. EAW789
ReplyDeleteI believe that The Summit of Hope was a phenomenal experience for myself as a volunteer and for those who attended in hopes of creating a brighter future for themselves. I learned a lot, as did the gentlemen I helped through the process. Domestic violence is a hot button issue with me. I have learned over the years that the universe always gives us an opportunity to explore the things we don't understand, and yesterday was an example of just that. Not one, but ALL of the men I paired up with were there for DV (domestic violence) related issues. I didn't ask...they offered the information. I still have a zero tolerance, but gained more of an appreciation for 'the plight of the other side.' While they all expressed remorse, one shared that he was a witness as a child, and another told me that he felt he would've handled things differently if he'd had the coping skills he learned in the anger management program the state required him to take. I was encouraged by their openness to take in any and all information and help that was offered to them, and their willingness to pass the information onto others even if it wasn't applicable to them personally. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with each of them and will continue to pray that they accomplish the goals they seem to have set for themselves at this point.
ReplyDeleteI LOVED SHIRLEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I cannot ignore the weight that a success story holds. I loved her openness and candor about where she'd been, where she is, where she's going (straight to heaven) and her genuine invite for EVERY PERSON SHE SPOKE WITH to join her. It takes courage and determination to take her journey, and I just can't say enough how much I appreciated her willingness to share and her passion for giving back. People like her change the world one person at a time. I have taken classes in Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, Eating Disorders, and Addiction. All the experts say never share your personal experiences. I am more convinced than ever that they are wrong. That woman had a group of people in front of her every time I walked by...because they knew she KNEW where they are. She inspired them, and it showed.
shirleyfan001
I had two complete opposite experiences at the summit of hope. The first person I was able to excort through the summit of hope stated over and over he did not want to be there. He would not let me finish reading the questions before he would answer, most of his answers were not true. When we entered the vendor room he would not stop at the tables, walked ahead of me and ingnored all requested to come back and talk to vendors. We were one a the first people in that morning so his behavior was easily reconginzed by Robin. When Robin approached him, she made him go back to the first table and told him he needs to talk to every one. His parole office joined us at the first table and wanted to know what the problem was. I explained to her what he was doing and her response is that he is homeless and does not want any help and will not talk to these people. This made me questioned why he was here. Couldn't she just have done her normal parole visit if she knew he did not want help? My heart goes out to this man, he looked so sad and unhappy. I tried to make small talk and ask about his children (5). He said they fine, they taken care of.
ReplyDeleteThe second young man I excorted through was extremely thankfully that he was able to be there and get information to help him self. He had just got his first job two weeks ago and was so excited about it. He kept asking me which table offers narcotic support groups. He told me the life he has "sucked" he has been clean for over a year, just completed his GED program and got a job. When we got to the GED table, they hugged and cried. He told me she has had a big part in changing his and his girlfriend's life around. He told me that he is trying to help some of his friends and would grab information at the tables for him. I was so touch by this young man. I wished him good luck and told him to keep up the good work. GMD246
After listening to everybody and the experience they had I thought that it would of have been an amazing experience. I thought that hearing all of the stories of the people that went through would of been great because you are around so many different people and backgrounds for what they have been through in life and hearing some of the stories would of been real interesting. I also would of enjoyed helping them out to be themselves whether they wanted to be there or not leaving there I would of known that I possible could of helped somebody change their life or want to get a GED or go to ICC. I really wish I would of went because all of the stories that I heard were outstanding but some of the people did have a hard time but I have done interns before working with people like that and it would of been a great experience for me if I would of been able to go. I would really love to go to again if they every do it again next year.
ReplyDeleteMDD246
Well I for one did not attend this event due to scheduling conflicts with the time of the program. But in class today listening to everyone talk about the Summit of Hope, and how much fun they had. I honestly was very interested in each person's stories. After each one would finish their stories, I would anxiously await the next. I am kind of sad that I didn't get to attend, but that's life. The stories made me laugh, smile, feel sorry for some of the young ones, and even the older ones. I'm glad I got to at least hear the stories of everyone who went. Seems people did not have to much trouble, and there weren't too many people being cranky, which was nice to hear. Overall, just hearing everyone's stories made the night quite enjoyable.
ReplyDeleteblub246
I did not get to go to the Summit of Hope because I had to work but hearing everyones comments in class tongiht made me realise I truly missed out on an experience that would have been educational not to mention interesting. Some of the stories of rudeness I feel should have been handled better either by the parole officers or police that were present, there is no reason to be out right shitty with the people who are attempting to help you. If some of those people were previous offenders who keep making the same mistakes over and over, their attitude may be part of the problem. I personally dont have the tolerance for behavior like that so it might have been a good thing i didnt go. It is nice that there are organizations and people int he community who care enought to put on events such as this one in an attempt to better our society and the people in it, no matter what life choices they have made in their past. Its encouraging aswell that some of the people were very receptive to the help and education the recieved thru the Summit of hope. mfroggyus246
ReplyDeleteFrom everything that I heard, I missed out on a great opportunity. People had their ups and downs, but in the end everyone was making a big difference in these peoples lives. These people were there because they cared, and the volunteers were committing their own time to ensure that these people had a better and brighter future. It sounded like a learning experience, and also a powerful one. The feeling of helping others and the gratitude that they feel towards you for what you are trying to do to help is one of the best feelings in the world and I wish I had been able to go and take part in the event. Everyone has been given memories to treasure and keep with them forever, and have given others new starts and chances at life that they otherwise wouldn't have had if they had gone into this with some of the negative attitudes that some of the volunteers saw while they were there.
