Being relatively new to Los Angeles, it had been recommended to me that I join Meetup.com to find others in my area with similar interests. I did just that, and am so glad I did, as it has led me to this amazing organization, Reading to Kids!
I was a bit nervous and unsure
of what to expect prior to my first adventure at Alta Loma Elementary. Upon
arrival, I found myself pleasantly surprised by the number of fellow
volunteers, enthusiasm, positive vibes, and organization. Check-in was a
breeze, and there were even some yummy bagels to help settle any nerves. The
new volunteer orientation provided all of the necessary info and answered every
question. I was feeling confident before I even saw a child!
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| At our November Reading Club we gave away college spirit items, like these cute UCLA Bears! |
The third grade was a personal
favorite of mine, as it was the year I was finally in the same class as my best
friend, got my first puppy, and started writing short stories. Needless to say,
I was pretty pleased when I discovered that I had been assigned to read to
third graders at Alta Loma. I had purposely not specified a grade when
registering, as I wanted to be flexible and available wherever the need was
greatest, but I took this pairing as a sign that it was exactly where I was
meant to be. Our third grade coordinator matched readers and we introduced ourselves
to our partners. He also provided guidelines about what to discuss with the
kids when reading our book, and ideas for our arts and crafts time.
Minutes later, we were outside
with more than a hundred kids who were shrieking with excitement. My reading
partner, Ed, and I marched our kids into the assigned class room and settled
right in. We took turns reading our book, which was not a typical story by any
means. It was called The Math Curse, and was full of more math problems
than narrative. Not a math whiz myself, I feared the kids would lose interest
quickly. They proved me wrong, remaining engaged and eager to solve the math
curse with every page we turned.
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| Crafts from our November Reading Club |
At the conclusion of the story,
our happy little group set out to make our own clocks out of paper plates,
crayons, and construction paper. The kids loved it, got super creative, and it
provided us with a nice time to chat as we worked. Ed and I got educated about
the typical life of a third grader, learning everything from what time they
wake up in the morning, to what their favorite school lunch is, to recent
movies they had seen. But the best part was the genuine excitement that poured
out from each child when they collected their own book to take home and add to
their collection - they all truly love reading.
Thinking back on my Saturday
morning at Alta Loma, I can't imagine a better first experience for a newcomer.
I have already recommended this program to friends of mine. and I cannot wait
to get back and read with this great group of kids. It may just be possible
that I had more fun than they did- it really was my favorite Saturday morning
in Los Angeles!
-Nicole DiCiccio, Volunteer
If you are interested in sharing your experience with Reading to Kids on our blog please email us at info@readingtokids.org
