Steven Camarena

Skills and Personal Development
What skills did you develop or improve through this service experience?
Skills I developed or improved included time management, open-mindedness, and empathy for those I served in different communities. Time management, because I had to manage the schedules we placed each day, such as our free time, when to get back to the van, and shower times, as on Tuesday, we only had about an hour to get ready for our next event. Next, open-mindedness, because I was able to see and experience all types of groups during our trip, including food insecurity and building homes for those seeking a place to live at an affordable cost. Finally, my empathy grew stronger, as I got to see in person the impact of our group volunteer efforts, such as after fixing the tiles at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore, a few customers came to where we had finished working, and saw the products we cleaned up, which made me happy.

Understanding and Awareness

What did you learn about the community or environment you served?
I learned that the community of Kansis City is that, it is no different from other communities, including Memphis. For example, each site we went to, each one supported those in need and served, whether it was providing meals, houses, or cleaning fields for kids to play in. The same goes for Memphis and other places, where the community gives a helping hand to those who need support in the city or a shoulder to cry on. I felt moved to make an impact on the community of Kansis City, no matter how simple it may be.

Relationships and Teamwork
Did you work individually or as part of a team, and how did that impact your experience?
I worked as part of a team, and this impacted my experience as we worked as a team all week long at each site we volunteered at. We made a great effort and positive attitude while serving during our time in Kansas City. We worked faster and made a bigger impact as a team than if we had done each site individually. Overall, the ABE trip was a memorable experience with all of our team having an encouraging outlook in a state we had never been in before.


Organizational Impact and Alignment

Do you plan to continue volunteering with this organization? Why or why not?
I do plan to volunteer in the ABE trip and with the organizations we served again, because the ABE trips I volunteer in are one of the highlights of my year, and the meaningful impacts I have experienced out of state. I enjoy going out of my comfort zone and exploring new places, and then taking what I have learned and bringing it back to Memphis. I felt thanks to the ABE trips I have gone on, I have rebuilt myself up again more and more and understand that helping and serving go a long way for those in need around the country. I am always ready to serve, no matter in another state, country, or where I live.

Reflection and Improvement
What unexpected challenges did you face, and how did you overcome them?
Some unexpected challenges I faced during my ABE trip week included having to get a bit dirty during some of the sites I went to and preparing the meals we made for lunch and dinner. For the former, I faced this challenge by wearing proper clothes, gloves, and perseverance over time. I felt more comfortable getting dirty, especially as a team together, whether it was mud or heat. For the latter, I helped with prep work and asked for help when I was a little confused on the next step in preparing our meals. I learned more about prep work in the kitchen, and also more cooking and cleaning skills, thanks to my time on the ABE trip.

Skills and Personal Development


What skills did you develop or improve through this service experience?

Skills I developed during move-in day at the Living Learning Complex for elevator duty included fast decision-making and maintaining a positive attitude throughout the day. I had to ask quickly what floor each person needed to go to, along with checking periodically the floors I had gone before to bring back the empty carts. I also kept a positive chat with the guests and students while I waited for the elevator to finish moving. Overall, I felt I did well in getting the guests in and out to their floor to keep the flow of traffic moving.



Understanding and Awareness

What did you learn about the community or environment you served?

I learned that the community I served was very friendly and excited to move into their new dorms. I also enjoyed talking about their backgrounds, majors, and interests. The community of students was eager to move back in for the school year and share new experiences together. Overall, I had a great time meeting new people, both guests and volunteers.



Relationships and Teamwork

Did you work individually or as part of a team, and how did that impact your experience?

I worked as part of a team. Working as a team impacted my experience by having a common goal in getting the guests to where they needed to go on time. We also helped each other out by taking turns if one person needed to take a break. I also had a great time chatting with my team on off time or when waiting for new guests to arrive. Overall, I felt we did a great job as a team and completed our goal well.




Organizational Impact and Alignment

How did your service contribute to the mission or goals of the organization?

My service contributes to the mission or goals of the organization by successfully getting guests to the correct floor and also taking unused bins back to the first floor to be used again. Having a positive attitude helped me and my team achieve those goals throughout the day. As a whole, our team had a mission to help students and parents move into their rooms easily. Even though we had different roles during the service, we still had a common mission in mind and did well in completing that mission.




Reflection and Improvement

What unexpected challenges did you face, and how did you overcome them?

Unexpected challenges I faced during the service were that the elevator sometimes got stuffy inside, and remembering which floors to come back for unused bins. I overcame the first challenge by stepping outside the elevator when no guests were coming in and drinking plenty of water. I overcame the second challenge by going back to each floor whenever I had downtime.

