Volunteer Spotlight: Shannon O'Brien

Shannon O’Brien has been an active volunteer for SFK since March of 2009. She works as an assistant in the Boston materials room and facilitates in the SFK Classroom. In addition, she helps to recruit new facilitators and get the word out about SFK to people within the education industry in Boston. In her free time she enjoys yoga, dancing, travel and cultural exchange, and has visited a total of 33 countries. She received her Ed.M in June, and hopes to find a job creating and promoting wellness and active citizenship through educational programs and the media. Her favorite quote is: “Only a life lived for others is a life worth while.” -Albert Einstein

What prompted you to volunteer for SFK?

I read an article about Donna Karan in Allure Magazine, which mentioned Urban Zen. I went to the website, and saw the link for SFK. Reading over the SFK website I was instantly committed to SFK’s mission, and immediately inspired to help.

What inspires you and keeps you volunteering with SFK?

The most inspiring part of the program is being able to interact with the children. Looking into their eyes, I am constantly reminded that they are our future; and what they think and how they behave will affect society. Their involvement with SFK will hopefully help shape their ability to be positive contributors to society.

What is your top memorable experience volunteering with SFK?

It was the first time I facilitated a class, at the Boys & Girls Club in Roxbury. With approximately 40 students, the class got pretty rowdy through the lesson. So much so, that I wondered if they were getting anything out of it. When the teacher announced there was only five minutes left of class, a young boy at my table turned to look me in the eyes. “Awww, it's over!?,” he asked disappointedly.  “This was FUN!” I felt so happy that he valued the experience of the class.

What is the biggest challenge that you’ve seen overcome?

This same class I facilitated at the Boys & Girls Club in Roxbury had many challenges; for example: too many students, too large a room, bad acoustics, and students leaving early. But, the teaching team made the best of the situation, and changed what they could by reconfiguring the tables and chairs, recruiting new facilitators, and buying a portable microphone and sound machine.

What have you learned from being an SFK volunteer?

I continue to learn from SFK’s curriculum; I wish I had learned it when I was younger! The lessons are simple, but very profound. One of the biggest ideas I ideas I have taken away from the curriculum, is to recognize and tame my reactive behavior. For example, an accompanying lesson “tool”, asks students to make up a dance to the words "Stop. Ask. Share," in hopes they remember that phrase when they find themselves becoming reactive.