Lessons Going Beyond Books
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Posted by Connie Newbauer Feb 5, 2007 |
In Milwaukee, teens from a private school share their opulent campus once a week with children from the inner city; and gauging from participants on both sides, they are enjoying the benefits! This wonderful cooperation between campuses miles away from each other was inspired from mandatory experience in community volunteerism from a school curriculum.
In the article printed in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, penned by Jammaal Abdul-Alim, he details that the hope of the program is to “build long-term relationships with a younger person who lives in the same greater Milwaukee community, but whose neighborhood and life experiences may seem a world away.”
Where the rigors of regular academia fall short for some of these students, the teen volunteers seem to be just the answer. They instinctively seem to know how to communicate with the younger children to impact skill development in a comfortable, friendly way.
These relationships – even in such a short amount of time – 1-hour per week – prove to be going beyond the normal tutor-student relationships. They’ve served as a window on worlds previously unknown to each of the participants. Those being tutored aren’t the only ones receiving an education.
As I read about the details of the exchange, it made me wonder: Does our community high school require community involvement from their students? Are there area elementary schools, which could benefit from a teen volunteer corps? What would it take to organize and put into action a volunteer plan?
What an opportunity we have to affect children by instituting such a program! Volunteering stretches us to become the best civic-minded, whole person we can be. On the other hand, those receiving the tutoring learn valuable lessons as well: those of friendship and of dreams. Volunteering is invaluable to everyone's soul. The question is: will we answer the inate call to help others. Perhaps looking into beginning a program such as this is just the answer!
Well...what are you waiting for....volunteer!
