4 IU students win summer service award

After devoting their summers to serving the youth in their communities, four IU students won the Marion County Excellence in Summer Service Education Award.

For Julian Edwards, Jasmine Graham, Hallie Robbins and Robbie Steiner, the award carries a unique meaning.

“I’m still more excited about the award itself than the money that came with it,” said Robbins, a sophomore majoring in English education. “It proves that you don’t have to be perfect to be a day camp counselor.”

Robbins and the other IU students were among 22 recipients. The award honors students who volunteered or worked at
summer programs sponsored by Marion County organizations.

The reward includes a certificate of recognition and $1,000 toward their education.
Sponsored by the Marion County Commission on Youth and the Summer Youth Program Fund, the award honors the leadership young men and women provided to children over the summer.

While counseling at the Concord Neighborhood Center, Robbins faced the difficult task of engaging children in reading, writing and puzzles. The children in her groups ranged from ages 8 to 15.

“The age difference was probably the biggest challenge,” she said. “Every kid had different interests.”

She learned how to engage everyone in the same task, such as solving a Rubik’s Cube.

“When the first kid solved it, it was very exciting,” Robbins said.

For freshman Jasmine

Graham, the real award was the improvement in her math students’ test scores. Graham returned to the Indianapolis Algebra Project for her fourth summer, this time as an assistant supervisor.

Graham said she appreciates the gratitude shown by former students.

“If they see us on the street they’ll come up and hug us, introduce us to their parents,” she said.

Robbie Steiner considered his nomination for the award to be the greatest honor. Steiner served at Camp Rancho Framasa, where he was a counselor for 13- to 15-year-olds. Putting himself in their world was both mentally and physically exhausting.

“Stamina was the biggest challenge,” Steiner said. “It’s an intense job.”
As a senior majoring in theater and English education, Steiner hopes to become a high school theater teacher.

The greatest reward of his summer came in the moment when he realized his campers looked up to him, he said.

“When working with kids, it’s so important to create relationships with them, to put yourself on their level,” Steiner said.

Julian Edwards, a junior majoring in political science, keeps the award in perspective.

“There were a lot of people who applied,” Edwards said. “Everyone who participated did a good job.”

Edwards volunteered at the Edna Martin Christian Center, where he had to find creative ways to get second and third graders focused. He involved the children in community service activities such as weeding and mulching the school garden.

He said the experience taught him patience and strengthened his faith in God.

“I wanted the children to learn their own self-importance and that they can achieve their dreams and goals through the help of God,” Edwards said. “When people put something in, you’ve got to put something back out.”