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Soaps with Special Meanings

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On November 16th, our club volunteered at a program where I helped visually impaired adults make natural soaps, and it turned out to be much more meaningful than I expected. Instead of just doing the work for them, I had to describe each step clearly—like how the melted soap felt, how strong the scents were, and how to safely pour the mixture into molds—so they could be as hands-on as possible. I guided their hands gently when needed, but also gave them space to try things on their own, which taught me a lot about patience and trust. The room smelled like lavender and citrus, and even though some steps were slow or a bit messy, everyone laughed and encouraged each other. Seeing how proud they were when they held the finished soaps they’d made themselves made me realize how small actions, like explaining carefully or offering an extra hand, can help someone feel more independent and included. It was a reminder that volunteering isn’t just about “helping,” but about sharing an experience...
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A Meaningful Day Making Lavender Soap

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 On November 16th, I took part in the Seesaw soap-making session with members of the visually impaired community, and I did not know what to expect at first. Since it was my first art workshop, I felt a bit unsure. Nonetheless, my partner's friendly attitude made it easy to settle in after we greeted each other.  We used the lavender scent for both soaps and chose a heart mold and a rectangle mold. The funniest moment happened when I was tried giving him a little bit of my soap, but the whole cup suddenly poured out. Though it looked like a mistake, the shape came out perfectly and we both laughed.  The room felt warm as the soap scents filled the space steadily. As we continued working, we got closer and closer, with each interaction  bringing a small laugh or smile. At the end of the session, I gave him both soaps and my magnetic soap holder. He seemed genuinely thankful for the gift, making the experience even more meaningful to me. My main takeaway from this was ...
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Soap Making Experience

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On November 16th, I participated in a Seesaw volunteering event where we made handmade soap with members of the visually impaired community. By mixing molten soap with different scents and pouring them into rubber molds, we were able to make soaps of different shapes and pleasant scents. One thing that stood out to me during the activity was how coordinated and skilled the visually impaired participants were throughout the process. Despite my initial assumption that the activity might be challenging for them, my partner showed amazing skills, and he ended up making two soap bars that looked better than my own! Overall, it was a fun and meaningful experience for both the visually impaired community and our Seesaw team.
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Making Natural Soaps With the Visually Impaired

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On November 16th, our Seesaw team volunteered in a soap-making activity with members of the visually impaired community, and it ended up being so much more meaningful than I expected. We worked with natural ingredients and molds shaped variously such as hearts and diamonds. The room smelled so warm and calming from all the essential oils we mixed in, creating a soothing environment for all of us. While making the soaps, I had the chance to talkwith a lot of the participants – asking if it was their first time, what kinds of soaps they usually use, and which scents they liked. The conversations were simple but genuine, and they made the whole activity feel more personal. We laughed at little mistakes, shared reactions to the strong scents, and helped each other pour the mixtures into the molds.  When the soaps were finally ready to take out, the results were honestly very pretty – smooth colorful, and very fragrant. Even though some participants couldn't see the shapes clearly, they...
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Soft & Wet, but a little Ruff

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      Last Sunday, the Seesaw club partook in another Art service program, an integral aspect of our club since the inception of our enterprise.  While in previous meetings, we made keychains and dolls, the project for this meeting was more applicable than aesthetic: soap. I was paired with a visually impaired individual and got to know him throughout the activity. I found some of our common interests, but most importantly, I had my questions answered about his dog, a service dog. Previously, I was curious as to how a service dog may be different from an untrained dog like mine. Did they train? Are there specific breeds that are better suited? I found that usually, service dogs don't undergo additional formal training once they find their homes, but the owner, like my partner, can choose to self-train their dogs in additional maneuvers or simple recreational tricks. Additionally, he said that his dog was a Labrador Retriever, often considered the best suited for aidi...
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Soap making activity: Impossible to possible -Yena Lee-

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     This day, I participated in a soap making activity with the individuals who are visually impaired. Since it was my first time making soap, I was filled with nervousness that I would not be a helpful volunteer for my partner. When I met my partner, we greeted each other warmly, introducing ourselves. Even though my mind still flowed with worries, I thought to myself that this was an experience of stepping out of my comfort zone, and decided to try my best. Once we got started, everyone quietly focused on their own work, forgetting about the tension that once engulfed the entire room. Surprisingly, I watched myself gradually become confident in what I was doing and the anxiety started to turn into joy. What I was most glad about was that I fulfilled my main goal which was being a guidance for my partner. Pouring the liquid soap into the mold was one of the steps in the activity where it required caution due to the heat of the soap. Therefore, my partner asked for my he...
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Tutoring with the Blind in New York

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This summer, I received a wonderful opportunity to tutor a blind person at a library in New York, preparing her for the science section of her GED test. She had already passed all the other subjects except science, so there was a lot of pressure on me to help her clear this last challenge. I had never done anything like this. Although I did have some experience playing showdown with the blind before, teaching seemed like a whole new different thing. I was nervous at first and consistently questioned my knowledge of science and how I was going to explain something as visual as a graph.  However, week after week, all that nervousness turned into fun. I would close my eyes and try to fit myself into a blind person's shoe. Through this practice, I gained more confidence in how I should teach my blind patient. I began to take pleasure in explaining science in creative ways, translating concepts into vivid descriptions that she could picture. The more I taught, the more I realized how mu...
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