Youth Internship Program- Week 2: Reflections on Responsibility

During the second week of our Youth Internship Program, our Crew Members continued to show some serious determination and grit as temperatures warmed up and the Urban Farm build began. Our featured intern Jayla took over our Instagram feed to give an inside look at our interns’ week and had the following thoughts to share on our theme of the week: Responsibility.

BIO

Jayla Washington is a rising junior at Lowcountry Leadership Charter School. Her many pursuits include being an officer and and member of the National FFA, home gardener for soup kitchens, Excel President, and being a leader in her community. This internship is just the beginning of what she plans to do in the future to help the Earth and society.

Reflecting on Responsibility

“…The dictionary definition of responsibility is the opportunity or ability to act independently and make decisions without authorization. My definition of responsibility is to have leadership qualities, awareness, control, and being accountable. I practice personal responsibility on a daily basis but sometimes it’s not up to par. Some examples of me practicing personal responsibility are waking up on time, taking the lead in group projects, being kind to the earth, and volunteering. Collective responsibility refers to responsibilities of organizations, groups and societies. Collective responsibility is key in a society to keep people together and to build a community because everyone has the same stepping stones. As you can see in our current world issues, if only 10% take charge of responsibility and say something, there will be a divide. I do believe that everyone on the Earth needs to have personal responsibility so that we can all have collective responsibility for a healthier future and more aware children. This is just a snippet of what I think about responsibility.” -Jayla Washington

Additional Crew Member Reflections & Excerpts

“To me, personal responsibility is staying accountable for yourself. This not only means meeting deadlines and due dates, but also tending to your own needs, like drinking enough water, eating balanced meals, and staying active. Even though we have only been participating in this internship for two weeks, my sense of personal responsibility has already deepened. Personal responsibility is not limited to being responsible solely for one’s self, but also upholding their core values and beliefs. I hold myself accountable for constantly seeking out ways I can help aid my community and planet.” – Will Brown

“Personal responsibility is taking care of yourself and making sure you are doing the right thing all of the time. To me it means working hard and getting the job done correctly and taking responsibility and fixing anything wrong.” – JP Gadson

“The current pandemic offers an opportune time to practice personal and collective responsibility. We are all personally responsible for wearing our masks, self quarantining, and sanitizing in order to keep ourselves and others safe. If every individual upholds their personal responsibilities we create a responsible community that can limit the spread of COVID-19 for the rest of the state, country and even the world.” – Harper Reed