Volunteers of the Month – 1/21
My Nguyen
Region 1
My is a very dedicated tutor who takes her work seriously. She is reliable, kind, patient, and always there for her students. My comes prepared for every single session and bonds with her students effortlessly. She has been matched with multiple students throughout the year and greatly impacted each and every one of them.
Manmeet Sodhi, Regional Coordinator
After graduating from college I was looking for a volunteer opportunity. I had worked as a tutor for a few years and really enjoyed that experience, so I thought School on Wheels would be a perfect place for me.
It’s been great! I always feel so happy when working with my students, especially when they actively engage in the learning process and creatively answer my questions.
For anyone considering becoming a volunteer tutor, I would say, “Go for it!” You will have chances to gain a lot of valuable experiences and to become a better version of yourself.
Darren Sepanek
Region 2
Darren is an incredible and dedicated volunteer. She always goes the extra mile for her student and always has a positive attitude. Despite the pandemic, Darren has remained committed to her student and the mission of School on Wheels. We are so grateful to have her on our team.
Carlie Whittaker, Student Support Coordinator
I learned about School on Wheels 6 years ago through a friend. At first I volunteered simply because I love children, but I quickly came to love working with and meeting so many amazing kids and their families.
Sometimes tutoring takes a bit of creativity. I once tutored a very bright high school senior who was taking an AP math class, and since math is not my strong suit, there wasn’t a lot I could help him with. We would watch lessons on Kahn Academy together and I’d have him teach me what he learned. This helped to some extent, but when it came to the really hard stuff, we would call my daughter, a math wiz who happened to be living in Australia at the time! Sometimes you just have to call in the right resources, no matter where they are!
If you are considering volunteering as a tutor, don’t worry about being a great teacher/tutor; that’s only one part of what you can bring to these kids. If you love working with children, it is an extremely rewarding and fun opportunity to make a real difference.
Claudia Bloch
Region 3
Claudia is a superstar volunteer and tutors two students! She is committed to providing her students with high-quality academic support and is a tremendous education advocate.
Alex Toutant, Volunteer Support Coordinator
I started volunteering because I wanted to make a difference in a child’s academic life. One experience I had that made me smile is when my student and I did jumping jacks between assignments. Gandhi once said that there is nothing more satisfying than losing yourself to the service of others.
Mary Ann Mailloux
Region 4
Mary Ann has been a dedicated tutor for a few years now. She loves tutoring and she has made meaningful connections with all of the students she’s worked with. Her students love her and look forward to meeting with her every week! She is consistent, caring, passionate, and loves what she does!
Kristina Rakosh, Regional Coordinator
After I retired from working as a teacher a school librarian in 2015, I looked around for some volunteer opportunities and found School on Wheels. It’s been a great fit.
I completed training and met with my first student in April of 2016. Since then I have worked with lots of wonderful students and alongside inspiring volunteers. I have tutored in three different shelters in Long Beach, and now I am working with kids online. I prefer in-person tutoring, but we can still share jokes, lessons, and help with homework.
School on Wheels has given me lots of resources and lessons to use with my students. I never arrive empty handed!
Ava Tran
Region 7
Ava has been a tutor with School on Wheels for over a year and a half, and is an amazing tutor! She works with three different students and has built such a strong rapport with each of them. When the transition to online learning became overwhelming, she stepped in and helped her students get back on track.
Jesse Pasquan, Volunteer Support Coordinator
My middle school required a small amount of community service each year, and to fill the hours, I worked as a referee for fencing tournaments at my fencing club. I realized it was really fun to work with kids, and I wanted to do more outreach with the time I had. With a bit of research I found School on Wheels, which turned out to be a great fit. I really like their mission and what they are doing.
One time I was with my student and we decided to play Connect 4 online. We played game after game, and he beat me every single time. I kept on insisting on playing another game, but it was hopeless. Even though I lost, thinking back on that always makes me laugh.
If you’re thinking about volunteering as a tutor, do it! It’s extremely fulfilling and super fun. It sometimes requires a lot of patience, but it always ends up being a blast.