NOT FOUND: pac pride student leadership1.jpgDonovan Dollesin and Lisa Elston probably don't realize it, but they're helping Laura Callaghan be a better teacher.
The Pacific High School students are mentors at F.C. Joyce Elementary where Callaghan works. Every Wednesday they're at the school helping out in the classroom. Dollesin grades papers while Elston keeps a close eye on the second graders.
"It helps me be a better teacher when I get some help with paperwork in my classroom because we're inundated with paperwork," says Callaghan. "I'm telling you it saves me hours. Then I can give more time to my kids. It's wonderful."
Dollesin, a junior, and Elston, a senior, are part of the Pac-Pride Student Leadership Team that adopted Joyce as part of their community service project. More than 20 students are involved.
NOT FOUND: pac pride student leadership2.jpg"It feels good helping teachers and students," says Dollesin. "It's just like being a teaching assistant. I correct the students' work. I was a little freaked out before we started because I didn't know whether I would be dealing with kids with a lot of issues. But I like it. I'm learning how to work with kids more."
The Pac-Pride Student Leadership Team is new and is committed to do all it can to support classroom instruction at Joyce, and promote a positive and respectful environment at school and in the community.
"It's going well," says Pacific English teacher Suzie Dollesin. "The goal is to allow the students to see things from a different perspective. As students in the classroom they're always looking at things from their perspective. Working with younger students and teachers is new and they get a chance to watch how others deal with struggles in school."
Callaghan has 24 students so there's plenty for the Pac-Pride mentors to do. Sometimes, it's just a matter of sitting next to a student who can't seem to sit still and focus on classroom assignments. Other times it's helping a student who's having a hard time understanding English.
"I really like working with the kids and helping out," says Elston. "But it's not for everyone. Some people are not good with kids. For me it's great and I think more high school kids should try this."
Callaghan would be the first to welcome them with open arms.
"I'd never turn away a volunteer," says a smiling Callaghan. "When I have them in my class I have more one-on-one time for the kids and it also helps me in terms of running the classroom more efficiently."