Ames Morning Rotary at Edwards School
by Jane Acker

During the 2008-09 school year, Ames Morning Rotarians will volunteer regularly in kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade classrooms at Edwards elementary school. Rotary volunteers will work in the same classroom each visit, for approximately 30-40 minutes each time, and each volunteer will participate on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. They’ll wear Rotary ID badges each time they visit the school. Volunteers will perform activities designated by the classroom teacher, primarily working with individual students or small groups. Additionally, other volunteers may assist with special activities, such as clean-up days or field trips. As of mid-September, 28 club members had expressed an interest in volunteering.

Our club has two principle goals for this activity:

• Providing support for classroom teachers in helping each child learn to the best of his or her ability
• Providing Rotarians with a meaningful volunteer opportunity which increases collegiality among members, enhances identification with the goals of Rotary, particularly those concerning early childhood literacy and education, and fosters ownership in Ames schools

All volunteers must complete a background check before they may begin at Edwards. Once the check has been cleared, an orientation to Edwards will be provided and a schedule determined. The first orientation session will take place at Edwards on October 10, 2007, preceding the regular club meeting which will be held there in the media center. Feedback will be collected on a regular basis from Rotary volunteers and Edwards staff to ensure that we are successful in meeting our goals.

Article Updated: September 13, 2008