The Voice of Experience keeps you up-to-date on Experience Corps events and announcements, introduces you to our members, and provides news and research on the positive effects of community service.
MEMBER PROFILE
Still Forming Bonds
Raul Castaneda, classroom aide turned Experience Corps member (and award winner), San Francisco
I joined Experience Corps because: When I retired years ago, I was looking for something to do. I saw an Experience Corps flyer at the library, and I called the organization. It's been a great experience working in the schools because I'm a bilingual tutor.
The best part of being an Experience Corps member is : The immediate result I see every day when I work with the children one-on-one.
I like to tell the story about: I have a student this year from Mexico. This last year I've been working with her one-on-one for 45 minutes every day, and she's more open and has friends. Also, last year, I worked with a third-grade boy. He had to go back to Mexico, and I visited him, bringing him letters from his old classmates. I want to visit him every year.
I'm sticking with Experience Corps because: I've learned the last three years that a strong base in elementary school is important for moving from elementary to middle school -- you have to have a strong curriculum.
Experience Corps is hosted in by Greater Cleveland Volunteers. The program engages adults 55+ to tutor elementary school students one-on-one and in small groups, helping them to develop fundamental literacy skills so they can succeed in school and in life.
The mission of Greater Cleveland Volunteers is to improve lives and strengthen the Greater Cleveland community through volunteerism and service. Volunteer tutors are trained prior to starting in the school and then throughout the school year by Experience Corps staff. The students in the program benefit not only from the one-on-one academic assistance, but also from the mentoring relationship that develops between themselves and the volunteers. Experience Corps members benefit from this caring relationship and from being able to share their love of reading and wider life experiences with children in need.
Experience Corps in Cleveland
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Debra Kay, Project Director Greater Cleveland Volunteers 216-391-9500 x 119 dkay@ greaterclevelandvolunteers.org
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"In the 21st century, the best anti-poverty program around is a world-class education. And in this country, the success of our children cannot depend more on where they live than on their potential."
-President Obama, "State of the Union," January 27, 2010
"Together, we can continue our commitment to education innovation by investing in Experience Corps, a program that helps elementary students by increasing the number of older adult tutors and mentors in the classroom. Independent research shows that Experience Corps works: Third-grade reading and math scores are rising and students feel safer at school."
-Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, State of the City Speech, February 22, 2010
Experience Corps is hosted in by Greater Cleveland Volunteers. The program engages adults 55+ to tutor elementary school students one-on-one and in small groups, helping them to develop fundamental literacy skills so they can succeed in school and in life.
