We are so grateful for the opportunity to be able to share about our Vocare experience. We were placed at Goodwill Summit Place campus. Goodwill is a day service for those with intellectual, developmental, and cognitive disabilities, and helps them integrate into the workforce. As underclassmen watching Vocare assemblies, we both knew we wanted to work with people with special needs, and both of our involvements with our Marian Scholars Program reaffirmed our passions. 

The first day wasn't what either of us expected. We weren’t given clear instructions or a list of things to do. We mostly just observed and interacted when it felt right, which made it feel more real but also kind of confusing. There were times when we both weren't sure if we were doing it right, but it pushed us to just go with it and figure things out on our own. 

When we came back the next day, and then the next day, and then the day after that, we realized that each day had a pretty clear rhythm: Service in the morning and then something totally different in the afternoon. In the mornings, we’d go to places like Feeding America and Father Gene’s, where we did hands-on work to give the residents real-life experience working in public in a low-stakes setting. Then in the afternoons, it shifted into talking, coloring, and hanging out. 

It was in that setting that we started to see that people with disabilities don’t want to be treated differently; they just want to be treated like everyone else. I noticed that some of them kind of gravitated toward us, and the Marquette High volunteers who were with us, and I think it was because we were just being genuinely kind and normal with them. One of the residents, Devin, even shared that they felt comfortable around us because we made them feel included, not separate.

Both the residents and the staff really made the experience what it was. Mrs. Dee, the head teacher in the room, stood out. She was the absolute best. She brought so much authenticity and realness to everything she did, and you could tell she genuinely cared about her job and the people she worked with. Her energy made the afternoons even more meaningful and welcoming.

There were definitely moments that caught us off guard and made us realize how unprepared we were for certain situations. One time, a resident had a “crash out,” and we didn’t know how to respond. It was kind of scary in the moment, but it really hit that everyone comes from different backgrounds and experiences, and that sometimes the best you can do is stay calm, reflect, and then debrief after the fact with the people who are there to support you. 

Through lunches at Pizza Ranch, trips to Dollar Tree and Five Below, and playing brain-rot Jeopardy!, we started to realize something important: Even though we sometimes thought our presence wasn’t really making a difference, it actually was. Just being there, laughing, and spending time with the residents showed us that small moments of connection can mean a lot, especially to people who may not get the attention they deserve.

On the last day, it truly was clear how much our time together had meant. The residents were really sad to see us go. One man, Tyler, even shared that he didn’t want to go back to Goodwill without us, which was really touching. We are so grateful for our time there, and we’re already planning to join them when they go to the Shedd Aquarium this summer. If there’s any advice we could share for the next classes, it’s this: Vocare is really what you make of it, and you get out what you put in. So… have fun, don’t be afraid to make jokes, and really listen when people are talking, you’ll be surprised at what you learn and the connections you make.