Meadowbrook View (MBV) is one of HIP’s newest sites so no one really knew what the site or the kids would be like. By chance I was left with MBV after everyone chose the sites they wanted, and I was willing to be the first human test subject for this site. I was the lucky one.

The apartments put on their own summer camp for kids the kids who didn’t go to summer school and to let the kids have new experiences and grow. Every Wednesday was a field trip to a really fun place around Seattle all using public transportation! We went to Recology where we learned about waste management, to the water fountain near the space needle where we rode on the monorail, to the Museum of Flight, and to the Emerald City Trapeze where we all got to be a trapeze artist for the day! My favorite was the Tillicum Village field trip. We rode a cruise to Blake Island and had a show with our lunch! The best part was that I was a “chaperone.” Yes! I’ve finally reached that status! Here are some cool pictures during the trips.

            MBV used to be a site sponsored by Seattle Parks and Recs for 9 years before HIP introduced themselves to the managers. Being their first year with HIP, they were curious to see what the food was like, and booooooy did they say it was an improvement! I’ve received many compliments from kids and adults about how much better the food was compared to previous years! It made me feel super happy and proud of HIP. The adults really appreciated the fresh fruit and veggies option. They LOVE Smiths Brothers milk and say it’s the best milk ever, and they like how the food is made fresh during the week. But the one thing all kids like was the PBJs. It pains me when kids ask for PBJ instead of meatball and spaghetti or pizza wraps, but I understand PBJs are a kid favorite.

Story time! One girl came in the office three weeks into the program. I hadn’t seen her eat lunch there before so I asked if she wanted some. She looked at me skeptically and asked if it was the same lunch as last year. The manager interjected and claimed “No! This food is much better and fresh!” That got the girl’s attention and she perked up a bit. Then she became a regular! She keeps telling me how the food this year was much better than last year, and that just made me feel like what we are doing as a group makes such a big difference.

Here’s the best conversation I had while at my site: ‘Mikayla asks me if I live in the apartments. I tell her that I live somewhere else. Her brother Micah, their friend Colton, and Mikayla collectively says “Whyyyyy??? If you live here then it’s easier for you to come to work!” At that moment I tell them I’m only there for the summer. Colton and Micah tell me I should work at the apartment office so I can be around all the time! Then Mikayla tells me “You should sleep over at my house!” I laugh a little inside and tell her that her parents might not appreciate it. Micah interjects with “No, they’ll like you!” I have both kids goading me into sleeping over at their house for the night, and I have to let them down with “I think my family will miss me so I’ll sleep at home”. Then lastly, sweet Mikayla tells me she’ll miss me when I leave.’ This was the sweetest conversation I’ve had with the kids, and it melted my hearts to see how sweet and loving they are, and how much I was a part of their lives for the summer.

My time with HIP at MBV was super fun! MBV managers threw me a going away party and gave me ice cream and a group picture of the kids at MBV to remember. Getting to know the kids at my site and my HIP crew was great. Working together to prep meals, cleaning together, and staying in the cool youth room made my summer one to remember.