As a former high school English teacher I can supplement my own children’s education, and I wanted to do that for others. I was troubled by the disparities in education, especially during the pandemic. I could see the lack of education my own children were receiving.

I’ve mostly worked with older children and I enjoy the rapport with them, but sometimes I don’t necessarily see the academic improvements as readily. Today I’ve been working with my current 1st grader for just over 2 months and I can already see huge gains in her literacy. She’s actually reading!

If tutoring a child in need sounds interesting, try it — one on one tutoring really works! Just devoting one hour per week makes a real difference in that child’s current life & future possibilities.

I have been a “volunteer” all my life; in my faith community, voluntary service is heavily encouraged and regarded as a responsibility and obligation to our fellow citizens on this Earth. I believe education is of the utmost importance and something we can carry with us, no matter what life may throw at us. It’s the one thing that can’t be taken away from us, and if need be it can be used to start all over, whether we have to change states, countries, or continents.

By volunteering with School on Wheels, I can use my skills, time, and energy to help at-risk students improve and excel in their studies and make strides towards changing their futures. After tutoring students in math, reading, science, and English for over 7 years, in the fall of 2020 I started helping high school seniors with their college and FAFSA applications. After researching and going through the process with my own daughter, I felt experienced enough to help advise our School on Wheels students with putting their best foot forward on their applications. I am a CPA by trade, so helping our students obtain financial aid to make their college dreams a reality is very rewarding. I am excited to see them enter the next phase in life and blessed to have been a small part of their journey.

No matter how busy or stretched you might feel you are, there is always time to give back. Find a cause that is important to you and dedicate some time to it. If supporting students experiencing homelessness speaks to your heart, I highly recommend getting involved with School on Wheels. One hour a week is easy to give and could make such a difference in a student’s life. During COVID, volunteering is as easy as logging into an online platform and meeting with your student virtually, you don’t even need to leave your home! Get involved and make a difference!

After COVID-19 hit the U.S. last spring and we were all sent home from college, I was seeing a lot of stories online about younger kids who were struggling with keeping up in online learning. After doing a bit of research, I found School on Wheels online. I fell in love with the mission and wanted to do my part to help tutor those in need!

I always smile whenever Marcos gets really excited about learning or sharing something with me about his life! He loves to talk about animals, and we always learn about a new animal after doing math during a session. One time, he pulled a guinea pig out of his hood and it surprised me so much I couldn’t stop laughing! He definitely loves his animals 🙂

If you’re considering volunteering with School on Wheels, do it! The staff is super supportive of their tutors, and the kids are awesome to work with! School on Wheels provides a fairly low-time-commitment way to make a difference in a student’s life!

I learned about School on Wheels in 2015, while I was a teacher at Soledad Enrichment Action Charter High School. I was reading the L.A. Times and saw the obituary for Agnes Stevens, the founder of School on Wheels. Impressed with her story and the organization’s mission, I decided that volunteering for them would be one of my retirement projects. I retired in 2016, and soon thereafter joined the School on Wheels family. I love teaching and have a special appreciation and love for students who have experienced barriers that have prevented them from having an ideal educational experience. Although I retired from my teaching job, I never want to stop teaching!

Through the years, I have had so many experiences that made me smile! Some are funny, and others are pure joy in students’ accomplishments. I recall an essay written by a high school student who had to name one fictional character she would like to meet, and what she would like to do with that person. She chose Cinderella, and stated that she would like to do chores with her!

It is a very rewarding experience to see how you can make a difference in someone’s life by tutoring. I always feel that I end up learning the most!

I was inspired to start volunteering because I felt that School on Wheels offered me an outlet where I could make a genuinely positive influence on the upcoming generation.

I have found it most gratifying when Amari had a moment of realization where he obtained a better understanding of a subject. One memorable experience we had was during the beginning of tutoring, working on his math skills with an online math game. Amari truly enjoys games in general and loves to compete!

For anyone considering volunteering with School on Wheels, I would tell them to immediately sign up to start tutoring because it truly has a very positive effect on both myself and my student. I am extremely happy with this program, and I have made a new friend in my student, Amari.