Volunteers of the Month – September 2024

Julie Akau

What motivated you to start volunteering at School on Wheels?
When my kids went away to college I was looking for another opportinity to work with kids. I saw the need for educational services my whole life, and after retirement, I was able to start tutoring.

What advice would you give to a new volunteer at School on Wheels?
Be patient, and let the student lead the learning.

What inspires you to overcome any challenges that arise with tutoring?
During covid, there were a lot of challenges, so always remember it is your relationship with the child that is the most important aspect of tutoring. Not to get hung up on the ins and outs, like if the big blue button works, but instead instilling the love for learning.

What have you learned from your student?
Children are much more capable and motivating and smarter than we give them credit for.

David Lopez

What motivated you to start volunteering at School on Wheels?
I was inspired to volunteer for School on Wheels because I wanted to serve as a role model in higher education for the younger students of my community and instill confidence in their scholarly abilities.

Can you share the most memorable and rewarding moment you have had so far at School on Wheels?
One of the most memorable experiences I had with a student occurred towards the end of one of our tutoring sessions. He offered to tutor me for the final remaining minutes of the session and challenged me to a game of tic-tac-toe. He beat me the first time, so I obviously had to put my “game face” on during our rematch. Fast forward several rematches later and he beat me practically every game we played. He humbly accepted my surrender and taught me his strategy.

What advice would you give to a new volunteer at School on Wheels?
Do it! Tutoring these students has not only been incredibly fulfilling, but has also provided me with a better perspective in terms of how I handle and resolve problems I encounter in everyday life.

What is your favorite part of tutoring your student?
Everything…