Sometimes VU has the wonderful opportunity to hear from students who participated in the early days of the program. At that time, it was a bit different in structure and served older students, but the goal of helping students succeed in school and life was the foundation then as it is…
We recently added something new at VU–Story Time. The kids gathered round, sitting on their carpet squares, to listen to two volunteers each read a story. We received a wonderful gift of some classic children’s books from the ’50s, ’60s an ’70s. Because they were too fragile for the kids to handle,…
We are getting close to our reading goal and our fabulous ice cream party! The kids have finished 224 of the 360 reading units–that means only 136 to go. As soon as they reach the top, it will be party time and that ice cream will taste so good!!! We…
Before too much more time elapses in 2017, we at VU want to take a moment to reflect on a momentous 2016—a year of change. In early summer, Barbara Sorenson, VU’s president and fearless leader since 2006, decided it was time for a well-deserved break and retired from VU. Her…
On the last day of homework assistance for 2016, VU students received a holiday gift bag. By far the favorite item was the personally selected book that each child found inside! Thanks to a fundraising effort by volunteer Alicia Bowen (far left in photo), VU president Andrea Ciecierski was able…
When I check students in at VU’s homework program, I am able to meet the parents as they drop their children off. Although I don’t speak Spanish (many of our volunteers do) and many of the parents do not speak English, it’s still easy to communicate with a smile and a personalized greeting that their…
It was a great summer, but now it’s time for books, pencils, flashcards, and so much more! Two days in and we have registered all the kids from last year and seen most of their smiling faces. And our volunteer pool is so strong: we have our beloved veterans returning…
Wondering what other wonderful fun we had at VU summer camp? The reptiles were a favorite of mine. Thanks Reptiles Alive! LLC for a great presentation. The kids loved it. Some of the volunteers may have been less than thrilled, but they didn’t let it show. We all learned a…
The first two weeks of August were the best of the summer! A curious and lively group of 17 students attended VU summer camp this year, and we kept them busy! Check out the photos to see some of our activities: we learned about world geography, built a bridge in a STEM…
So many wonderful things happen at the VU homework program, some big and some small. The primary goal, of course, is to help the kids do their homework and practice reading and math skills, but there’s so much more. We help them clean up and organize their messy backpacks and homework…
