Driving down 16th street on a Tuesday afternoon, my thoughts turn to my upcoming meeting with Ale, who I mentor for Kids Hope. Will she have her homework done so we have time to play a game? What stories will she tell me about her past week? Is she remembering to read every night in hopes of improving her reading skills? But the overall thought is, “Boy, am I glad I take the time to do this!”
Arriving at Vanderbilt Academy I proceed to the office where I pick up my Kids Hope badge and then up the stairs to meet Ale in her 4th grade classroom. First I see the smile and then get a hug as she comes through the door with her notebook in hand.
We find a place to meet, sit down and start conversing. I love hearing about her family get-togethers, her 3-year-old brother, and of course how her
progress in school is going. If there’s homework she does that first, followed by her reading a message from her “special friend” (Ann Anderson) and writing one back.
Then it’s game time! Ale asks to pick it out and off she heads to the Kids Hope closet. In it she finds books, cards, arts and craft supplies, puzzles and games. She picks one of my favorites, Scrabble, and brings it to the table where we play our own version of the game by turning all the letters upright and then seeing how many words we can spell. Even though it it’s a game she is learning spelling and by adding up our score she is using her math skills.
Sometimes we have time for another game but if not, it’s a hug between us and Ale heads back to the classroom with a smile and the assurance that someone cares enough to take the time to be with her, help her and care deeply for how she is doing. Thank God for the Kids Hope Program!
~Vicki Rumpsa, Kids Hope mentor