Tutoring
Blue Mountain Action Council (BMAC)
Impact! Life Transitions Program
Successful Transition and Reentry Project (STAR Project)
Washington State Migrant Council
Whitman Students in Science Classrooms
Academic Fun Club
Contact: Mariela Rosas, Parent Educator, Children’s Home Society, 1612 Penny Lane, Walla Walla, WA 99362, (509) 529-2130, MarielaR@chs-wa.org
Mission: Academic Fun Club is an after school program through Children’s Home Society for Kindergarten through 4th grade students.
Volunteer Opportunities: Volunteers help kids with homework and role model a positive attitude towards school. The club meets on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 3:30-5:30PM at the Farm Labor Homes.
Required Skills: Bilingual English-Spanish skills are helpful but not required.
Skills Learned:
Training:
Volunteer Types:
- Individuals who can come on a regular basis
Blue Mountain Action Council (BMAC)
Contact: Darya Tucker, Literacy Coordinator, Blue Mountain Action Council, 432 Catherine St., Walla Walla, WA 99362, (509) 529-4980, literacy@bmacww.org
Mission: Blue Mountain Action Council exists so that low-income people in Walla Walla, Columbia, and Garfield counties are able to meet their essential needs. Our goals are that low-income people are employable, are food-secure, have affordable and safe housing, and have access to resources for protection of their rights and privileges. Further, we strive for public policy to address the needs of the low-income population.
Volunteer Opportunities: We need volunteers for food drives/sorting, long-term care ombudsman, adult literacy program, pro bono lawyers, neighborhood revitalization-related projects. Organization works with AmeriCorps, literacy, and Commitment to Community.
Required Skills: People who care about people; bilingual helpful but not required; willingness to work with people from all backgrounds, dealing primarily with low-income individuals. For food drives/sorting, ability to sort different products and/or to lift 25 or more pounds. For literacy, those who are good readers and enjoy helping others learn (some volunteer tutors help prepare adults to take GED tests). For long-term care ombudsman program, individuals or couples who can volunteer four hours per week to visit specific facility/facilities to listen to residents' concerns and speak on their behalf with staff and/or families. Commitment to Community neighborhood revitalization has big projects from time to time--clean ups, youth activities, painting, helping with neighborhood events, Christmas tree lighting ceremony, etc.
Skills Learned: Organizing, teaching, community outreach, understanding of other cultures, compassion, and the great joy of having helped improved others' lives!
Training: Varies by program, program staff trains volunteers.
Volunteer Types:
- Individuals who can come on a regular basis
- Individuals who can come help out once with a big project
- Groups of volunteers who can help out once with a big project
Head Start
Contact: Donna Painter, 1150 W. Chestnut St., Walla Walla, Wa 99362, 509-526-3066 ext. 5011, dpainter@wwps.org
Mission: To prepare children for kindergarten readiness
Volunteer Opportunities: working with children ages 3 to 5
Required Skills: Understanding of early childhood development, bi-lingual (Spanish) preferred, someone who loves to work with young children, patience, positive attitude, knowledge of positive guidance techniques
Skills Learned: understanding the stages of early childhood development, tools for teaching, parent involvement practices, comprehensiveness of our program
Training: Training is conducted on an "as needed" basis by our involvement coordinator.
Volunteer Types:
- Individuals who can come on a regular basis
- Individuals who can help with a project occasionally when it fits his/her schedule
IMPACT! Life Transitions Program
Contact: Deana York, 500 Tausick Way, Walla Walla, WA 99362, 509-524-5166, impact@wwcc.edu
Mission: To help people transition from dependence to self-sufficiency.
Volunteer Opportunities: Answering phones, distributing flyers & posters, stuffing envelopes for mailings, filing, updating client data base, bi-lingual opportunities
Required Skills: Confidentiality, ability to work with diverse populations, computer skills (if working on computer), bi-lingual skills (if working with specific populations), accountability, ability to follow directions, ability to work with interruptions
Skills Learned: Communication, working with others, learning about computers, community resources, office skills, meeting the public, general information about college and community, filing, working with curriculum, learning responsibility, taking messages, being in classroom setting, giving information, working with students, organization, being part of a team, problem-solving, listening, positive attitude, credibility, decision making, learning to follow directions, knowledge of support services, scheduling/time management, ability to define and overcome barriers.
Training: Volunteers are oriented and trained on the first day of their jobs. It can be ongoing as needed.
