SENIORS REACH OUT TO STUDENTS; ONE-ON-ONE ATTENTION IS STRENGTH

Gwen Schild praised Franklin Elementary School first-grader Cecil Quinn after he finished reading his book. Beaming with pride, the youngster was anxious to begin reading the next.

Schild is among a handful of senior citizens volunteering in Cape Girardeau public schools. That one-on-one interaction between senior citizens and children is a goal of the school district's new program.

Officials kicked off a promotion to bring seniors into the classroom in November. Since then retired people have begun to respond.

The volunteers are coordinated through the Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP).

Currently, three RSVP volunteers are working at Franklin, one at Washington, and one at Alma Schrader schools.

"Basically, the schools are just one of our stations," said RSVP Director Ellie Knight. "The school did a recruitment program. We do the training and placement."

Schild, retired after teaching 23 years at Jefferson Elementary, decided she could spend an hour each week helping children learn to read.

"I'm really enjoying retirement," Schild said. "I don't know how I ever had time to teach. But I felt this was one thing I could do to help in education."

Once a week she listens to the youngsters read. "I also give them a little TLC," she said. "And it gives them that one-on-one experience that is very important to the kids."

Franklin Elementary reading teacher Ruth Kasten utilizes senior volunteers in her program.

"I have a goal that each child will read seven books," Kasten said.

But with as many as 10 children in her remedial reading classes, Kasten doesn't always have time to sit down one-on-one with a child and listen to him read.

Kasten said reading aloud is critical for beginning readers, especially those having trouble.

"Children need that attention and they need that modeling," Kasten said. "A lot of mom and dads don't have time to listen."

She wishes that more men would volunteer.

"I know there are more people out there who are interested and have the time," Kasten said. "We can really use the help."

Cape Girardeau Board of Education member Gwen Bennett, who helped initiate the program, said, "This is an exciting example of school and community working together. Together we can all be better."

She said the nice thing about the senior volunteer program is that it is personal. "It's reaching the point of service where adult meets child and learning takes place. Learning and sharing and caring is a two-way street."

Knight said, "As a former teacher, I know I would have loved to have some extra hands. And seniors have so much richness they can bring to the children. Sometimes they just go in and tell their experiences from their own lives."

The RSVP program has been active in Cape Girardeau County about a year. It has been operating in Scott County for 18 years. The Area Agency on Aging sponsors the Cape Girardeau program.

A variety of different non-profit organizations recruit volunteers through the program.

"We find the right volunteer for the right place," Knight said. "The placements are tailor made to the volunteers. They pick and choose how much time they want to give and when they want to give it."

RSVP also makes sure the agency or organization has a legitimate need and wants a volunteer.

In turn, Knight said, "We make sure skills and talents are accessible to non-profit agencies. If you have got a talent, we have a place that talent is needed."

The only requirement is that volunteers be 60 years of age or older.

"Working with the seniors has really been exciting," Knight said. "And they have so many skills. It seems a waste not to tap into those resources."

For more information about volunteering, call the Cape Girardeau RSVP office at 335-7555 or come to the office inside the Gibson Center at 1112 Linden.