Maxine Werre

I ended last school year and began the summer with little to no passions. I was in a major rut. I felt like I had used my previous year at One Stone’s Lab51 to try everything under the sun from wildlife conservation, to herbology, to design, to crime, and even law. You name it. I tried a little bit of everything, but I was still missing that spark that so many of my peers seemed to have. One thing I always found very fun but never really got the chance to explore was working with kids. Through a family friend, the opportunity to work with a City of Boise Parks and Recreation program fell into my lap. I was hesitant at first because it was a big time commitment. I started the application process unsure about my desire to commit to a full-time job over the summer, especially during the challenges of COVID. Fast forward a few months. I had my training and orientation then my first day of work. It took awhile to get into the swing of things but my coworkers really took me under their wing. With their help, I built a very good mentor relationship with the kids and with that was voted the nicest camp counselor by almost all of the kiddos. This was the best feeling ever. It became very apparent to me that this wasn't a one and done thing for me. I never complained at this job and looked forward to seeing everyone everyday. I am so lucky to be at One Stone where I am able to pursue this new found passion in so many different ways. Now, I am engaged with working as a mentor with youth through One Stone partnerships at the Boys and Girls Club, Game Changers, my virtual Love of Learning Mission Lab, and my YLab. Being so immersed in my passion for working with kids, I am still going strong. I feel so fulfilled knowing that I can potentially have an impact on kids' lives or just even give them a platform or vessel to speak. I want to help kids feel empowered and heard especially in a time like this where we are having to put safety above their other wants and needs. I want to allow kids to have the same fun experiences I got to have and to help foster some memories where kids can just be kids. So many kids were forced to grow up so fast this year and they need some time dedicated to just feeling joy and creating memories. This is how I want to do good for kids today and everyday moving forward.