Making work fun
Rebecca Ruben helps keep children active in Paulatuk
Kassina Ryder
Northern News Services
Monday, August 31, 2015
PAULATUK
Rebecca Ruben says spending time with children in her community has been the best part of her job as Paulatuk's recreation co-ordinator trainee this summer.
Rebecca Ruben, 15, from Paulatuk, has spent her summer working as a recreation co-ordinator trainee. - photo courtesy of Rebecca Ruben |
"I like that I get to work with the kids and get to play sports at work," the 15-year-old said. "We have a schedule of different activities for the week."
Ruben and two other youth are this year's summer students for the Hamlet of Paulatuk. Ruben began on July 8 and is scheduled to finish this week.
During that time, she has helped organize a variety of events and activities for the community's kids and youth.
She said everyone was kept busy thanks to regular movie nights and game nights, as well as regularly scheduled sports nights at the Angik School gym. Part of her responsibilities included opening the gym each evening, Ruben said.
"I get to open the school for sports," she said. "The kids play dodge ball or soccer,
then at night we either play floor hockey or volleyball
for the older kids."
Between 20 and 30 kids and youth could show up for any activity throughout the day, so Ruben always had to be prepared to entertain any number.
"I've just been learning as I go," she said.
She also helped with community events, including a baseball tournament and this summer's Paulatuk Jamboree.
"I helped with the cooking and the cleaning," Ruben said.
The work has helped her start to think about what she might like to do as a career when she's finished high school, though she's not yet sure about a job in a recreation department.
"I'm thinking of what I'm going to be doing after school," she said. In the meantime, Ruben said she's also been busy planning ways to spend her hard-earned money. So far, she's been ordering her own back-to-school clothes and other items.
"I've been getting ready for winter," she said.
Ruben said she's enjoying having her own money to spend. "I'm just getting what I want," she said.