Skills and Personal Development


What skills did you develop or improve through this service experience?

Skills I developed during move-in day at the Living Learning Complex for elevator duty included fast decision-making and maintaining a positive attitude throughout the day. I had to ask quickly what floor each person needed to go to, along with checking periodically the floors I had gone before to bring back the empty carts. I also kept a positive chat with the guests and students while I waited for the elevator to finish moving. Overall, I felt I did well in getting the guests in and out to their floor to keep the flow of traffic moving.



Understanding and Awareness

What did you learn about the community or environment you served?

I learned that the community I served was very friendly and excited to move into their new dorms. I also enjoyed talking about their backgrounds, majors, and interests. The community of students was eager to move back in for the school year and share new experiences together. Overall, I had a great time meeting new people, both guests and volunteers.



Relationships and Teamwork

Did you work individually or as part of a team, and how did that impact your experience?

I worked as part of a team. Working as a team impacted my experience by having a common goal in getting the guests to where they needed to go on time. We also helped each other out by taking turns if one person needed to take a break. I also had a great time chatting with my team on off time or when waiting for new guests to arrive. Overall, I felt we did a great job as a team and completed our goal well.




Organizational Impact and Alignment

How did your service contribute to the mission or goals of the organization?

My service contributes to the mission or goals of the organization by successfully getting guests to the correct floor and also taking unused bins back to the first floor to be used again. Having a positive attitude helped me and my team achieve those goals throughout the day. As a whole, our team had a mission to help students and parents move into their rooms easily. Even though we had different roles during the service, we still had a common mission in mind and did well in completing that mission.




Reflection and Improvement

What unexpected challenges did you face, and how did you overcome them?

Unexpected challenges I faced during the service were that the elevator sometimes got stuffy inside, and remembering which floors to come back for unused bins. I overcame the first challenge by stepping outside the elevator when no guests were coming in and drinking plenty of water. I overcame the second challenge by going back to each floor whenever I had downtime.

Skills and Personal Development


What skills did you develop or improve through this service experience?

Skills I developed during move-in day at the Living Learning Complex for elevator duty included fast decision-making and maintaining a positive attitude throughout the day. I had to ask quickly what floor each person needed to go to, along with checking periodically the floors I had gone before to bring back the empty carts. I also kept a positive chat with the guests and students while I waited for the elevator to finish moving. Overall, I felt I did well in getting the guests in and out to their floor to keep the flow of traffic moving.



Understanding and Awareness

What did you learn about the community or environment you served?

I learned that the community I served was very friendly and excited to move into their new dorms. I also enjoyed talking about their backgrounds, majors, and interests. The community of students was eager to move back in for the school year and share new experiences together. Overall, I had a great time meeting new people, both guests and volunteers.



Relationships and Teamwork

Did you work individually or as part of a team, and how did that impact your experience?

I worked as part of a team. Working as a team impacted my experience by having a common goal in getting the guests to where they needed to go on time. We also helped each other out by taking turns if one person needed to take a break. I also had a great time chatting with my team on off time or when waiting for new guests to arrive. Overall, I felt we did a great job as a team and completed our goal well.




Organizational Impact and Alignment

How did your service contribute to the mission or goals of the organization?

My service contributes to the mission or goals of the organization by successfully getting guests to the correct floor and also taking unused bins back to the first floor to be used again. Having a positive attitude helped me and my team achieve those goals throughout the day. As a whole, our team had a mission to help students and parents move into their rooms easily. Even though we had different roles during the service, we still had a common mission in mind and did well in completing that mission.




Reflection and Improvement

What unexpected challenges did you face, and how did you overcome them?

Unexpected challenges I faced during the service were that the elevator sometimes got stuffy inside, and remembering which floors to come back for unused bins. I overcame the first challenge by stepping outside the elevator when no guests were coming in and drinking plenty of water. I overcame the second challenge by going back to each floor whenever I had downtime.

Skills and Personal Development


What skills did you develop or improve through this service experience?

Skills I developed during move-in day at Centennial Place for elevator duty included fast decision-making and maintaining a positive attitude throughout the day. I had to ask quickly what floor each person needed to go to, along with checking periodically the floors I had gone before to bring back the empty carts. I also kept a positive chat with the guests and students while I waited for the elevator to finish moving. Overall, I felt I did well in getting the guests in and out to their floor to keep the flow of traffic moving.




Understanding and Awareness

What did you learn about the community or environment you served?

