50 Years, 50 Stories - CORE/Labor Source Creative Writing Class

This week’s installment of “50 Years, 50 Stories” comes from several students in an Imagine! CORE/Labor Source creative writing class. The students were asked to write stories about their Imagine! experiences to contribute to this series, and were prompted in their writing by open–ended statements such as “At CORE, my favorite class is . . .”;”I like working with staff member _______________ because . . . “; I enjoy Supported Employment because . . .” ; “I remember a funny time at CORE when we . . .” ; and, “During my time at Imagine!, I have learned . . .”.

The results are below, and offer a nice glimpse into how so many of the individuals we serve are active and involved in their communities.

Thanks to class instructor Ian Rummell for leading the way in encouraging his students to be part of this project.

Imagine! Experiences

By Anthony, Crystal, Dani Sue, Mandy, and Wes

Anthony

 

I enjoy Creative Writing because we play games like Change One and Apples to Apples to warm up our brains. I like Supported Employment because I get to make money and hang out with the guys. One time, we laughed with Jeff Near at EcoCycle because he tipped over the book containers. I have learned how to work at different Job Sites like EcoCycle and Amcon.

Crystal

I like Job Club and Creative Writing because I can practice my interview and writing skills. I like Cooking Class on Mondays because we cook foods from different countries around the world. Carrie and Jeff are nice because they help me pick my classes and reach my goals of getting a job. I like class with Ian because he is a nice and funny teacher that keeps things interesting with technology. It is fun to work with new people—whether they are staff or peers—because everyone has a different personality, and it is helpful to share new ideas. I appreciate my caseworkers and DVR (Division for Vocational Rehabilitation) because they help me fill out Supported Employment paperwork.

Dani Sue

Everyone at CORE is nice and kind. We laugh at jokes during lunch. In Art Class, I am getting better at drawing, and I am learning how to paint on a canvas. In Computer Class, we play spelling and reading games and work on our social skills.

Mandy

I enjoy everything at Longmont CORE. I specifically like Cooking Class, Creative Writing, and Photography.

I like Cooking Class because it’s fun to prepare food with my friends. I enjoyed our New York City unit when we made pizza and cheesecake cupcakes. I appreciate our teacher Cass and her consideration of my gluten-free diet.

Creative Writing is fun because I get to write stories about whatever is on my mind. We are able to experiment with different tools and techniques in our projects.

Photography is interesting and exciting because we drive to many adventurous, unknown places. My favorite experience was a spooky trip to a graveyard where we shot and created an ongoing Photo Class in-joke.

Wes

I like working with all the staff at CORE because they help us and hang out with us. In Computer Class, I have been researching World War II. I have also learned how to cut and paste and better use my email and Facebook accounts. Supported Employment is fun, too, because we get out of the C.O.R.E. headquarters to make money and spend it on whatever we want. Sometimes we have fun walking the line between appropriate and inappropriate topics.

Are you interested in sharing your story for “50 Years, 50 Stories?” If so, contact Caroline Siegfried at caroline@imaginecolorado.org or 303-926-6405. We’d love to hear from you!