ReplyDelete-alterend246
While volunteering down at the Summit of Hope I ran into several former classmates. Some whom i had not seen in years. I was saddened to see what some of their lives had resulted to so far because growing up with some of them they all had promising futures at one point. This assured me that yes I myself chose the right path in life. I was excited to be able to help someone whom not only was in my age group, but someone who grew up in the same neighborhood as me but just chose a different direction. I posted on facebook that I was going to volunteer and 3 of my friends inboxed me for info on how to volunteer for events out in the community. This made me happy that other young people like myself are out there willing to help out as well! I think that the Summit could have been better organized and was disappointed on the lack of enthusiasm on some of the vendor's and probation/parole officers's faces. Overall I felt good that I was able to help someone get on the right path to bettering their education. I look foward to attending the one next year and years to come!
ReplyDeleteJessMe246
After listening to the stories my classmates shared with us today in class, I can honestly say that I regret not going. I was very apprehensive toward the entire thing, but I wish I wouldn't have been. It was so interesting to hear the stories that these people have gone through. It would have made it even more enjoyable if I had been there first hand. My favorite story, however, was of Brittany's. If I was to have that older black gentleman that had just out of prison I would have been freaking out. I would have been nervous, I wouldn't have been able to concentrate that well, and I would have been scared. Which is the main reason that I did not want to attend. However, her story is what made me change my mind. Her staying positive and making it a learning experience is something is something that I wish I could have done, knowing that I wouldn't have been able to. I was too quick to judge those who had came out of prison, and I can admit that. I didn't care to get to know them or help them because In my mind it was there fault that they were in that position. The summit of hope seemed like a great learning experience for those who participated. Maybe next year when the time comes, now that I know what it really is like, I won't be so hesitant to write my name down as a volunteer.
ReplyDeletejosko246
From what I was hearing in class, most of the individuals that attended the Summit did not even have a GED. Its sad to think that this is a general observation among this specific group of individuals. It sounded like the resistant ones, for the most part, changed their attitudes as soon as they saw what the vendors had to offer. I did not hear anyone who said that their individual had a negative outcome from the Summit. The only real problems I heard came from the vendors portion of the event. I heard that they were unorganized, unreliable, and unprepared. This seems to have a positive impact not only on the individuals on probation or parole, but also to those who volunteered. They all took away a feeling of accomplishment and pride helping someone potentially turn their life around. If I had the time I would have loved to go, not just to volunteer, but to take away the experience that my other classmates have taken home with them.
ReplyDeleteGross246
I did not attend the summit of hope I was busy with work. But what i heard in class some things were pretty intersting i was mostly excited to hear about what the people got locked up for but, it seemed like people didnt ask that question really. I applaud people for taking time out of their day to help others that arnt getting paid for it and enjoying it. But for me i didn't really want to go because I dont have alot of patience for people like that. I understand that some people do need help but other people are not ever gonna change hearing some of the stories that kids wanted to go back to school, wanted a job, and to help other family members was a good thing to hear. -TylerP246
ReplyDeleteAs I came into class, I was expecting to hear lots of stories about the parolees and everyone being inappropriate and unwilling to go through the procedures. I did hear some stories about that, but most of the ones I heard were people who were willing and happy to go through all the steps, even eager. It made me disappointed that I was not able to go; I had to work all day. I think, if I know about it in time, I may choose to go to Summit of Hope the next opportunity I get. I am in no way a person that likes telling others what to do, so if I would happen to get people that were very unwilling to be there, I would probably feel uncomfortable, but I'd be able to get through knowing they'd one day be thankful to that one lady that helped them around Summit of Hope when he was on parole, making him see all of the available offers and helping him make sure he did everything. -Moony246/789
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed this experience. My person was a 23 year old African American male. He was on probation. I have to say the only thing he and I were wanting to see more of were booths where they could help someone get a job or even know how to apply for a job. It was a little overwhelming in areas for we felt like cattle. For even me towards the end around the voting booth it was loud and caotic. I wish I could have went further with him to see if he received the care he needed. There was an abundance of counseling and addiction booths. Not all people that went to this convention have the addictions. He and I really enjoyed the young lady at the GED booth. She was very up beat and gave a lot of good information to get started on the GED program. I know he wanted to get his state id but I feel he got a good experience at the Summit of Hope. Will do this again! labrador246
ReplyDeleteI got really intimidated by the Summit of Hope. I planned on going, but then decided against it at the last minute. I missed class the week before and I think I would have gone I would have been in class preparing for it. I wish I would have gone now that I've heard everyone's stories. I think it was just the large number of people there that made me scared to go. I heard alot of people telling different stories before class started. They seemed angry about the people that were not interested in taking advantage of the resources available to them at the Summit of Hope. They were questioning why they were even invited. I didn't really hear anyone mention that during the class discussion. I'm a really quiet person, and I questioned whether people would be able to take advantage of me there and didn't think I would be forceful enough to make them go to every table. Again, I regret missing class the week before the event. I think it probably was a good feeling helping people, but I also know its easy to feel discouraged and annoyed when people aren't trying to participate when they should be and you're taking time out to help them. I think the Summit of Hope would have been a really great opportunity to realize the general in the particular. I think its something I would like to try again next year. I think it would be an eye opening experience to see all types of people that are on parole and probation. I agree that for some of them the only difference between them and us is that they got caught. I have a business law class with Glen Collier on Thursday nights and it was interesting to hear that his son was invited there. YellowSubmarine246
ReplyDeleteAt the summit it was really a learning experience. I got there at 1 p.m. and helped 2 males. When I got there they didn't really have any good direction to tell me how to start they just assumed that I knew everything which was kind of a down fall, but I figured out everything on my own and was able to get through it. Working with theses guys was really a great experience. I knew when they walked out the door they had all the information possible to help them move forward in their life. The fact that the guys took time to have a complete meaningful conversation at some of the booths let me know that even if they didn't use the information right a way they still had it for when they needed it. School was a big priority for the both of my guys and I also stressed it as we walked and gave them more information about signing up for classes at ICC. One of the things I love most is helping people that's what I want to do for my career help people in some type of way, so leaving there knowing that I put some type of imprint in their life made my day. There was also one other down fall I forgot to mention. When I was walking my guys through all of the booths weren't open and that concerned one of them. They felt as if that could have been something important that they could have benefit from, but besides that everything went well not all of the booths explained things well but I was able to sum it up for them. I wish I knew about the booths that were shut down so I could explain it to them but they got information from the rest. Really great experience that I wouldn't only do once again but every time they had it.
