Ms. Lori is among the many great volunteers at School 22 in Rochester, giving about 2 hours every week to help several second-graders, and one third-grader, 1-on-1 with their reading.
The problem: Other students in the class come up to her. “Can you help me today?” they ask. She doesn’t have time to work 1-on-1 with everyone.
If only there were enough volunteers. Certainly many people aren’t available between 8 am and 4:15 pm (the school day and the after-school program time). But there may be false ideas that get in the way.
Adults may fear that they have to have a teaching background. They don’t.
They might think they need a lot of free time to help. But there are unfilled needs that are just 45 minutes a week.
They might wonder what it’s really like. So I’ve created a 2-minute video showing Ms. Lori’s experience at School 22.
To watch the video, click here.
To learn more about this community-school partnership, click here.
Chris Swingle Farnum is based in Rochester, NY.
Chris Swingle Farnum, writer/editor 
Update: The school year is ending. But volunteers are needed for a summer reading camp for students in grades K-2 from School 22. Can you spare a few mornings between July 7 and Aug. 1, 2014? Experience suggests you’ll get out of it at least as much as you give. See http://www.rochesterunitarian.org/UUS_Summer_flyer.pdf, then contact my friend Vicki with any questions.