Volunteer Stories

We incorporate our volunteer stories throughout our website. Here are more stories of our talented and
​dedicated volunteers who are making a real difference with students throughout the school year.

Jessie Wilson

Jessie Wilson’s lifelong passion for education and equity has resulted in a personal and professional commitment to support young Ravenswood students in need. Several years ago, when Jessie began tutoring in a 4th grade classroom, she was asked to work with a student named Leo. While many students in low-income communities struggle through school, few had to endure circumstances as difficult as Leo’s. The teacher explained that Leo was selectively mute—he did not talk at school or participate in class.

Jessie spent time talking with Leo but she received no answers, eye contact, or response. This went on for several tutoring sessions. Jessie decided to try a different tactic…humor. She began asking Leo questions, and when he didn’t talk back, she would pretend to answer for him with a silly response. It worked! Leo made eye contact and smiled at her.

Soon after, Jessie asked Leo where in the world he would like to go. To Jessie’s great surprise, Leo smiled and whispered, “France.” Why France?! After asking Leo more questions, he shyly said, “I like European military history.”
​
Jessie was exceptionally committed to supporting Leo’s academic engagement, and continued working with him every week. She would print articles about historical battles and Leo would read them to her. Their relationship grew and so did his reading skills, engagement in learning, and confidence. He began to speak up in class and participate more. Leo even made his first friend!

Jessie continued working with Leo throughout his 5th grade year. At the end-of-year school play, Leo not only had a speaking part, but he shined on stage. With tears in her eyes, Jessie proudly and enthusiastically cheered for Leo. "Because of the individualized RCP support that Leo received," said Jessie, "his life dramatically changed for the better."

Kathy Kau

Kathy is a classroom volunteer and Site Director for Belle Haven School who has taken her RCP volunteering far beyond tutoring. Kathy helped to organize the first ever free book fair at Willow Oaks, marshalling other RCP volunteers in the effort to collect and organize donated books so that each student was able to take home and keep 5 books. When the 2020 spring book fair was cancelled due to the pandemic, she roped in several volunteers to select grade-appropriate donated books so every teacher on campus could send home books to each of their students.

Kathy was also been on campus helping to organize Chromebooks to go home to students for remote learning as well as packing up teacher classrooms and common spaces as part of the school’s move to the Belle Haven campus. This year, she has been supporting volunteers as they return to classrooms and start high-dosage literacy tutoring.

Raji Pillai

Raji was in her third year of volunteering when she participated in RCP's virtual tutoring pilot program in the summer of 2020 and then tutored online during the 2020-21 school year.

​"I have enjoyed the online tutoring format, and the focused, one-on-one time with a single student. I had a rewarding experience this summer doing online tutoring with Maria, a rising 4th grader. We have been reading an e-version of Charlotte's Web and each session we look forward to continuing where we left off in the story. ​I keep track of the new words she encounters each week, and we start the next session by reviewing together," she says.

"It's been a joy reading with an inquisitive student, hearing her expressive reading, and seeing her progress. I am looking forward to continuing as a tutor next year."

Kathryn and Kevin Kranen

Kevin and Kathryn Kranen have a passion for education and supporting efforts aimed at closing the achievement gap among elementary school students. They supported a 5th grade teacher together for four years. A unique husband and wife team, Kevin and Kathryn supported students in the same classroom for two hours every Wednesday and Thursday during the school year, working with students in small groups of two to three at a time.

Kathryn shared what the volunteering has been like for her. "It’s about having a relationship with the kids and helping them achieve their potential. This is the most joyful hour in my week. It is an incredible change of pace and so rewarding.”
​
Kevin gets to know a bit about his students’ lives. “The kids like to share their personal stories.” He ties together elements from their lives with the stories they are reading to help the students make deeper connections. Kevin has started his fifth year volunteering with RCP.

​

Jesse Ladomirak
​Bob Fletcher and Sylvia Seibert

RCP volunteer Jesse Ladomirak volunteers with her father Bob Fletcher and her mother-in-law Sylvia Seibert. She remembers one student who visibly benefitted from having a consistent volunteer work with him every week.

“He had a hearing issue identified really late and had recent surgery. It was hard to understand what he was saying and you had pay close attention and ask him to speak louder, slowly.” This student was assigned to read alphabet books at the beginning of the year, but once Jesse spent a month with the student she decided to bring books she used with other students at a higher level. They discovered he could read. Jesse worked with him patiently and steadily that year. “Within months, he progressed. He became confident. His demeanor changed. I don’t think that could’ve happened if the student didn’t have the same volunteer every week to help.” 

Amy Bonforte

Amy Bonforte has been volunteering at Belle Haven School since 2016 and by the end of her first year, she expanded her reach beyond her assigned classroom to the entire school. Amy worked with the San Francisco Public Library Redistribution Program and The Children's Book Project to hand select about 1,000 books - providing at least one for every student at Belle Haven School. A win-win as the books selected would have been recycled had they not been taken. 
 
Amy didn't stop there. The following year, just before the winter and summer breaks, she set up a "bookstore" at Belle Haven to supply students with donated books to read over the school breaks. Now, Amy has set up a permanent book cart. The "grab and go" cart allows students to pick new books whenever they want. Each week, Amy can be found organizing and refreshing the popular bookstore on wheels!

Amy also joined RCP's virtual tutoring program during the pandemic and has now returned to tutoring on campus where she's excited to continue her work getting books into the hands of students.

Karl Clausing

Karl began volunteering with Ravenswood Classroom Partners in his retirement because he was interested in giving back in the local community and the hands-on nature of tutoring students had appeal.

Karl enjoys having dedicated time with each student he is assigned. “I think working one-on-one with students is the most rewarding since it enables me to get to know them. As we walk to our quiet reading spot, I have a chance to hear stories about their life.” 

Beyond tutoring students, Karl supports his classroom teacher in other ways. For example, Karl has been on several field trips with his class and helped his teacher move classrooms this summer. “The move was a good time to connect with my teacher in a more relaxed setting outside of class hours.”

​Karl says his work with students is rewarding and makes a difference. “Volunteering with Ravenswood Classroom Partners is a very good opportunity to give back to a community of students that can benefit from your support. You get a lot bang for the time you invest.”