ReplyDeleteElbow-Knee_246
It was pretty amazing to hear the experiences some people had to face when dealing with people that did not want to get help. When I went over the questions for practice in the classroom, my classmate gave me a hard time and was not very helful when awnsering the questions but I took it very serious and that will help me later on in life when dealing with people. I was shocked to hear some young kids that drop off high school and dont even care about getting help but also hopeful to see that some people actually want to get the help they need to do better in life. My cousin is only 15 and got pregnant (she went to private school, had everything she wanted and dropped off high school because of her pregnancy). With this experience I learned that it doesnt matter where you come from or your class, so for that reason I didnt judge the person for their mistakes. Doglover246
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean about getting a hard time. I had this lady who tried to convince me that she didn't even need to be there, and that her life was just fine. She told me she came there voluntarily, even though on her nametag it said PAROLE in big letters. I was able to convince her to answer the questions and walk through the vendor's area with me without too much more problems out of her. Now getting her to stop at the tables even though "she didn't need any of that" was a bit of a chore. The rest of the people I encountered were very friendly and cooperative, which was a relief after the first experience. I hope that they can get the help they need to get their lives straight, and not let their mistakes haunt them for the rest of their lives.
DeleteRedOneBravo002
I am not sure even where to begin as to what I thought the Sumit of Hope was like. I was terrified at the emotions that was going to be in front of me or what was going to happen. I was lucky to have a nice young lady for the first time around to really break the seal of the first go around. She really showed me that there actually might be hope for some of the paroles out there. (I am very quick to judge at that kind of stuff and people will never change once they are sucked in a hole, but she made me believe that there is hope for people like her!) ((Maybe she snowed me too, I will never know.) But from how she acted and how she wanted to work and take parenting classes to get her child back and start a savings account really made me view her differently.
ReplyDeleteThe others, unfortunately were not how I wanted the experience to be. I had a young, jock-ish kid that was only there to go through the motions, if you even want to call it that! I made him thank every vendor that we talked to, and if they talked to him he needed to acknoledge that he was listening! I didnt really care that he didnt want to be there. He is lucky to even have the opporunity to be there.
I was very intimidated by some of the men I walked around, the way they carried themselves, the way they talked to others, their past, their little motive to change or want to be helped, that really made me think differently about them! I felt like the men I had almost brought out that "people don't change" attitude. I hate that I even think that, but in reality they just proved it in front of me by not even taking advantage of the opportunities that were RIGHT in front of them literally. 1/6 people that I had, had a job. 2/6 of them wanted to look or have the opportunity to find a job, that shows me that obviously nothing is going to change in their life. (I know you all probably think I have a piss poor attitude about these people but I really wish the best for them, but when they carried themselves the way they did throughout the period of time I had them showed me that they liked how their life was. And that was living with their momma or living with this person one week and this one the next.)
I did wish them all the best as they left me, because I really do want and wish the best for them. I do not know their whole story. I just know what they did to get where they are, just wish people like that can take societies help and accept it. I am really glad that I had the opporunity to volunteer at something like this because it really did open my eyes to what the other side of the picture is like.
feb246
I walked around 3 people. First was a 38 year old african american man. He had 4 children and lived with his children and wife. I didn't ask him what he did, nor did I think it was my business. He seemed really interested in getting a job and was dressed to the nines. He was ready for an interview. I felt great after walking him because he had a purpose and seemed like I helped someone in my community. The second individual I walked around was a 38 year african american man too. He seemed a little sketcky but we got along fine. He knew a couple of the helping groups. He wanted information on the bank, and wanted some education. We didnt connect as I would hope, but I wish him luck on his future endeavors. The final girl I walked around was a 23 year old girl who was 7 months preggers due in jan.. We really seemed to connect, I try to explain every booth before we encounter them to see if she wanted to visit them. She needed so much help which that was why the was there. She signed up for GED, parenting classes, planned parenthood, and etc.Back to the girl, she seemed so scared to have a baby, but I am sure she will make a good mom. It comes natural.
