Volunteers of the Month – January 2023
Anna Lee
Anna is a kind, generous, thoughtful, and dedicated volunteer to students, staff, and families. Everyone always feels so reassured and brightened by her presence. She goes above and beyond to support the students in every way and has become much loved at the Skid Row Learning Center. When is Ms. Anna coming!? is a very popular question from students. She is always tending to the needs of the moment and takes so much initiative to enrich our students’ lives. Anna is a rare gem and we are so grateful to have her!
– Leigh Beaulieu, Regional Coordinator
I believe education is essential for kids. I got inspired by the School on Wheels mission to give educational opportunities to kids in need.
I find it deeply satisfying when I see kids motivated to learn; seeing the smiles of achievement on their faces and sharing their dreams is very inspiring.
To anyone thinking about volunteering as a tutor, I’d say the feeling of working with children is a most rewarding experience. Give it a try and see for yourself.
Farzad Ahmed
I appreciate Farzad’s prompt communication and dedication to tutoring his student. He always holds consistent tutoring sessions with his student…even through the holidays!
– Candice Carrasco, Regional Coordinator
I decided to volunteer as a School on Wheels tutor because I wanted to make a difference in my community, and have always felt that the best way to do so was to help people receive a better education. I believe that a good education is the most important thing to set people up for success in life.
The most rewarding aspect of tutoring for me is watching my student’s progress as he learns concepts that he originally couldn’t understand. One memorable experience was the first time he was able to recite all the letters of the alphabet all by himself. Memorizing the letters was something we had been working on for a while and this was a big milestone for him.
If you are considering tutoring with School on Wheels, I will tell you it is one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve ever had and that it provides a lot of opportunity to grow as a person.
Abril Pacheco
Abril has been a joy to work with. Not only is she focused and dedicated to tutoring her student Brenda, she has been very consistent with tracking the progress of their sessions.
– Candice Carrasco, Regional Coordinator
I was inspired to volunteer as a tutor at School on Wheels because I thought it was a very nice way to give back to my community.
For me, the most rewarding aspect has been being able to share laughs and knowledge during every session. I sometimes feel that I learn more from the student than I teach them. It is also great to hear how much they love attending the sessions and how helpful they are — not just academically, but socially.
One of my most memorable experiences was during a session where we were sharing our favorite songs. It wasn’t long before it turned into a karaoke break! To those considering tutoring, I say go for it. It can be a very rewarding experience hearing students talk about applying things they learn during your session in real life. School on wheels is also highly appreciative and caring of their tutors and our hard work never goes unnoticed.
Tiana Shambayati
Tiana is incredibly consistent with her student, Masai. They rarely miss a session, and she makes sure they cover a variety of subjects as opposed to focusing on just one.
– Eden Ettenger, Regional Coordinator
I was inspired to volunteer as a School on Wheels tutor because I was looking for a way to give back to my community. Equity in education is very important to me, so it was a perfect fit.
I have found it most rewarding when we start tutoring each week and Masai lets me know that he is grateful that we have tutoring today.When we have work on test taking skills, then follow up with a review the next week, Masai is so excited to tell me what the skills are and to apply them in practice (for example, using the process of elimination for multiple choice questions).
If anyone is considering volunteering as a tutor, I want to tell you that tutoring with School on Wheels is one of the best things I ever decided to do. Seeing my student for each session always makes my day.