Tag: Students of the Month

Aug 7

Students of the Month – August 2018

School on Wheels | | Star Students

Online:

Ethan (9th Grade) – Even though Ethan has been working hard as an older brother and taking care of two younger siblings, I admire his enthusiasm for participating in the Summer Program. At first, he was hesitant about reading books that were written before the year 2000, but the Summer Program has made him more open to reading different kinds of books, such as The Hobbit. Throughout the summer, we’ve had a lot of fun talking about the books we’ve read together. Ethan especially enjoyed making text-to-self connections and identified strongly with the character Wade Watts from the novel Ready Player One because of how Wade overcomes the challenges he experiences. After summer, I look forward to seeing Ethan continue to develop his love of reading and continue to make different types of connections when he reads! – Natalie Platon, Ethan’s Online Tutor

 

Region 1:

Communidad Cesar Chavez Students – Because we mainly group tutor at a short-term shelter, we only have the kids for a limited time before they move to more permanent housing. It’s tough to get tutoring done in a fairly noisy, fluid environment with kids of different abilities, but I’ve found multiplication flash cards are the most useful tool. 75% of the students we help have trouble with their times tables, and since multiplication is the cornerstone of math, the kids see immediate results. My favorite part of the year is during the summer, when we develop interactive science projects. They include projects such as dry ice, launching water bottles, anatomy, botany, paper airplanes, and making dinosaur fossils. The kids go nuts for this stuff!
– Evan Panas, Tutor

 

Region 10:

STEM of Wheels Students – We immensely enjoyed working with the students in STEM on Wheels. Their completed projects for our daily challenges were proud moments for both them and us. Whether it was building a bridge to cross a river or trying to program a Sprite to dance about the room, the kids demonstrated logic, background knowledge, reasoning, and most importantly, a sense of fun in completing their projects. We cheered as Daniella’s group’s little car inched its way up the inclined plane; we laughed with Bryan in his attempt to design his candy “cell” into a face; we groaned while doing our healthy exercises; we watched excitedly as Natalie’s dog chased a cat around the screen like she’d coded it to do. It was quite the summer program, full of amazing kids.
– STEM on Wheels Tutors

Jun 29

Students of the Month – July 2018

School on Wheels | | Star Students

Online:

Abigail (12th Grade) – Having recently transitioned to a shelter in Victorville (85 miles northeast of Los Angeles) and struggling to adjust to her new school and life out in the High Desert, Abigail reached out to us requesting assistance. She was originally resistant to tutoring each week, but ever since connecting with her online tutors, Ashley and Rupini, Abigail has shown considerable improvement in her demeanor and outlook. Abigail is spending the summer preparing for her final year in high school and is very close to being on track to graduate. She is also participating in our Summer Program. Keep up the great work, Abigail! – Ian Chan, Program Administrator

 

Region 4:

Pearanna (6th grade) – Pearanna is a 6th grader. She comes to the tutoring session every week with her brother. She is such an amazing kid. She always finishes her homework with little help, and after that she continues to read a book. She is a good reader and artist. She is a quiet girl, but her smile is loud and bright. As the oldest kid in the group, she shows mature behavior, which I am so proud of.
– Ian Lee, Tutor

 


Region 5:

Jessica (age 6) – I love getting to work with Jessica weekly, see her reading improve, and see how excited she gets when she answers something right. It’s not easy for a 6-year old to go to school all day and come home just to do more schoolwork, yet I try to find a way to make it exciting for Jesse. Whether it’s getting stickers at the end of each session or playing some games in between schoolwork, my goal is for her to always walk away happy. I am really grateful for what School on Wheels does for these kids, and I feel lucky to be a part of their community. – Holly Fleischer, Tutor

 


Region 1:

Ethan (age 5) – Ethan has always shown an interest in learning. When I first started to tutor Ethan, he was shy and would wait until I gave him the answer. I’m pretty sure he did this because he was afraid to be wrong, but over time he has grown in knowledge. The first month of tutoring Ethan he did not know his numbers to 100 (or at least knew some and would skip around). I can now say he has learned his numbers with the help of the number song we found on Youtube in addition to other practice exercises. He no longer waits for the answer to be given to him but says it with confidence. When going to tutor Ethan every Thursday, he always has a positive attitude and is willing to try new study skills to improve. I truly feel honored to tutor Ethan and feel that he deserves the student of the month award! – Nayelie Aguilar, Tutor