ReplyDeleteI am glad there is a summit like this for individuals in need. I do wish there was something like this for everyone, personally. I told her after she got some prayer in her life, I sent her in the adjecent room and wished her luck on her new baby and life. I really hope these people get to see the positive in life and what it could bring. I am fortunate that I have been able to see that as well. I felt good, it really wanted me to see if I could fit more volunteeering in my life. I am doubtful because my education comes first and my GPA I don't wanna ruin; however, there is always someway somehow. I learned that not everyone in the parole or probation system is a bad person, they just caught got at the wrong time. They are no different than me or the president of USA. Everyone is free and deserves the right to a education, housing, and food. (clothing) I will deffintely be gettign with Dr. White about going next year. Earlier I posted that I didn't like how vendors left early, and there wasn't shifts being covered. I think to run a business and promote it too people. most people would have done more. For instance, one guy was pulling peolpe in and having them sign up. He made everyone feel comfortable and friendly. He was apart of the Urban League. Overall, after every year I am sure there is some learning to have they will make it a system that is flawless and the patients (parolees and probationers) will get a the benefit out of it they deserve. I felt like sometimes I take stuff for granted and there are people who don't have the things I do. I am glad my mommma raised me right to know the difference between right and wrong. I can only help the people to the best of my abilities, but I also have to look out for me. I have to do what is in my best interest and continue my education and teach. starburst246
I had two complete opposite experiences at the summit of hope. The first person I was able to excort through the summit of hope stated over and over he did not want to be there. He would not let me finish reading the questions before he would answer, most of his answers were not true. When we entered the vendor room he would not stop at the tables, walked ahead of me and ingnored all requested to come back and talk to vendors. We were one a the first people in that morning so his behavior was easily reconginzed by Robin. When Robin approached him, she made him go back to the first table and told him he needs to talk to every one. His parole office joined us at the first table and wanted to know what the problem was. I explained to her what he was doing and her response is that he is homeless and does not want any help and will not talk to these people. This made me questioned why he was here. Couldn't she just have done her normal parole visit if she knew he did not want help? My heart goes out to this man, he looked so sad and unhappy. I tried to make small talk and ask about his children (5). He said they fine, they taken care of.
ReplyDeleteThe second young man I excorted through was extremely thankfully that he was able to be there and get information to help himself. He had just got his first job two weeks ago and was so excited about it. He kept asking me which table offers narcotic support groups. He told me the life he had "sucked" he has been clean for over a year, just completed his GED program and got a job. When we got to the GED table, he saw his teacher and they hugged and cried. He told me she has had a big part in changing his and his girlfriend's life around. He told me that he is trying to help some of his friends and would grab information at the tables for him. I was so touch by this young man the changes he wanted to make and the path he was on, he truely seem gueinue. I wished him good luck and told him to keep up the good work.
The Summit of Hope I think is a great program. They seemed a little unorganized in the morning but quickly took off and seemed to run smoothly during the time I volunteered. I did hear some complaints from class mates for example the ones who showed up later in the day did not receive any instruction on where to go. Also vender tables where empty with no one to talk to the attendes. There of course is the issuse of those who did not want to be there. And in the case of the first one I excorted throught the parole officer did not care that he did not want to follow direction and do what was asked for his parole visit. I enjoyed this experience and would like the oppurtunity to volunteer my services further. I would even be willing to help with planning prior to the event. GMD246
I enjoyed going to the Summit of Hope. I didn't know what to think or expect even though I was told about it and given a crash course in how to handle certain situations. Upon arrival I noticed that it was controlled chaos. I didn't see the rhyme or reason to how it operated until I started getting directed and what not. I had two men around my age that I escorted. The first one was single living alone and didn't have a job. He was very quiet and well mannered. Yes sir, No sir was the extent of what I heard from him. He seemed like he really didn't want to be there but he still went through all the motions. Nothing really interested him and usually I'm a great salesman, but for him he just had other things in mind outside of the Summit. The second person had the same manners in the beginning. I knew the booths this time and he had a different set of circumstances than the first. This guy was 28 (my age) and had 5 kids, all from different women. We had more of a dialect and he was more open to the booths. We actually talked to everyone that was at their booth. By 3:00 some booths had no people and very little literature. Neither one of us were to upset by this because we were making good time in getting through all of it. He did upset me when he did something that I thought was disrespectful. He had his GED but was interested in college. When we got to the ICC booth the lady was very nice in giving as well as simplifying the information for him, but he got a phone call midway through her pitch and he answered his phone. I looked at her and it looked like she wanted to say something to either him or I. I apologized to her and gave him a look that let him know, "not cool." He quickly ended his conversation and she finished giving him the info he needed. A few booths later his friend came up and gave him his cell phone which had someone on it already. He talked to them real quick and we continued. I wasn't sure if I should have said something or not, but I knew he wanted a bank account and that he needed his ID to get it. We were so close to being done that I didn't say anything and just kept going. I think that he will find some use if he takes advantage of any of the services/help he was given information about. After my second person there were no other people waiting to be escorted and there were at least 2 dozen volunteers just waiting. I help clean up and close up shop so to speak and that was the day.
