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Soon after graduating from college, I (Marilyn) spent a year as a substitute teacher in Houston ISD. One morning with a class of 2nd graders was particularly memorable for me:
It was a two-week assignment, so I had gotten to know the students a bit. Philip was generally respectful but would always complain when we'd start our math lesson each day.
That morning, I decided to give Philip some one-on-one attention. As the rest of the class left for lunch, I asked Philip to stay behind. I asked him to pull out his math homework which he did reluctantly, and we started going through the first problem. I could see him struggling, losing focus, not wanting to be there - but we kept going: "You can do it, Philip!" I'll never forget the look of disbelief, relief, and pride in his eyes when he finally solved the problem! We exchanged exuberant high-fives, and Philip ran off to lunch with a gleaming grin on his face.
I can't help but smile when I think about that simple success with Philip that day.
Volunteers from Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church have experienced beautiful success stories like this one for the past 24 years! That's how long MDPC has been serving with the HUG tutoring program at Housman Elementary.
As much as they want to be involved, many of the Housman parents don't have the time or resources needed to help their children academically and are so appreciative when others come alongside their families to serve. For a volunteer, it means 30-60 minutes a week of tutoring a 2nd grader in math or reading. But it's so much more than that for each child in the HUG program. Having a weekly tutor means that he has access to one-on-one support and the extra resources he needs to flourish. How affirming and empowering to know that someone believes in him, sets aside time just for him each week, and isn't giving up on him. What a beautiful reflection of Jesus' faithful love for us.
MDPC, thank you for loving your neighbors in such a simple but tangible way. Watch the beautiful story here:
Ready to love students and staff at your local school? Let us know! Know of another church-school partnership in Greater Houston that we can celebrate? Let us know!
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Learning Community Part 2!
On April 15, we convened our second Learning Community made up of church and school leaders from districts across Greater Houston. These leaders shared great ideas about Mentoring, Engaging Parents, Appreciating Teachers, and Recruiting & Retaining Volunteers. Want to share and learn with other local partnership leaders? Email Mike for details. One common theme rang true: our schools want more volunteers!
As you think about your plans for the Summer and for the upcoming school year, would you consider serving a local school? Your faithful partnership can make a lasting impact on neighborhood kids today and on your community for years to come.
Click here to read about the challenging Summer Slide for many of our Houston-area kids. Click here for more information about how to start a partnership.
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