Virtual volunteering provides beneficial academic support and caring connections in our schools
(6/1/21) Volunteering inside our school buildings was postponed in the 2020-21 school year in alignment with COVID-19 health and safety guidelines and limitations around guests inside classrooms, but creativity and careful coordination made it possible for students to gain support from caring volunteers – virtually.
The Lutheran Social Services foster grandparent program reached out to Anoka-Hennepin Parent Involvement last summer, seeking an opportunity to help students safely. Jen Post, volunteer service coordinator at Hamilton Elementary, was one of the staff members who literally connected them with the students – via ongoing Google Meet sessions focused on literacy.
Post initially trained the handful of volunteers from the program and now sends them weekly assignments to cover through email. Then, she connects with them on Google Meet to kick start the volunteer sessions with a dedicated class of first-grade students. “It’s been really rewarding, I get to speak with the seniors each week and they are having so much fun,” Post said. “The volunteers have been feeling isolated and this is a way for them to get social interaction, while the kids feel special getting the one-on-one time. The volunteers have been personalizing the experience; they are taking notes and they ask follow-up questions when they see the student again the next week – which really gives those students the opportunity to share what’s important to them.”
Virtual volunteer sessions are approximately five to ten minutes per student, each week. Students step out of the classroom and participate in the media center nearby to cover the assignment with the volunteer. Katherine Nightingale, first-grade teacher at Hamilton Elementary partnering with Post, explained, “I did not think it could make such an impact so quickly. As a teacher, my observations [have] included increased interest and engagement in reading, boosted confidence and improvements in fluency.”
“Working with students is pure joy,” said Marcia Savela, one of the volunteers partnering with Hamilton Elementary. As a retired librarian, she most misses the opportunity to lead summer reading programs and story time with children. “It takes a village to raise a child, and by having these interactions with students, I hope that I’m making a difference in their lives – because they are certainly making a difference in mine!”
When asked why she was drawn to volunteering, Savela explained, “I believe that I should always be doing something useful – something that doesn’t just benefit me. And I believe that working with children is the most rewarding thing I can do. It makes a positive mark on my day.”
The benefits of the volunteer partnership are more than just academic. “One more adult cares about each of these students – and that is great!” Post said.
Volunteer Services is coordinated by Anoka-Hennepin Parent Involvement, a Community Education program. To learn more and get involved in a volunteer program next school year, visit ahschools.us/volunteer to stay updated on opportunities in our schools.