ReplyDeleteEthos246
The Summit of hope seemed to be an eye opening experience. Going in I was a little nervous about having to work with whom I pictured to be criminals. The very first person that I had was about my age. We immediately hit it off and talked about her kids. She told me that she had a child when she was 17, and another one that was 6 months old. She never told me what her offense was, nor did I ask. She seemed to be a little shy at first and wasn't sure if there was anything there to help her at first, but she ended up finding things that would. She was very interested in finding a job, and even had the smiley face to prove it. She was living at home with her mom, boyfriend and kids. She also told me that she was married to someone and lived out of state. When they went through the divorce he took everything from her excluding the car. She lived out of her car for a week, until the bank came after her car and that forced her to move in with her mother. The second guy that I walked around seem very polite as well. He was very interested in getting a job, and finding out about his credit report. They both seemed to have done bad things in the past, but were not bad people. He told me that he had a couple kids, but were taking care of them. The third young lady was not sure of her offense and seemed to give me a little bit of attitude. She was not interested in any of the booths at first and even answered her phone. After seeing that there were programs to help her, it peaked her interest. The thing that seemed to help her the most was the dream center booth. She is currently working at Wendy's, but is interested in finding a better job. The dream center told her about the closet give away where she could find nicer clothes to help her in her job search. The very last kid that I had was 19. I once again did not know what his crime was as he did not volunteer, nor did I ask. He told me that he was living with his girlfriend and had recently got hired on for a job. He seemed to be most interested in the GED program. He said that he dropped out after his sophomore year, but didn't give me reasons why. I felt like maybe he was the most impacted by this experience. Maybe he was just a young kid that did something wrong, but knew better now.
ReplyDeleteOverall, this experience made me feel like I helped someone. These individuals walked into the dream center with expectations that they were forced to be in an environment. They thought that they would come out and nothing would change. My hope and goal is that someone stopped at one of the tables and they found something that will impact their life for the better in the future. It might not be a huge impact, but if the young kid that I took around follows through and gets his GED then maybe a life was changed.
I feel like this experienced changed my life in a small amount. I did not realize that there were so many programs to help others out there. I had obviously heard of AA and things like Planned Parenthood. But I did not know that there was a support group for the family and friends of those who were abusing alcohol. The first girl that I took through, Jillyn, told me that her boyfriend was an alcoholic that abused all the time. So despite the fact that he would never join AA, we talked about how there is a program with support to help her cope with what she is going through. I do hope that she followed through, because they had a young child together. I also hope that all the others that were there to get help followed through with something to help them get their life on track.
Bullardml13-246
When I arrived at the Summit of hope I was given 2 people to help. The first person I got was a white male about 24 years old. He was very laid back and nice but he really didn't seem like he wanted to be there. I did get him to stop at every booth and he kind of opened up to me and told me that he was on probation for substance abuse and DUI. He belived in God but was not interseted in joining any faith based groups. He had two children and lived with his brother. I asked him what he wanted to be in life and he told me " A hard worker'. There wasnt anything he felt like he really needed he was just there because he felt like he had to be. The seconed person I helped was a 20 year old African American male. He was very sweet and nice. He kept a smile on his face and it seemed as if he was nervous. we also went to every Booth and he seemed really interested in AA classes for a few of his friends. He told me he had an anger problem but did not disscus why he was on probation. He did have one child and was intersted in Planned parent hood, school, and a Job. He was able to get his SS card and Drivers Licenes. Over all I thought this was a very good experience for me. It felt good to show these people that there are others out in the world who want to see them do better with their lives. Also to be honest With me being african American it felt good to be out there helping because you dont see many african amarican people out helping in diffrent programs like these and i feel like im breaking a cycle and getting out there and being more than just a stereotype and that makes me feel Acomplished. LadiKay_246
ReplyDeleteThe first person that I walked through the summit of hope was a 39 year old African American who was quite and well mannered but I could tell that he did not want to be there. Even though he did not want to stop at all the booths i made him stop at most. The best part about walking him through the summit was stopping at the state treasurer. He was certain that they did not have anything to offer him but i made him stop because i didn't know what they did. As it turns out he had somewhere between 20 and 200 dollars at the state treasurer and he seemed shocked that he had money there and was really excited about it. There were also several programs that he seemed interested in and took pamphlets from several of the booths. The second guy that I walked through was a 36 year old African American that came out of a Federal Penitentiary in Philadelphia. He is originally from Chicago and is currently living in Peoria. The questionnaire at the beginning was kinda of hard with him because he talker fast and quite, but once we got to the vendors he stopped at most of the tables and asked them good questions to learn more about the programs that they had to offer. He really surprised me because he seemed pretty smart and liked to read but I don't think that he cared and was just going through the motions to get through the summit so that he could go home. He told me that he wanted to be an underwater welder so that he could make lots of money. I ended up getting him a state ID and he was able to sign up for Obama Care. After i walked him through the summit they were starting to tear down and there were no more people to walk through the booths. I liked volunteering because i got to help a couple people take advantage of the services that are available to them. -Tyler246
ReplyDeleteI was very inspired about volunteering for this program..I did see a few things that need addressed. Some of the vendors left early and there should have been more shifts at each table...there should have been better communication with the offenders from their parole officers about what was expected for this event. This was a good opportunity for the offenders, and I wish more of them would have realized that this could make a difference in their lives, if they showed up. I had one person who was under the impression as well as I was ..that someone from the unemployment office was going to be there, to help them apply for a job. I also wish that their were more companies come in, who will hire ex-offenders. I have a son-in law who was in prison..and he complains all the time that he can't find a job because companies out there will not hire ex-offenders or ex-felons. I hope that this program gets bigger and better every year... i enjoy helping people, especially if they want to help themselves. I hope that I will be able to go back and volunteer again next year and many more years to come.
