Summer@Weil

Making Michelangelos

Weil has an exceptional commitment to corporate citizenship and social responsibility, and this is no more exemplified than in its requirement that the summers participate in community service. This week, I had the chance to work with elementary school kids to make art projects. While it was certainly fun to let loose their creativity, the real inspiration came from spending an afternoon with young people who may have come from very different—and often difficult—backgrounds.

Over the course of several hours, we played get-to-know-you games and read about famous architecture and artists which our projects would be centered around. The summer associates helped guide the students in building cityscapes and making “wearable sculptures.” We told stories and learned about each other all throughout the day. For example, one of the students assigned to my group was extremely excited about Pokémon, an interest I had no shame in admitting we shared. We built a small town modelled after one of the games, and it was an incredible amount of fun. While it was our job to serve as a mentor to these kids, even for just a few hours, they no doubt had an impact on us as well. This makes Weil’s enthusiasm for these types of opportunities all the more important.

We had a blast and ended the day as any such day should end: with pizza, French fries and apple juice. What’s more, this showcases the diverse array of activities, initiatives and cases that Weil takes on to help keep its community service and pro bono work robust and provide the summers and associates a chance to try and make the world a better place, one “wearable sculpture” at a time.

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