I first learned about School on Wheels through social media. I noticed on a friend’s Facebook profile that they volunteered as a tutor, did some research to see what the organization was all about, and was convinced.

I have been lucky in many ways to get to where I am now, so I make it part of my life to dedicate my time to those that need help in the face of obstacles. I want community outreach and volunteering to be a part of what I do for the rest of my life.

The student I tutor struggles with math, so for one of our sessions I taught him a trick that made him say, “whoa, that’s really cool actually!” I could see the light in his eye, that I had taught him something he can take with him for the rest of his life. It was extremely gratifying and I smile every time I remember that day.

Tutoring with School on Wheels is the highlight of my week. My student not only learns from me, but I have learned so much from my student. Tutoring with School on Wheels continues to be a humbling and rewarding experience.

After moving for a new job I wanted to do some volunteer work in the area, and School on Wheels’ mission stood out to me. So much so that despite feeling insecure about my tutoring skills I signed up anyway, determined to be the best tutor I could be. My love of learning has brought me a lot of happiness, opportunities, and financial stability; I want this for these kids and always do what I can to encourage a love for learning.

One special memory I have is when I was tutoring a 4th grader, a girl who generally had a very serious demeanor. One day we were working on some homework and she pointed to a math problem she couldn’t understand. But when I looked, instead of her finger pointing to the problem, what I saw was a ridiculously tiny, plastic hand reaching out of her sleeve! I turned to face my very serious student and we both exploded with laughter. It was so out of character for her and that little hand was so weird… I still think back and laugh about it.

As a human being who has had the good fortune of having a family and career that I love, a stable home, and a community to live in, I believe it is my responsibility and duty to help others who haven’t had the same good fortune. I also believe that if you want your children to be compassionate and giving human beings, it’s important to model that behavior instead of just talking about it.

One of my most powerful tutoring experiences was when my student Miracle broke through her fear of failure. We had been working for many sessions on getting her to try reading and one day I could see her push her fear aside and go for it. I’ll never forget the smile on her face when she realized she was much better at it than she thought! What a beautiful experience.

I’ve spoken to many people about becoming a volunteer tutor and I always say the same thing: “It will change your life.” If you think volunteering is going to be a sacrifice, you’re wrong. Yes, it can be challenging and frustrating, but you always get much more than you give. Rather than being a sacrifice, it’s actually an honor — a gift you give yourself as well as another person. In addition to helping a student learn, you’re creating a beautiful bond of friendship that will last forever.

I volunteer with School on Wheels because I want to help address educational opportunity gaps faced by students with housing instability. I want to help make access to education more equitable by using my own experiences to assist the academic journeys of others.

My student Leon and I always have a great time! One of the best moments was when he helped lead me in answering his hypothetical question on what a given car would be like if he changed certain parameters. I knew absolutely nothing about cars, so this was a big deal! Leon was able to translate automobile jargon into everyday language and give me enough background so that I could arrive at an answer. Ultimately, he successfully did what great tutors do!