ReplyDeleteMy experience at the Summit of Hope was that of a great one. I went in with a positive` attitude and an open mind. I want to give everyone the same opportunities that I am given. I ended up walking 10 males through the Summit of Hope. Each male was that of an African American besides the last feller who was white. The first male I walked through was not very pleased to be there. I had to remind him that it was a blessing he was there. He was chosen from hundreds of people. Once I said that to him, he opened up and wore a smile the rest of his time there. I even had him laughing at certain points(which made me feel like I had accomplished something.)
ReplyDeleteThe second guy I walked through was a black male around the age 23. He also was not happy to be there, but again I reminded him that he was chosen to be here. That there are people out there who wanted to come but who were not chosen. This kid didn't like to talk. I had to really push answers out of him. Which I did, because in order for me to help him or for others there to help him, he needed to open up and talk. Once he started to talk, he got himself answers to questions ( again feeling satisfaction.)
The fourth guy I walked through was 17 years old. This is the kid that touched me the most while being there, with him being so young and being so close to my sisters age. When I got out of him why he was there, I was in complete shock. Which I did not show on my face, but thought to myself. He had no problems walking through the summit and out of all the people I walked through that day, he was the most well mannered. He shook everyone's hands. He got to talk to his GED teacher, and in return she introduced him to a lady at the Don't Shoot table. When we got done walking through the summit, I grabbed the young mans hand and told him, you are way too young to be shortening your life. You have a whole life in front of you and I hope this was a new beginning in your new journey. He told me thank you. I hope this made a difference in his life.
The last feller I walked through was a white male in his late thirties, who was there on probation. He was an alcoholic as he would like to call himself ( as I smell the fresh alcohol on his breath when he speaking to me.) When we started walking through he was taking nothing seriously and made everything a joke. I really wanted to make a difference in his life. I come from a family full of alcoholics and wish that I could make a difference in one. He kept making perverted jokes as we walked through. I just tried to hurry through it with him because I was starting to feel uncomfortable.
All over my experience was a great one. I will be doing this next year for sure and bringing along family and friends to volunteer with me. CooCoo246
The Summit of Hope was a good experience for me. I think it's great that there is a way for ex-felons to receive help. I was slightly disappointing that there wasn't more than just pamphlets for the people. I felt like it was a lot of information that they aren't going to use. There were a lot of the same type of vendors there, like support groups. I didn't feel like there was a lot of variety in vendors.
ReplyDeleteI walked 6 people through the tables. They ranged from the age of 22 to somewhere in their 50's. For the most part they didn't seem to have a problem going through.
The older gentleman that I walked through didn't want to be there and didn't like the idea behind it at all. He thought crazy having the people be escorted through and have to have someone with him at all times. He wasn't interested in any of the stuff that was being offered. He especially didn't want anything to do with the religious aspect of it.
The younger gentleman that I walked through with was very interested in it. He had his GED and was very proud of it. He was looking for ways to help with bills and also was interested in going back to school. One of the females that I walked through with didn't have a problem with going through but she didn't want any help or information. She stopped at the tables but didn't really get any information.
One of the gentlemen that I walked through with thought the whole government system was bogus and didn't want to register to vote, didn't want help with support groups, or anything. He said that he actually teaches a support group in the area. He said he didn't want help with raising his child cause he is a hippie and doesn't care what his kid does. He basically told the people at the tables he didn't care about their information at all.
Most of the people that I walked through thought it was a good idea to have an event like this. They liked the ease of having the information at their fingertips and not having to go and find all the info themselves.
Kristen246
I really enjoyed the Summit of Hope and liked that I got to help out the people on probation getting the things that they needed wether it be a state id or information on going to college. The one lady I had that was in her fifty's I felt really bad for. Her daughter that was seventeen had called the cops on her and the mom left the house in her car and didn't make it far down the street before she was pulled over and arrested. She got a ticket for drinking and driving plus a couple thousand dollar fine. She was also explaining to me how tight on money she is and how its just her and her daughter and that if she got a flat tire that day that there would be no way she could afford another one and she would just have to deal with it. I really sypathized for her because when I asked what she wanted to do she said she's always wanted to go back to college, but wants to get her daughter straightened out first and to me I just thought that after what her daughter had done to her I wouldn't be putting her first. She was one of the sweetest ladies I've met and she stopped at almost every booth and took information regardless of if she needed it. I felt really nice afterward knowing that I helped her out getting things that she needed since she was going through financial issues and problems with her daughter. It was really nice to go go to the one booth and find out she had some money from a debt that they were giving her from her old PO box she had a while back and she was really happy about that. What was really nice about the Summit of Hope was that they were giving them state id's and licenses for free and I know when I lost mine it was thirty bucks to get a new one and for them to get the chance to get them for no cost was generous. I took my time with the two ladies I walked around with because I wanted to find out more about them and wanted to make them feel comfortable so it was easier to go around. I did feel like it was a little disorganized and that the lady in the room with the id's was rude, but other then that it was a good experience and I learned alot from the experience.