 


Region 9:

Caleb (8th Grade) – When I first met Caleb, he seemed reluctant to participate in our sessions. After a lot of hard work and determination, he has become much more comfortable with trying new or challenging activities. With reading being a major area in need of improvement, we worked a lot on developing his reading skills. I have seen him grow from reading with hesitation to reading with enthusiasm. He now enjoys reading about new topics every week. I am very proud of his growth, and I am excited to see him continue to prosper.
– Jacob Maldonado, Tutor

Jun 4

Students of the Month – June 2018

School on Wheels | | Star Students

Region 8:

Tavin (age 5), Connor (age 8), and Tannar (age 10) – Tanner is an artistic, curious, and bright student. He sees math problems in his own unique way, and it is amazing to see the gears turning in his head and the smile that lights up his face after working hard to reach a solution. Tanner is growing more confident in reading (especially when it’s about exotic animals!) and his eagerness for math has helped him progress from basic multiplication to exponents. Congrats Tanner on Student of the Month! – Sammy Pedersen, Tutor

My name is Dawn, and I have been tutoring a 2nd grade student about 6 months. We have been focusing on his literacy and math skills. He has learned how to tell time and how to use decimals! He also is excited about building his literacy skills through learning games on the internet at the library. He also has his own library card now too! Way to go, student!!
– Dawn Hildebrand, Tutor

 

Online:

Zy’eire (2nd Grade) – “Zy” is always ready to tackle a new challenge. His persistence and positive attitude are always really inspirational. I have seen his hard work and mindset reflected in his improved reading skills. He also loves to draw and be creative! – Yuki Jung, Online Tutor

 

 

 


Region 6:

Collin (2nd Grade) – In the half year we have worked together, the thing that shines out about my 2nd grade tutee Collin is a blooming self-confidence. At first glance, one might think Collin is shy. In fact, though, he has a strong sense of who he is and an inspiring integrity, which have become more apparent as he gets more comfortable and trusting of me and our lessons. Collin teaches me what he needs to let this internal blossoming occur: uninterrupted silence as he works on a task, verbal support when he gets stuck and acknowledgement when he succeeds. Perhaps like other teachers, I come away from the lessons wondering who is teaching who. – Bonnie Insull, Tutor

Apr 3

Students of the Month – April 2018

School on Wheels | | Star Students

Online:

Ben (Kindergarten) – loves to meet with his online tutor each week. He doesn’t say much, but he loves practicing counting out loud and playing “Alphabet BINGO”. The School on Wheels online tutoring program is designed for students from 2nd to 12th grade – curious, focused, and delightfully engaged, Ben is a wonderful exception. Go, Ben! – Ian Chan, Program Administrator

 

 

Skid Row Learning Center:

Royona (3rd Grade) – Royona is a focused, quiet, 3rd grader who is joy to work with. She helps around the Center, completes her homework with zeal and has the sunniest disposition. Lover of puzzles, silent laugher, and Queen of Khan Academy; Royona has earned Student of the Month!
– Jason Wright,Skid Row Learning Center Specialist

 

 

Region 5:


With every tutoring session my student continues to inspire me and remind me why education is so liberating, no matter how hard the week has been.– Kayla Williams

I have loved getting to know all of the kids and it has been a privilege to watch them grow over the course of the past 6 months.
– Annika Moen

The kids are so much fun and it’s been great to work with them and see their skills and confidence grow! – Ellen Prince

I have really enjoyed seeing the progress made over the year. There were some students who struggled with reading and to see them persevere and make progress has been rewarding. – Sara Woldegebriel

Nothing compares to seeing a child gain confidence and grow as a student, and we have all grown to love these kids and look forward seeing them every week. – Dalia Quezada

Working with the kids allows me to take a moment and focus all of my energy on someone else. It’s definitely tough but I really enjoy being a tutor! – Darla Howell

It has been amazing to get to know all of the kids and I look forward to working with them every week. – Gianna Zinnen

Feb 6

Students of the Month – February 2018

School on Wheels | | Star Students

Online:

