My name is Jazmine Jackson. I am currently an intern at Art Spark Texas! I am studying at St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas, majoring in Psychology and Minoring in Social Work.
During my time here as an intern, I work with Jerry Slayton, Art Spark’s Education Director, and Silva Laukkanen, the Integrated Dance Director. Jerry and I work with Austin’s Go Project, which meets every Wednesday. The Go Project is a program that provides internship opportunities for AISD Special Education classes. Later in the semester, I will have developed three psychology lesson plans to implement into an art activity for the students to connect education with creativity.
While working with Silva, I have found works of art to present to the State School of the Blind and planned discussions and activity around forms of art that are presented on a particular day of class. The forms of art mainly include poems about life, adulthood, visual representations of earth and Ted Talks about happiness. Not only do I work with two wonderful individuals, but I also attend staff meetings once a month to observe the work environment of Art Spark Texas.
This internship has really developed my understanding for many walks of life and has given me a better appreciation of the simple things. If I am being honest, I had a few hiccups on proper terminology when speaking about people with disabilities, but I am now well-informed on that topic! I really enjoy working with this program and I would highly recommend interning or working here to anyone open to learning more and who enjoys being around kind individuals.
About Jazmine Jackson
Jazmine Jackson is a student athlete at the University of St. Edwards. She mentions, “I am also the oldest of seven children, which has allowed me to develop a sense of responsibility and leadership.” In her free time (which she says she rarely has) she likes to spend her days outside enjoying the weather, painting on her balcony. Jazmine is from San Antonio, Texas and has lived there her entire life. Her plans after graduation in the Spring are to try to move out of the state of Texas. But, as she says, “I learned in the last year, you have to stay where your feet are or you begin to stumble and miss the simple moments in life trying to get to ‘next’ too fast.”
–by Jazmine Jackson