I volunteered at Kenmore Elementary for over 10 years, until the virus hit. I worked with second- and third-graders who were having difficulty in math.
After I retired in 2009, I was looking for meaningful volunteer opportunities. I tried volunteering at food banks and senior centers as well as Kenmore Elementary. I like volunteering at Kenmore Elementary because I feel a partnership with the teachers and I also love the enthusiasm, energy and honesty of children at this age. I also can see, in the course of a school year, the impact I have made on children’s lives.
I’ll never forget working with a particular second grader. It was obvious that he had a very unsettled home life. But he was a genius, for his age, at math. He could add and subtract a string of two digit numbers in his head. While I was trying to get the answer on paper, he already had the answer. Unfortunately, he had other emotional issues so his genius didn’t translate to the classroom. I worked with him for a year and then his family moved away. I often think about him and hope that his gift will be identified and nurtured.
There is such a need for volunteers in the classroom, especially now. So many young people will need help after schools reopen. The schools especially seem to appreciate older volunteers who have no connection to the school except that they want to help. Kids like older adults as well. The cross generational conversations are intriguing and fun.