How long have you been a part of or volunteering at The GreenHouse and with what programs?
I started volunteering at the GreenHouse in 2009 during special events and then became a Study Buddy for the Evergreen Program.
Words to live by (personal quote or advice for living the good life)
Living well has to do with breathing. The in-breath is our work and all our doing and giving. The out-breath is stopping to listen to God and to re-center our souls on Him.
In a nutshell, describe your career path since high school.
After high school I worked in the high and mighty world of schlepping golf balls at Shoreline golf course in Mountain View, CA. During college I worked an array of jobs, from coaching junior high soccer teams to painting homes, and teaching English during summer school. Upon graduating, I was hired to teach high school Spanish at a private school in Vacaville, where I taught for one year before going into the Peace Corps in Paraguay, South America. As a Peace Corps volunteer I spent two years teaching future teachers at a teacher training college, mostly focusing on interactive teaching methods and how to use phonics. After returning from the PC, I began working, again, as a high school Spanish teacher in Fair Oaks, which is where I have been investing my time for the last year and a half.
What made you decide to volunteer at The GreenHouse Center?
I have been involved with The GreenHouse in some capacity for the last several years-helping out with special events, translating documents, etc. Last year I decided it would be great to volunteer my time once a week to get to know the students better and see if I could support them in their academics. I also decided to mentor a fifth grade boy, which was a great decision and blessed me in new and different ways. (Also, my wife works at The GreenHouse, so there's an added bonus of getting to share in her
work and see her on Mondays!)
Describe a day in your life as a volunteer at The GreenHouse.
I arrive at The GH around 3:30 on Mondays, the kids are usually jumping rope, sweeping leaves (a recently discovered and much loved activity), coloring, asking for snack, or playing board games. I come in, grab my name tag, and have about 10 minutes to
greet students and ask them about their day before announcements begin. When it's time to clean up, I help the students find a spot to sit and plunk myself down with them at a table to hear about the goings-on of The GH. After announcements, I grab 4 folders (for Alex, Oscar, Pavel and Nazar-5th & 6th grade boys) and either head upstairs for fluency practice or stay downstairs where we do a timed math practice. After we've finished both math and fluency, it's time to get started on homework! It can take a while for the boys to get focused, but once they do, they can be very hard workers. This is my favorite part of the day, when I can answer questions, encourage critical thinking, explain a difficult concept, and really connect with the students. We mix a little fun and teasing into our studying to keep things light, and it's really great to see the kids finish all of their work and feel proud of themselves. At 5:30 we clean up, doll out points for the day, and say our good-byes. I enjoy watching the students leave a little lighter in their work load and able to go home to rest and just be kids!
When you’re not volunteering, what do you do? What extracurricular activities are you involved in?
In my free time I enjoy riding my bike, writing, catching up with friends, playing fantasy football, and using my hands to do something productive!
Describe what you do in just three words.
Smile, listen, stay
What do you love about your job?
I love the moment when I can see that a student makes a connection with a foreign language (in this case, Spanish). If my students can leave with a really good feeling about learning Spanish, then I've done my job. I also really appreciate that I don't start work until 10:45am, allowing me time in the morning to drink some coffee and ride my bike to school.
In three sentences or less, convince someone that The GreenHouse is a great place to volunteer.
The GreenHouse lives up to its name. In that warmth and protection, young people grow and put down roots, and volunteers receive life and peace from being among them. The volunteer waters and waits, and there is satisfaction and power in the waiting.
What do you know now that you wish you knew when you were younger?
I know now that every moment we live has power and beauty, if we live fully into the present. I wish I knew that through high school and in the midst of all my insecurities.
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