Zach Maurin-2
Zach Maurin was a restless teenager, hungry to do something different and to put his energy behind a purpose. He knew college was important, but he also knew it had to wait. He found a position with AmeriCorps in Boston, tutoring in an after-school program with far more children who needed academic support than tutors to provide it.
One of his students was Henry, who was trying to graduate from eighth grade. For a year, Zach worked with Henry three times a week, helping to transform his C and D grades into As and Bs. Zach provided homework help, test prep, and whatever else was needed, and Henry succeeded in moving on to high school.
However, Zach was left with a combination of satisfaction and frustration – satisfaction for Henry, but frustration because many students do not have access to the support they need to succeed, support that could be provided by volunteers.
Zach’s experience led him to co-found ServeNext – an organization dedicated to creating powerful grassroots advocacy nationwide that pushes leaders to make service and volunteerism a priority. ServeNext selects, trains, and supports local leaders around the country to mobilize permanent grassroots networks of service supporters and stakeholders. Network members include recipients of service, AmeriCorps alumni, program staff, educators who use service-learning, Senior Corps participants and many others passionate about service.
Richard Goldsmith
Twenty years ago, a modest plumbing supply salesman with an enormous heart read a newspaper article that named Parklane Elementary “the neediest” school in Fulton County, GA. This young salesman, whose name was Richard Goldsmith, decided to drive to the school and meet with the Principal. He asked the Principal what he believed the children needed most. The Principal said that, more than anything, the children needed attention from caring adults.
Richard agreed to return with friends the next Saturday morning; they found an astounding 75 children eagerly waiting for them. He and a friend became School Captains, which were the school principals for Saturday mornings. Two adults per grade became Grade Captains, committed to planning activities and bringing supplies on Saturdays. Soon, more than 150 students were attending Saturday school at Parklane three times a month.
That Saturday school is now The Discovery Program, which has been replicated in many Atlanta schools and communities across the U.S. Some of those who volunteer now on Saturdays were themselves once Parklane students.
Richard still spends his Saturday mornings volunteering at Parklane. Because of him, hundreds of volunteers have contributed to the academic and life success of the students there. He has made a difference in the lives of the students, the school staff, and the volunteers. He has taught all who have served with him a great deal about compassion, commitment and sacrifice.
Tonya Ingram
My name is Tonya Ingram and I’m 18 years old. I grew up in a housing development in the Bronx. My haven was the bedroom I shared with my two younger brothers. It was small and it was crowded, but it was safe. My bedroom was my world and it was enough for me. This all changed when I was twelve. I learned about a Saturday program called Read to Me; it was run by New York Cares, an affiliate of HandsOn Network, at our local community center. That morning, the volunteers walked us to the library where I got my first library card. We spent the afternoon reading together. I felt insecure until I noticed that other kids struggled with their reading, too. They tripped over the big words just like me, but it didn’t seem to matter. The New York Cares volunteers were kind and patient. Through the stories we read, my world began to expand and soon, my bedroom in the Bronx felt too small. I wanted more opportunities, and I still do. By the time I was a junior in high school, I had my hopes set on being the first person in my family to go to college. But there were lots of barriers. Once again, New York Cares was there for me. I applied and was accepted into their SAT Prep program, and for a full school year, I worked with a dedicated team of volunteers getting ready for the exam. Every week, they’d drill me on reading comprehension, vocabulary, and the dreaded geometry. I walked into that test feeling like I owned it, and sure enough, my scores improved. I started learning about schools like Sarah Lawrence, Emory, and Bates, and I became familiar with what is now my favorite word, “scholarship.” With the encouragement of my volunteer mentors, I applied to 13 colleges and got into 11. I am now in my sophomore year at NYU. I may have three more years to go but I’ve already had one graduation: I’ve become a New York Cares volunteer myself, cheering kids on at the same Read to Me project that opened so many doors for me. I’ve come a long way from the shy girl who wouldn’t leave her bedroom. I can’t believe how my life has unfolded. When I look back and connect the dots, I see that New York Cares was there for me the whole time, expanding my horizons and pushing me to succeed. I still keep in touch with the volunteers who supported me over the years. I consider them my mentors and my friends. Thanks to my mentors and to New York Cares, I think I can do anything. I really do.”
