 A Reason For Retirement
June 2002 After working with Pepe for two months, Michael increased their sessions to twice a week because Pepe needed more help. During their sessions, they read Dr. Seuss books and items in the children’s section of the LA Times. The more Michael got to know Pepe, the more involved he became with Pepe’s family. They have invited him to birthday parties. Michael helped Pepe’s 10-year old sister, Myra, apply for the Big Sisters program, and she is now matched with a Big Sister. Michael also attended children’s court with the family to support Pepe’s grandmother at the custody hearing. Pepe’s grandmother refers to Michael as an “angel” for all of his help. People are often amazed that Michael has become so involved with Pepe. To which he responds, “I’m getting as much out of this as he is, maybe more!”
How One Volunteer Continues To Make A Big Difference May 2001 It began last year when Kay started reading with Adrian. He was a fifth-grader at Welby Way and was having difficulties with reading. This was an important year for Adrian because he would soon be moving onto middle school. Together, Kay and Adrian worked on pronouncing words correctly, finding books of interest, and playing word games. More importantly though, Kay was a good friend to Adrian. At the conclusion of Kay and Adrian’s year together, Adrian’s 19-year-old sister Alina was impressed with her little brother’s improvement. “I really noticed that he had more confidence in his reading,” says Alina. In fact, Alina was so impressed with her brother’s improvement and experience with The Wonder of Reading that she signed up to become a volunteer herself! Alina wanted to help children the way Kay had helped her brother. “If you have time to hang out with your friends, you should have time to volunteer,” says Alina. “I don’t mind giving up an hour of my time to do this. I find it to be interesting.” But Kay’s influence doesn’t stop there. Adrian says that when he grows up he too hopes to become a volunteer, “I’d want to help younger children so they can succeed in life.” This story offers a simple lesson, but one that should not be forgotten. When people reach out and help others, it can create a circle of good deeds—a circle that has no end!
When Reading Isn't Fun January 2001 “When I can’t read a word, I sometimes start to cry because all the kids in class start yelling out the word,” says Lindsay, as she looks down at her hands. Christian says, “I feel shy when I have to read because I feel like everyone thinks I’m stupid.” And Denise adds, “I get embarrassed because I like some boys in my class, and when I mess up a word they laugh at me.” The three admit that they are well below their grade’s reading level and that they desperately want to get better. “The teacher doesn’t have time to be helping us. She has to be helping the whole class,” says Christian, who has to compete with 26 other students for individual attention. When these students heard about The Wonder of Reading volunteers, they knew that this was their last chance to improve their reading before moving onto the much more demanding middle school curriculum. “I was raising my hand for a volunteer because I needed the help,” says Denise. That volunteer was Adolf Hirsch, an 82 year-old Jewish refugee who escaped Nazi Germany before WWII erupted. He decided to read with not just one of these students, but all three! Wearing a patient smile and speaking with a thick German accent, Adolf set out to help these kids. Every Wednesday morning, Adolf comes to the school with a briefcase full of materials—word games, activity sheets from an educational bookstore, and a collection of public library books. “This one is for Lindsay,” he says, holding up a book with especially large print. “She needs glasses.” Adolf’s most effective reading items can’t be found in his briefcase. The ones that work best are simple kindness and the one-on-one attention he offers. “He takes time with you. He listens,” says Denise. With Adolf, the students don’t feel embarrassed when they miss a word. They don’t get laughed at or feel shy. And they don’t feel stupid. When asked if their reading has improved with Adolf’s help, they all nod their heads emphatically, “Yeah! Very much so!” Lindsay tries to find the right words to describe her friend and mentor. “Mr. Hirsch wants to make sure that every child can have a chance to be excited about a book,” she finally says. And with the patience and understanding of this special volunteer, Lindsay, Denise, and Christian are beginning to discover that the experience of reading doesn’t have to feel bad. In fact, it can be a most wonderful and pleasant journey.
Reading Leads To A Long Friendship December 1998 Three and a half years ago Zuilma and her family moved to Los Angeles from Mexico. “It was sorta tough,” Zuilma says of the move. It was difficult because Zuilma was not only in a new country—far from her friends and other family members—but she also could not speak English. Zuilma says, “The teacher’d say take out your math books and I’d take out something else. It was strange. I made lots of mistakes.” Besides difficulties in the classroom, Zuilma remembers her fear of the other students because she couldn’t understand them. “I’d just run away,” she says. One of her worst memories was walking into the boy’s bathroom by mistake because she could not read the sign. At just six-years old, Zuilma felt all alone and alienated in a new school. It was only a few weeks later that Zuilma met the ally she so badly needed—a person who not only spoke fluent Spanish, but who was also from Mexico and understood how the young girl felt. That ally was Rosario Bernal, a Wonder of Reading volunteer. Rosario wanted the opportunity to give a child something she never had: “Someone telling me I could be anything I wanted to be.” Rosario grew up in Tijuana with ten brothers and sisters. Since her father did not see education as a priority, Rosario’s schooling was often interrupted by family demands. When Rosario first met Zuilma she was surprised by how much the little girl reminded her of herself as a child—the shyness and lack of confidence, but also the hidden hunger for knowledge. The two began reading together every week. Rosario was always pushing Zuilma to read the more difficult books. Eventually, Rosario suggested that they read books in English. Before long they were having conversations in English. Now, three and a half years later, the shy little girl who could not understand English is gone. With passion, she reads Charlotte’s Web aloud, answering all of Rosario’s tough questions about the book. Through a sneaky smile Zuilma admits, “I’ve already read it about ten times.” |
