Editor:

    At the completion of another school year, I want to
extend my personal thanks to all the wonderful people who support our
South Portland school staff members by volunteering thousands of hours
of their time.

    In the South Portland schools there are more than
900 volunteers helping in the classrooms, chaperoning field trips and
dances, assisting in the computer labs and libraries, supporting
Booster organizations and parent groups. There are volunteer
coordinators in every building to organize the individual efforts of
parents. The Parent/Teacher organizations in all the schools raise
funds to support field trips and enrichment projects for the students.
There are mentors who work one-on-one with students at every grade to
provide a caring, responsible and reliable adult role model. 
There are over 100 job shadow program hosts in the greater Portland
area, who welcome South Portland’s 250 eighth graders into their
businesses and organizations to share with them the “real world” of
work and expose the students to a professional environment.  There
are senior citizens whose presence creates a multigenerational climate
for our children; business professionals who, through the Junior
Achievement program, bring their expertise into the classrooms; and
students of every grade who work with fellow students and their
community.  

    In addition to the hundreds of volunteers who are
doing their fine work in the schools, there are two unique partnerships
in South Portland that exemplify the best of volunteering, job
shadowing,  and community service - Mentoring.     

    The Memorial Middle School - Anthem Blue Cross/Blue
Shield Mentoring Program has just completed its 9th year of matching
Anthem employees with middle school students. This spring UNUM and
Skillin Elementary School partnered to form a new Mentoring program.
Both of these programs are unique in that they are ‘site based’,
meaning the students are bused from school to Anthem weekly to spend
the lunch hour with “their” mentor. The goal is to provide for the
student the support and encouragement of a caring adult. Students and
mentors all benefit.  The student gets exposure to the business
community, the ear of an objective adult outside of a school or home
environment, and the experience of interacting in professional
situations.

    The mentor gets the opportunity to be a part of the
educational community in which he or she is working, influence the
decisions facing our youth today, and feel the rewards of making such
an important contribution to society. Time after time we’ve heard about
the significance a mentor has played in someone’s life. These students
thrive with the added attention they receive during this particularly
challenging and unpredictable period in their emotional and social
development.

    In South Portland and elsewhere, volunteers are
crucial to the success of that vision. From the “grammy” who comes in
to read to a kindergarten class to the businesses who welcome students
into their world, our volunteers’ caring and selfless service deserve
the highest of praise and most generous thanks!

    It is a privilege for me to work with our volunteers. Thank you for a great year!!

Molly Aldrich

Director, Volunteer Services

South Portland School Dept.