Glass beakers knocked over, spilling solutions of water, vinegar, and baking soda across the tabletops. The half-heartedly scribbled-on worksheets numbered with (mostly ignored) instructions were soaked. The smell clung to the insides of my nostrils. Heavy with the musty odor…
Big Brothers Big Sisters of WNC
Older kids mentor younger ones over this surprise Project MARS activity
Some of the students at our after-school program have poor feelings like, why can’t I go home, where are my parents, I feel unimportant. My first day back in our after-school program after winter break was relatively warm, comfortable enough…
A ‘tense’ boy opens to friends thru D&D, Project MARS member says
When I first started playing Dungeons and Dragons in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, I thought of it as a fun way to reconnect with friends during a period of extreme isolation. Four years later, I never would’ve expected…
Project MARS member: Showing up is often enough, even when challenged
Before I started a service term with Project MARS, I’d had lots of experience working with younger children. Mentoring, and academically supporting middle schoolers made me a little nervous. After Hurricane Helene, it was expected that students would show up…
Discovering how an autistic child wants to be taught reaps rewards
“In my school there is a third-grade student on the autism spectrum who has difficulty staying focused in class. He gets easily upset when others try to give him instruction or assistance, and it has been challenging to communicate with…