Volunteer Types:
- Individuals who can come on a regular basis
- Individuals who can help with a project occasionally when it fits his/her schedule
- Individuals who can come help out once with a big project
- Individuals who can earn credit (service-learning) by working with your organization
- Groups of volunteers who can help out once with a big project
Successful Transition and Reentry Project (STAR Project)
Contact: Glenna Awbrey, STAR Project, PO BOX 159 Walla Walla, WA 99362, (509) 525-3612, starproject@charterinternet.com
Mission: To assist individuals with transitioning successfully into civilian life.
Volunteer Opportunities: Ongoing and one time projects that include volunteers helping with office, mentoring, tutoring, support services.
Required Skills: Must want to work with individuals that have had life challenges.
Skills Learned: The ability to work with a diverse group of people.
Training: Depends upon the service--office and one time projects do not require special training.
Volunteer Types:
- Individuals who can come on a regular basis
- Individuals who can help with a project occasionally when it fits his/her schedule
- Individuals who can come help out once with a big project
- Individuals who can earn credit (service-learning) by working with your organization
- Groups of volunteers who can come on a regular basis
- Groups of volunteers who can help out once with a big project
Walla Walla High School
Contact: Sue Weber, Walla Walla High School, 800 Abbott Rd, Walla Walla, WA 99362, SWeber@wwps.org
Mission: The purpose of Academic Lab is to provide a comfortable and helpful learning environment.
Volunteer Opportunities: Our team of tutors helps with Math, Science, English, History and Foreign Language while encouraging individual responsibility. We help in all subjects: finish homework, work on a paper, retake a quiz, review assignment, etc. Lab Hours: Mon-Fri 7:30-8:25, Mon-Thurs 2:00 – 4:00 Required hours: This is a volunteer position and students may work as little as one hour per week, although we do require that tutors are committed to tutoring during the time that they have indicated.
Required Skills:
- The ability to communicate effectively with a multicultural population
- The desire to facilitate learning and empower students to succeed independently
- Awareness of a variety of learning styles
- Attendance to all tutor training sessions
- Completed application (including one academic or employment reference)
- Commitment to tutor for one academic year (September through June) is preferred (with the understanding that your class schedule will change and therefore your tutoring times may change).
Skilled Learned:
Training: Training sessions will be conducted several times throughout the school year.
Volunteer Types:
- Individuals who can come on a regular basis
Washington State Migrant Council
Contact: Yolanda Esquivel, 213 Labor Camp Road, Walla Walla, WA 99362, 509-522-0610, yolanda.esquivel@wsmconline.org
Mission: improve the quality of life for migrant/seasonal farm workers and rural low income families.
Volunteer Opportunities: tutors very much needed
Required Skills: Spanish/English, dependable, caring
Skills Learned: An appreciation for education, working with youth, personal and professional skills
Training: Orientation and tutor training before starting.
Volunteer Types:
- Individuals who can come on a regular basis
- Individuals who can earn credit (service-learning) by working with your organization
- Groups of volunteers who can come on a regular basis
Whitman Students in Science Classrooms
Contact: Sharon Lederer, Temporary Science Outreach Coordinator, Hall of Science at Whitman College, Walla Walla, WA 99362, (509) 522-4441, lederesl@whitman.edu
Mission: To support student success in the sciences at local schools while also increasing student interactions with positive role models at this pivotal stage in their development.
Volunteer Opportunities: This program, which began in the fall of 2009, serves to place Whitman students in area middle school science classrooms. Students are matched with a particular teacher and class, and are asked to commit to being in that classroom at least one hour per week. Some students have more than one placement- they may be matched to more than one teacher and/or classroom during the week. There are currently Whitman students placed at Garrison Middle School, Pioneer Middle School and Assumption Elementary School. Whitman students are involved in a variety of activities in the classroom, focusing on the needs identified by the teacher. This includes being an extra set of hands during lab activities, working with small groups of students who need extra help, working with individual students to help them get “caught up” or who have special needs or language acquisition issues in the class, teaching lessons, evaluating notebook assignments, assisting with write-ups, class assignments and more. This year, we are hoping to attract volunteers with interests in a teaching career that would like to have more “hands-on” experience developing and presenting lessons in the science classroom.
Required Skills: Reliability, an interest in science (though a science major is NOT required), an interest in education, good at working with middle school kids, flexibility, and the ability to follow directions.
Skills Learned: A better understanding of the current education system. Lesson planning, teaching, assessment, one-on-one tutoring, and more. Relationships with a local teacher and class of students.
Training: Orientation and training will take place on the evening of September 6th and as necessary throughout the year.
Volunteer Types:
- Individuals who can come on a regular basis
345 Boyer Ave.