A Summer of Learning
8/24/2023 9:05:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
Lauren Strain is primed for her collegiate senior year following a productive summer.
One word to describe Lauren Strain's summer of 2023?
"Hard," the rising senior quickly stated. "Really, really hard."
The past 18 months have been somewhat of a whirlwind for the Thornton, Colorado native ever since finding her way into Winston-Salem and joining the Demon Deacons' volleyball family. Having quickly earned respect from her teammates and coaches, Strain was subsequently named a co-team captain a year ago and ultimately made 17 appearances during the 2022 fall campaign.
Coming off of a spring surgery caused by injury, time spent on campus for strength gain and rehab made up the majority of Strain's summer days. As one can imagine, moments of self-reflection were involved.
"So, time management was at first not my best skill by any means," Strain admitted. "I'd say it was a 'maturing summer,' and I feel I recognized how much support I have at Wake.
"My family is a very consistent supportive group for me, but it was also cool to see people who don't really have my skin in the game still check in on me. PTs, (volleyball head athletic trainer) Don Steelman, and especially our coaching staff. They cared and asked on a daily basis how my internship was going."
That such internship took place within the Wake Forest University Children's Defense Fund Freedom School – a notable highlight of Strain's busy summer.
The Freedom School operates as a free six-week, literacy-based summer program for students entering the third-fifth grade. Utilizing a culturally diverse curriculum, Freedom School encourages a combined passion of reading and learning while holding a theme of "I Can Make A Difference." In classrooms of 10-12, college-aged students are hired to teach and mentor young Freedom School scholars.
An Education minor through her studies, Strain credits the nudge of a lively professor who helped increase her interest and initial understanding of the Freedom School prior to joining.
"I had a class called 'Teaching Diverse Learners,' and one of my professors brought (the Freedom School) up on how it connects with several different topics," Strain explained. "I inquired about it one time because it sounded very fun. My professor kept raving and staying persistent on it, which I needed because I tend to sometimes not fully follow through in taking on opportunities. I spoke with my coaches about it, and they loved the idea too."
Once the spring semester breezed by, Strain found herself officially immersed within the summer program. Training sessions, including out-of-state periods, became the first checklist items.
"My position was called a Servant Leader Intern (SLI), and I had to do a bunch of training early on with others. We had to go to Tennessee for a couple of days before coming back here to Wake for more additional training. Learning cheers and chants were a few things assigned. That was all during the first part of the internship, but was completely separate and didn't really feel the same."
Activity took a serious leap once the young faces arrived on the scene.
"With the kids, my role changed, which isn't really typical. I basically worked as an 'afternoon activities teacher,' while still being an SLI. The first week, we did sports, and I took them to the (Campus) Rec center. The next week, we focused on STEM outdoor activities. After that, some things were switched around, and my teaching partner took over my spot while I ended up moving into an integrated reading curriculum (IRC). That led to me beginning to teach, read books out loud, lesson plan, outline questions and activities for the kids during the first half of the day, and just a lot of planning overall."
With Strain's increased role, she soon felt a responsibility to educate herself among her mentees. The Freedom School's core principles and overall mission played into full effect right away.
"Not only did I have to read the books, I knew I had to know the books. There was also a focus on cultural development, and I grew up in an area that wasn't very diverse. So, there was a lot of internal – I had to recognize and acknowledge. With the kids, they were only eight years old, and learning, of course, but I felt I learned more from them than they did from me.
"It was cool and a lot to it, behind the scenes. Teaching the reading curriculum was the main duty."
Duties aside, the big picture flowed in for Strain on an emotional level through every hour clocked during her internship.
"The experience as a whole immediately solidified that I want to be a teacher. The social aspects also taught me that what matters most is the way that you love and care for the kids, because some of them do not come from households where that is a thing. You're providing a safe space for them, and that's much bigger than the reading curriculum.
"I felt that was very cool. They're the future, with beautiful minds, and we have the chance to build them up."
Being the sole volleyball representative in the program, Strain was also joined by a few other Wake Forest student-athletes, including football and soccer peers. Regardless of who was in front center instructing, the same type of enthusiasm was apparent.
"I remember a couple of times we had Demond (Claiborne) and Wesley (Grimes) from football come into our classroom and teach. It was nice that they kept the same two for repeated lessons, because they taught poetry. During the final days, they played games and the kids bonded with them. It was nice because it allowed my crew to step back and let them teach – giving another voice. A few of us athletes found time to hang out a bit during the lunch and recess periods, whenever there were breaks."
Those who may hold an interest in the Freedom School for the years to come can definitely lean on Strain for her own input, as she will give a "1,000% recommendation." One may get bonus points if he or she has a sport(s) on the resume.
"As an SLI, it's a very demanding position, so you would have to make a strong commitment for that spot in particular. Still, to have any interaction, it means the world to the kids. The kids love athletes. They're just eating it up and locked in. When I told them I was a volleyball player, it definitely gave me some credibility. Anyone who can get involved and make time, I definitely recommend it. Definitely."
With the summer days now behind her, a nearing fall season stands firm in the sights of Strain and her teammates. Of course, she's had more of a unique perspective from the sidelines, having observed the group of Deacs grow together this past spring season and during the current preseason.
"I'm stoked for this season. Not even to exaggerate with an 'athlete's answer,' but I really am excited for this group. I feel we have a lot of potential and are clicking both on and off the court. That translates – you have to bond well off the court before it gets to playing matches. It's been cool to watch people's interactions and see how the culture has been built up.
"From a volleyball standpoint, we keep bringing in these very talented players. So, I feel it's inevitable that we're going to keep getting better and chipping away. I want to see this program thrive because the coaches have poured in so much and it requires a lot of work to be a student-athlete at Wake. I want it bad for our team, and I can see it. I feel we're ready to go. It's exciting right now."
A first test is up this weekend when the Deacons host a three-day invitational (Aug. 25-27) inside of Varsity Arena within Reynolds Gymnasium, beginning with an opener against Toledo on Friday (Aug. 25) at 7 p.m.!