ReplyDeletekmoney246
I am so glad I was given the opportunity to volunteer at the Summit of Hope this year. I had a wonderful experience, and it was great to see all the ex-offenders getting resources to help change their lives. Unfortunately, I was only able to volunteer from 7-12 because I had to get to work, but during that time I got to be a buddy for three people. My first person was an 18 year old male that was on federal parole. It was crazy to even think that an 18 year old had already served multiple sentences in the DOC. At first he was very quiet, but after talking with him and asking him lots of questions about his life, he really started to open up. He had gotten his GED while in the DOC, and he was very serious about wanting to go to college. I talked to him about ICC and how I attend there, and he seemed very interested in it. He told me one of his favorite vendors was the ICC booth because he was given all the steps he needed to get into school. I was very impressed with the respect he had for everyone because at every vendor table, he introduced himself and shook the person's hand. My other two people were both women that were on probation. They were both very nice and actually enjoyed being at the Summit to get all the information. One woman was living with her parents but really needed to find a place on her own so she could live with her children, so she said the housing booths were her favorite part. She even set up a time to meet with one of the housing vendors to fill out an application for a place to live. The other woman was in desperate need of a job and wanted to go back to school to finish her last semester in order to get her welding degree. Her favorite booths were the career ones that gave her resources for finding a job. At the end, she told me she really enjoyed being there and it didn't feel like a court ordered thing to do at all. That was really great to hear, and I am very grateful for getting three people that really took the Summit seriously.
ReplyDeleteI actually work in the State's Attorney's Office in Peoria County, so I recognized quite a few ex-offenders while I was there. Most of the time, we see the bad sides of these people that sometimes just made a mistake and ended up getting caught. It was really nice to see these people in a different light and to see them taking steps to better their lives. I obviously know that not everyone there is going to turn their lives around for the better, but I really believe there will be a number of people that got something out of the Summit and will do something good with themselves. roxie003
I had a pretty good time volunteering at the summit of hope. I was able to walk two people through, a white female in her 40s and a 67 year old black male. Both previously had substance abuse problems, had attended the previous year, and were interested in getting the free issues of the daily bread. Neither had a high school diploma or GED and highest grade completed was 7th. The female was polite and mostly interested in substance abuse support and contraceptives for her son. The male was initially not very interested in any of the information, but more concerned with being funny and stocking up on as much candy as possible. After having some of the vender talk with him, he became more interested in finding better housing. As far as the layout and function of the summit goes, I find having the volunteers go through the venders first would have been beneficial in finding them answer questions from their buddies and get them to open up to the venders. I was a little bothered that when I first walked in there were buddies lined up in the chairs and volunteers were standing around talking to each other when there were available seats to get started. I imagined myself in their shoes and could not help but feel like I was sitting at the DVI waiting on a disgruntled government worker to help me. I was bothered once a going when I found me and my buddy waiting on, what we thought were two venders at their table talking to each other, to talk with us which turned out to be two volunteers who got up and walked away after finishing the discussion without ever acknowledging us. I was not very happy that venders were folding up and leaving at 2:30 as I was going through with my last buddy. I was a little let down when the majority of the volunteers left without helping clean up and load all the equipment on to the truck and at least half of the ones that did stay sat and watched us clean up. Ending on a high note we did meet some venders that actually cared, learned about some support that was available, and was able to show me buddies that people do care about them.
ReplyDeleteGlide246
I got to the Summit Of Hope around noon. By the time I got there, the people who were directing the Summit, were no where to be found. They didn't give any of the afternoon volunteers any direction. So it was a good thing we had the training session.
ReplyDeleteOverall, it was a great experience for me to apply what I have learned from this course. I also feel that it will help me in my career choice as a nurse. I helped a total of three individuals through the Summit. Two white males and one African American female. Their ages ranged from 20-67. The first gentleman I helped through was really polite. I introduced myself and we shook hands before starting the paperwork. He said a lot of "yes, ma'ams" and "no, ma'ams." Right away I could tell he actually wanted to be there. He had a folder with resumes and cover letters and had all the paperwork with him that he would need. We stopped at every table, even if the services wouldn't benefit him. He later shared that he worked for his dad buying houses to fix up and rent or flip. During his jobs, he meets many people and he tries to help them out.
In particular, he found many resources at the Center for Aging's booth. He currently had an older homeless man living with him. He was currently working with this gentleman to find permanent housing, medical care, etc. He said that when he got in trouble, It was one of the best things that happened to him. He said he was forced to get his life back on track. He was so thankful to everyone that had helped him in his journey, that he said he wanted to give back and help others too.
The second gentleman was a well educated older Veteran. He was at the Summit due to being on probation for Substance abuse. He said he had turned to narcotics after serving in the Military. He had completed high school and had attended college and actually had a degree in Computers. He didn't feel that the Summit would offer him much at first, but once he got in there, he actually found a lot of resources to help him on his journey to sobriety.
lilblack94gt246
The third person I walked through was a 20 year old African American female. She really didn't want to be there and was there because it was a requirement of her probation. She had an attitude and was not prepared at all. All she was interested in was getting SSI benefits and if she couldn't get those she said she wanted a good paying job that wouldn't make her do anything. She had no interest in going to school or anything. She was living with a family member and really didn't want to find housing for herself.
ReplyDeleteEven though we had talked about the possibilities of what to expect, it really shocked me that she had no interest in better herself or her situation. She knew what continuing her life like she was, was going to lead and she really didn't care. She knew she would probably end up back before a judge and most likely in jail.
