Each quarter, Project MARS/AmeriCorps collects “Great Stories” from its members in which they reflect on their experiences mentoring in the classroom and the progress they see students making. In this month’s story, Cam Ormond notes how a steady presence makes a big difference in a child’s life.
In Afterschool, I get to read with a few of the students, and I love doing that – helping them understand the story better and understanding a word, or sounding out a word. For the first few months, I have learned how much “showing up” and “being present” can do for a child. I love those moments. Something that really shows up is something a fourth-year Project MARS member has mentioned – the first hug or first hello that a child experiences for that week. Receiving those “Hi Ms. Cam, bye, Ms. Cam” or hugs expresses my impact.
