Katie R. Watkins 5758 Hillview Road Emmett, Idaho 83617 September 26, 2011 Mr.

Jim Everett President and Chief Executive Officer Treasure Valley Family YMCA Downtown Boise Branch 1050 West State Street Boise, ID 83702 Dear Mr. Everett: I am passionate about working with a diverse population to encourage values and positive behavior for all youth and teens, and so I was drawn to the Treasure Valley Family YMCA in hopes of starting to work with a diverse group of individuals. I am applying for the day camp counselor positions at the Caldwell, Downtown, and West Y-City locations. I learned about the position after placing a call to the Downtown Boise Branch. In this letter I will describe my key attributes and qualifications that make me a leading candidate for the job. Presently, I am an undergraduate student at the University of Idaho with an accumulative GPA of 3.8 pursuing a degree in Secondary Education with an emphasis in English, Business, and ESL (English as a Second Language). However, it was my experience and opportunities associated with my Education classes that I learned the importance of creating and maintaining a safe environment for youth and teens to learn in. According to your website, the Treasure Valley Family YMCA has four key values I characterize: caring, honesty, respect, responsibility. As a result of a previous education course my freshman year, I was given the opportunity to become a teaching assistant to Mrs. Bessie Kolva of Royal Garrison School. After four months of volunteer experience with Royal Garrison School, I not only gained worthwhile experience with a diverse student population, but I also learned both patience and flexibility in the classroom. For instance, I worked with one particular student who had cerebral palsy. Working with a student with a disability and a distinct learning style, highlighted the patience that it requires to work with a diverse group of students. I also had the opportunity to work with students from a wide range of socioeconomic backgrounds which required me to constantly be prepared for many spontaneous situations. For example, I worked with a few students who didnt always have a lunch to bring to class. Dealing with this situation forced me to be a flexible individual and an innovative thinker. I have included my resume, in which you will find that I have experience with youth and teens, as well as an educational background and the enthusiasm and dedication to be a day camp counselor at the Treasure Valley Family YMCA. To arrange a follow-up interview, I can be reach at (208) 369-0294, or by email at watk7047@vandals.uidaho.edu. Thank you for considering my application. Respectfully,

Katie R. Watkins Enclosure