I learned that the community I served was very friendly and excited to move into their new dorms. I also enjoyed talking about their backgrounds, majors, and interests. The community of students was eager to move back in for the school year and share new experiences together.



Relationships and Teamwork

Did you work individually or as part of a team, and how did that impact your experience?

I worked as part of a team. Working as a team impacted my experience by having a common goal in getting the guests to where they needed to go on time. We also helped each other out by taking turns if one person needed to take a break. I also had a great time chatting with my team on off time or when waiting for new guests to arrive. Overall, I felt we did a great job as a team and completed our goal well.




Organizational Impact and Alignment

How did your service contribute to the mission or goals of the organization?

My service contributes to the mission or goals of the organization by successfully getting guests to the correct floor and also taking unused bins back to the first floor to be used again. Having a positive attitude helped me and my team achieve those goals throughout the day. As a whole, our team had a mission to help students and parents move into their rooms easily. Even though we had different roles during the service, we still had a common mission in mind and did well in completing that mission.




Reflection and Improvement

What unexpected challenges did you face, and how did you overcome them?

Unexpected challenges I faced during the service were that the elevator broke down three times, and remember which floors to come back for unused bins. I overcame the first challenge by keeping my cool and letting the people on the outside floor know that the floor was stuck and required help. Thankfully, each time the elevator opened back up and I was able to continue serving guests. I overcame the second challenge by going back to each floor whenever I had downtime.

Skills and Personal Development


What skills did you develop or improve through this service experience?

Skills I developed during move-in day at Centennial Place for elevator duty included fast decision-making and maintaining a positive attitude throughout the day. I had to ask quickly what floor each person needed to go to, along with checking periodically the floors I had gone before to bring back the empty carts. I also kept a positive chat with the guests and students while I waited for the elevator to finish moving. Overall, I felt I did well in getting the guests in and out to their floor to keep the flow of traffic moving.




Understanding and Awareness

What did you learn about the community or environment you served?

I learned that the community I served was very friendly and excited to move into their new dorms. I also enjoyed talking about their backgrounds, majors, and interests. The community of students was eager to move back in for the school year and share new experiences together.



Relationships and Teamwork

Did you work individually or as part of a team, and how did that impact your experience?

I worked as part of a team. Working as a team impacted my experience by having a common goal in getting the guests to where they needed to go on time. We also helped each other out by taking turns if one person needed to take a break. I also had a great time chatting with my team on off time or when waiting for new guests to arrive. Overall, I felt we did a great job as a team and completed our goal well.




Organizational Impact and Alignment

How did your service contribute to the mission or goals of the organization?

My service contributes to the mission or goals of the organization by successfully getting guests to the correct floor and also taking unused bins back to the first floor to be used again. Having a positive attitude helped me and my team achieve those goals throughout the day. As a whole, our team had a mission to help students and parents move into their rooms easily. Even though we had different roles during the service, we still had a common mission in mind and did well in completing that mission.




Reflection and Improvement

What unexpected challenges did you face, and how did you overcome them?

Unexpected challenges I faced during the service were that the elevator broke down three times, and remember which floors to come back for unused bins. I overcame the first challenge by keeping my cool and letting the people on the outside floor know that the floor was stuck and required help. Thankfully, each time the elevator opened back up and I was able to continue serving guests. I overcame the second challenge by going back to each floor whenever I had downtime.

Skills and Personal Development
What skills did you develop or improve through this service experience?
Skills I developed and improved on during this service experience were zeal and confidence. I had confidence during the event when talking with the youth group with people I had never met before and zeal, motivating and cheering with them during the basketball games.


Understanding and Awareness
What did you learn about the community or environment you served?
The community I served felt happy to see us talk to and have fun during field day. I learned more about their personalities and hobbies. Overall, I found it cool to see everyone having a great time this Saturday through talking and playing sports.

Relationships and Teamwork
Did you work individually or as part of a team, and how did that impact your experience?
I worked as part of a team. Working as a team impacted my experience by allowing us to volunteer as a group working with the youth group with more fun and enjoyment. Seeing how joyful my team and the youth group got also made me happy as well.

Organizational Impact and Alignment
How did the organization support or guide you during your service?
The organization supported and guided me during my service by giving me helpful feedback and explained the rules of the event easily and in depth. I felt grateful for the nice staff at the event and felt more inclined to do my best.

Reflection and Improvement
What unexpected challenges did you face, and how did you overcome them?
Some unexpected challenges I faced included the colder weather and not being good at basketball. I overcame these issues by bringing a long sleeved shirt to wear and still having a good time during the games even though I was not experienced in basketball.