In her senior year of high school in Poolesville, Maryland, Katelyn Keese’s coach approached her with an opportunity to work in a youth clinic at a local church. She was quite nervous at first, but decided to try it out. This would be her first experience working with youth in this capacity and it was at that time that she really uncovered her love of this work.

“The three things I loved best about working with youth is that it was simply fun, challenging and highly rewarding,” said Katelyn Keese. When she was writing her college entrance essays, she was able to articulate how the experiences with the youth changed her outlook in so many ways.

"Young people are able to have fun in practically anything they are doing. I was only a senior in high school but I was dealing with the pressures of the next steps in my life. The youth I worked with helped me to laugh and not take things so seriously – at least when we were playing basketball!” Katelyn Keese said. She often thinks about how this must be how it is for teachers who truly enjoy their work with youth.

Katelyn Keese also appreciates the unbelievable challenges working with youth poses for another young person. Sometimes, the participants did not want to listen to her and treated her as a peer. This was quite challenging as it was her job to teach them and make sure they were getting the most out of their time in the clinic. “I would get frustrated sometimes, when the youth did not want to listen to me. However, I learned to change my tactics of communicating and I would get their attention,” said Katelyn Keese.

At the end of the session, which usually lasted about twelve weeks, Katelyn Keese would see a group of youth transformed from the first day of the program. They were now confident basketball players who were having fun but had really learned how to play the game. Katelyn Keese was astounded at how rewarding this was for her. “I cried when the students thanked me at the end-of-program event and they presented me with flowers. I could not believe how far they had come from just twelve weeks prior and I felt so proud of them,” said Katelyn Keese.

Katelyn Keese plans to continue to work with youth, even after she graduates from college and most likely on a volunteer basis.