E’lon (5th Grade) – is a very determined student and sees the importance of his education for his future. When I started tutoring him, he had many issues with his basic math, but with his perseverance he has improved dramatically. With his hard work, I can see his improvement and success on a daily basis. One way in which E’lon has changed through online tutoring is that he has developed a constant drive to learn whether it be in math or science. Every day, he asks me to learn something new and this truly helps both of us as I also get the chance to learn something. Working with E’lon as an online tutor has been an eye-opening experience and his future is very bright.- Jishnu Basu, Online Tutor

 

Region 5:

Deemar (Age 7) – My current student, Deemar, has been the most rewarding and at the same time, the most challenging student I have dealt with so far. When we first met in September 2017, he was scoring around 10-20% on his spelling tests and was frustrated with the idea of learning how to spell. We’ve had good days and we’ve had bad days, but most importantly, we kept pushing forward week after week. I’m happy to share that he recently finished off 2017 with back to back 80% scores on his spelling tests, capping off a few months of steady growth. He is more excited about our sessions now, and I can’t wait to continue seeing him grow and become a great speller and reader in the years to come. – Jonathan Garcia, Tutor

 

Region 4:

Ariana (4th Grade) – I have been working with a sweet and lively 4th grader by the name of Ariana. Ariana is a lovely young lady that loves her three sisters, enjoys school and is very positive about life. Every week, she looks forward to what library books I will bring, as she loves to read to me. Recently, I asked to review her school planner and was so humbled to see that she even wrote my name in her planner on our tutoring day. When I recently asked Ariana what she would like to focus on, she wanted to do some science as her school does not spend a lot of time on that subject. So this week I brought supplies to do the classic diet cola and mentos experiment. Ariana and her sisters loved it! Now that I have discovered a fun reward (science), I plan to have a weekly experiment to positively end each session. I’m so glad that I have this opportunity to work with School on Wheels. It is such a rewarding experience! – Cathy Anderson, Tutor

Nov 2

Students of the Month – November 2017

School on Wheels | | Star Students

Online:

Eric (12th Grade) – Having recently moved to another shelter, Eric had been struggling with adjusting to his new environment. Reluctant to join our online tutoring program at first, Eric eventually developed a strong bond with his online tutor, Folu, a biomedical engineering student at Walla Walla University in Washington. Eric enjoys catching up on math and science and learning about college. Eric’s mom and shelter staff have noted that since he began tutoring with Folu, Eric has increased in his confidence in school as well as in his overall attitude and demeanor. Go, Eric!– Ian Chan, Program Administrator

Region 8:

Santiago (4th Grade) – has done a great job of keeping up with his homework. He is always prepared and ready to go when he arrives for tutoring. He is so polite, considerate and a “good boy.” He thanks me for helping him. Even though he just turned 9 years old, has already internalized the belief that he can be successful by doing well in school. One of the cutest things he does when reading to me out loud is that he will pause at words like “stupid” or “jerk” because he has been told by someone else in his life that these aren’t nice words. I tell him that it is ok to go ahead and say these words out loud because, after all, we are practicing reading. I actually know that he can read these words because when he gets to them he looks up at me for permission to say them. He is just that kind of kid. A pure delight! – Stephen Smith,Tutor

Region 5:

Leo (age 10) is an intelligent, creative thinker who is noticeably reflective and empathetic for his age. He loves graphic novels and his charter impressions make reading them with him a joy. The displayed picture shows a drawing he made of two of his favorite heroes, Finn and Jake. It seems like every time we meet Leo’s reading skills and focus get sharper. Keep it up Leo!
– Jarred Olson,Tutor

 

 

Skid Row Learning Center:

Stephanie (8th Grade) has improved tremendously. She is helpful to both staff and students alike. Her kindness, willingness to take direction and dedication to her education make her an excellent choice for Student of the Month.
– Jason Wright, Skid Row Learning Center Specialist

 

 


Region 6:

Maile (3rd Grade) is such an outgoing girl. Upon my arrival to our tutoring sessions, she always has a smile on and is eager for our session. For the last couple of weeks, she has been working really hard to master her multiplication tables. She is now learning her sixes. I am so proud of Maile and her accomplishments. We have lots of fun making slime and making volcanos.
– Gabriela Nunez, Tutor

Region 4:

Mahalaysia (5th Grade) – It has been such a joy to help my current student develop not only her math and reading skills but also her confidence. Every week she is more motivated to tackle new academic challenges, and I look forward to continuing to help her develop valuable skills.
– Amber Monterosso, Tutor

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