It made me get really firm with her, and maybe that's the motherly instinct in me. I could see potential in her, and I could see that she was wasting her life. She was more than content to just be a "Ghetto Queen." Mooching off the system and always expecting the system to take care of her and her kids. Having grown up where I did, it really surprised me to see this behavior. She was most definitely going to be one of the 2/3 of recidivism. What shocked me the most about her, was you could tell that after I told her she had potential and could do anything with her life, that she didn't believe me. I kept insisting and it amazed her that someone who had no ties to her, would actually care what would happen to her. It made me sad to think what her life must have been like growing up. That no one cared to tell her to dream and that she could be anything that she wanted to do or be.
The Summit was a great experience. It let me prepare myself for what I will deal with as a healthcare professional. And made me see just how much our society looks down on these people. I know I am not perfect. I have made mistakes just like all of these folks. While I was lucky to have parents who beat my arse and made me learn from the consequences, not everyone has this at home. Anyone can make a mistake.
lilblack94gt246
I honestly think the summit of hope is an amazing opportunity for participants and volunteers. I walked three 'buddies' around in the course of my time there and it changed my perspective completely. I have to admit that before going I was extremely nervous, I had no idea what to expect and I am glad I went. I was assigned my first man who was this extremely tall black male. He talked really quiet and I couldn't tell if he wanted to be there. Once we walked out to see the booths I realized that he had been here before. We would walk up to a new table and he would ask what they did or what something meant. I tried my best to explain, and said it couldn't hurt to listen to what they had to say. He listened and when these people spoke to them and asked plenty of questions taking a brochure every time. I think that he can become successful in society if he does what he needs to get his GED and move on. My other two people were taking classes at the college and were less paitent with some of the people at the tables, but they listened regardless. The second person I helped was a black woman who knew what she really wanted to look at as we walked around she seemed set on going to that particular booth, which i think distracted her from what the people were saying. She was most concerned with getting her bills paid. And I think that there is nothing wrong with that. She was my only buddy who stopped and talked with Saint Paul baptist church, and she was a member. She took a lot of time there looking at the things they had to offer. The third person I walked around was the most difficult. He straight up told me that all he wanted to do was go home and sleep. He was attending school, but his attitude was extremely poor. I told him that we just had to walk through these booths and get help for him or someone he knows and then he could go. He did open up a bit more when he saw someone from Urban league that he knew. But like I said his attitude didn't show that he was really ready for what these people had to offer and acted like he didn't want help from them; when I came to interview him his hood was on his head and he had his face in his hands. As much as I hope this doesn't happen, I think of the people I helped he would be most likely to fall back into those old habits that got him into trouble before, and with more serious consequences. Its really important that the summit happens because it provides an opportunity for ex-offenders to get the services they need all at the same place and same time because everything is made so much harder for these people after they've been convicted. Even though there are a growing number of opportunities to get help, there still isn't enough awareness. They are unaware of a lot of the rights that they still have. My first buddy said to me 'the rights I know is the right to remain silent'. I simply told him that he has so much more than that, he is still a part of America and shouldn't be treated any different. RMG789
ReplyDeleteI thought the summit of hope was a great time. I got the chance to meet three great people I worked with two males one was African American and one was white and then I worked with one African American women. All three of them were extremely nice people. They all opened up to me and told me a lot about them. All three of them had a plan in life and things that they wanted to do to better themselves. On male wanted to be a music producer the other male wanted to be a cook and the one female I worked with wanted to be a counselor. They all were working hard to change there life for the better. They all kind of had a impact on my life hearing their stories because it made me want to make sure that I make the right choices so I don’t mess up and end up in jail. I think the summit of hope is a great program for these people I think it changes a lot of lives and helps people make better life choices to get them back on track in life. I am really happy I went and helped out and got the chance to work with these great people. Football456
ReplyDeleteEven though I didn't go to the summit of hope I heard my classmates had a enlightening time. For lots of people who had to go to this it may of been just a one a day thing and yeah they might I've gotten some short term help or hopefully long term. I know there was an employment booth in there but only certain individuals who followed a strict program to be able to go to this booth it was probably more helpful on the long term scale. From the most part in my class room all of the people they had to walk through they really wanted to be there, and wanted a change for the better. I believe this a great community based rehabilitation program to help give service that may of been harder to find without assistance. Shotokan456
ReplyDeleteThe summit was very eye-opening for me. We were told that the people we would be helping were just normal people that happened to get caught, and it was absolutely the case. There were offenders from all walks of life, there for many different reasons. The one thing I did notice among most of the people I walked through was that many of them lacked even a high school education. This just reinforces my drive to gain a degree, because the lack of education among the offenders may have reduced the choices they had to make a living, and therefore may have contributed to them being there. It was also interesting to see how differently people accepted the help that was being offered to them. An older gentleman who had a previous drug problem was more than willing to visit every table and hear what they had to offer. But a younger female offender wanted nothing to do with the summit, and tried to convince me that her life was perfect, and that she needed no help, even though she had just got out on parole. I was happy to at least be a part of this program to help these people attempt to put their lives back together if they are willing. It showed me that there are more than enough social programs out there to help, but that the offender must put in the effort. I learned a lot before about crime prevention through the internship program, but this more than anything taught me what is being done on the back end to reduce recidivism. RedOneBravo002
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