Tutors of the Month – April 2016
Region 2 – South LA
– Doug O’Connell. Doug made a video describing his tutoring experience with School on Wheels. In the video, Doug says he is honored to be selected as a Tutor of the Month and is inspired by the success of his student, Nathan. Thank you for your dedication, Doug!
Skid Row Learning Center
– Jessica Pacheco. We ask volunteers to give a minimum of one hour of their time each week and most tutors at the Skid Row Learning Center give two to three hours at a time. Then there is Ms. Jessica! Jessica came in needing to complete a certain amount of hours for a college class. Fifteen months later, Ms. Jessica is still helping and impacting the lives of children on Skid Row. She comes in two or three hours before the students arrive to help prepare, decorate, and organize the learning center. Then on an average day of tutoring, she often works with five to ten students spanning all ages. Throughout the Learning Center, you will find many signs of Jessica’s assistance and for that we are very grateful. She has been a part of our team for so long!
Allison Maldonado, Skid Row Learning Center Instructor
Region 1 – East LA, El Monte
– Emily Alfaro. Emily has been a dedicated tutor since May of last year. Even though she’s a high school student with a busy schedule, Emily is responsible and committed to her tutoring sessions. When talking to Madison’s mom, she had nothing but great things to say about Emily. Madison has improved since working with her tutor and is now an honor roll student. Great job, Emily! Here is what Emily had to say about her experience as a tutor:
“I found out about School On Wheels and could not wait to join. Education is very important to me and sharing my knowledge to help others brings me such joy. I enjoy being a School On Wheels tutor because it gives me an opportunity to help kids improve upon their education. The best part about being a School On Wheels tutor is seeing a student excel in her academics”.
Thank you for your dedication, Emily! Special thanks and appreciation to Patty Alfaro, Emily’s mother for taking her daughter each week to her tutoring sessions. Thank you, Patty!
Marisol Farfan, Regional Coordinator
Region 5 – Hollywood, Silver Lake, Highland Park
– Sabrina Aguilar. Sabrina has been a phenomenal tutor for School On Wheels since she started tutoring with us over a year ago. I can definitely count on her to take on a student in need, even with short notice. Sabrina’s background as a teacher definitely helps while tutoring and she does an amazing job making tutoring sessions interactive and engaging. It is a pleasure to get to work with you. Thank you for all you do!
I had been looking for volunteer opportunities and when I found School on Wheels I knew it was a perfect fit. Sokari is such a fun and sweet boy, it has been amazing to witness the progress he has made in such a short time. Working with Sokari has reminded me of the excitement of learning something new.
Lancella Hunter, Regional Coordinator
Region 7 – San Fernando Valley
– Cindy Gunn. Cindy started with School on Wheels in June of 2015. Since her start, she has been a fantastic tutor for her student Aranza by supporting her both academically and emotionally. Cindy stays in communication and updates me on any changes. Her time and dedication to tutoring have made a positive impact in Aranza’s life. I truly appreciate all that Cindy does! Here is what she wrote about her tutoring experience:
I perused a list of volunteer organizations sent by one of our state legislators and School on Wheels caught my interest. I went to the training and realized that I was an older volunteer. I wasn’t sure if I would be able to connect with a student. But then I started to think about my life experiences and how it might help. My parents divorced when I was eleven years old and for about one year we did not have a home. Were it not for the generosity of a friend we would have been on the street. After high school, I went to nursing school and received my RN. My husband was in the US Coast Guard which meant that we moved around the country, exposing me to different cultures and lifestyles. After much thought, I concluded that with all of these experiences in my life, I just might have something to offer as a School on Wheels volunteer. I was assigned to an 11 year old student, Aranza. I have been able to share some of my early experiences with her and show her that we all are able to overcome difficulties. I have had such a positive experience with School on Wheels and would encourage others to become a tutor, no matter their age.
Brianna Grothe, Regional Coordinator
Region 10 – South Orange County
– Mark and Mellina Horner. We decided to become tutors after realizing that our work lives were taking over, and that we both wanted to have a feeling of giving back and doing something more meaningful with our after-work hours. Tutoring with School on Wheels has been a real blessing for us. It’s been a great experience to work with Isaiah and Isabel, and to see their grades improve. At the beginning of our tutoring together, we signed a “contract” that stated the goal grade for each subject and the reasons why doing well in school is important. It’s been great to see those goals achieved! They are a wonderful family and we are lucky to have the two of them as our students.
Lilian Pahn, Regional Coordinator
Region 12 – North Orange County
– Aaron Cruz. Aaron has been tutoring with School On Wheels since the beginning of the school year. During that time, he has been fortunate enough to work with the same student, Destiny. He has shown exceptional dedication and care for Destiny as he consistently goes above and beyond for her.
In regards to why Aaron began with School On Wheels: I am always looking to find ways to give back to the community. I began by donating blood to the American Red Cross. I am back in school for a degree in Business Administration and decided to use the extra time that I have to help those in need.
Laura Schickling, Regional Coordinator
Online Tutoring
– Cathie Alter. Cathie joined School on Wheels in September of 2015. A retiree Cathie brings a wealth of real world experience to her tutoring sessions and her students describe her as “fun”, “caring”, and “super cool”. Cathie’s kindness, passion, and consistency are felt organization-wide, and we are a better team because of her contributions. Cathie — Thank you.
In her own words:
School on Wheels online tutoring program provides me with the opportunity to help children learn and share in the excitement of their success. I find this extremely rewarding.
At first, I didn’t feel connected with the students. I missed the nonverbal communication of in-person tutoring. I could see and hear the students, but I felt something was missing. That’s no longer true. I’ve adapted and now believe online tutoring is a great way to teach children. The children not only receive academic support, but they also have an opportunity to develop their computer skills. Most homeless children would not have this opportunity without the School on Wheels online tutoring program.
Ian Chan, Digital Learning Coordinator