March 2015 Volunteer Spotlight —
Tamara (and Sarah) Engle
What volunteer opportunities do you
do?
On
a weekly basis, I come in to read with my daughter's second grade class, help
in the cafeteria and usually check out the PTO copy box for the teachers. I
also am the chairperson for the Box Tops for Education/Labels for Education
program and chairperson for Carnival Concessions and generally will help
however is needed!!!
What motivates you to volunteer in
the school?
It
all began when my son was in fourth grade and I kept hearing names of kids but
couldn't put a face with the name! So on the days my daughter was in
kindergarten, I would strap my littlest one on my back and off we would go
to clean cafeteria tables and open pesky packages. I was able to connect faces
with names and have a midday check in on both my kids once a week! I quickly
realized, I loved getting to see ALL the kids, not just my own! Some of
these guys just need a little hug or a "How is your week
going?" to make their little faces light up! It really is more than
opening a mustard packet for a funny girl to put on her peanut butter sandwich;
it is all about interacting with them!
Tell about an experience you had
while volunteering that made you realize you were making a difference.
Where
do I begin?? One of my favorites was the weekly updates from one
little girl on her momma's baby growing inside her tummy. She was so
excited to share it and truly bubbled with joy every week as she gave me
updates!! It was so fun when I heard her say that the baby was here. You
could tell she was so proud to be a big sis!! Another was last year as the
teachers were learning that Blizzard Bags were approved, I was in the office on
my normal routine - PTO copy box and lunchroom volunteer. That day I think I
went thru an entire BOX of paper. These teachers who love on our babies every
single day were totally overwhelmed with the added responsibility of prepping
for the what if scenario. If I can take one thing off their plate so
they can focus on the needs of their 20-something students, I am more than happy
to do what is needed!!
Have you seen an impact on your
child(ren) because you volunteer in the school?
My
second grader LOVES to know it is my lunch day. Her routine is based so much
on knowing I am there every Thursday that recently she almost missed
the bus because I volunteered in the cafeteria on a day that I usually
don't! She remembered me being there at lunch and with all the snow days, her
internal calendar was all off and she admitted to waiting out front momentarily
for me to pick her up then realized -- oops! It isn't today and ran over to
catch the bus!! She loves to have her little sis sit with her at lunch and be
the big sis!! As for the impact on my youngest (just turned three)...well, she
is incredibly comfortable at school. She knows when we are getting
ready to go to school she needs her lunch and backpack/busy bag! She loves
going to "Anna's school.”
What would you tell someone that is
thinking about volunteering in the school?
I
would encourage everyone to find a place to volunteer. You don't have to be a
stay at home mom to volunteer to help with many of the needs. You don't
even have to volunteer weekly, just find a need and fill it. If you never
try, how will you know if it fits your schedule or not! I promise, it
will fulfill a need in your parenting heart that you didn't even realize
was there. When I am at school, I see so much more than traditional
subjects being taught. I love seeing our teachers invest
wholeheartedly in our kids. If you aren't there to witness their
devotion, it is hard to have full appreciation for all the labors of
love that are poured out year round for all the students at PCE!!
