Are you the One? Get Involved, Go Back To School

Power of One volunteer Bill T works with a student at Echo Lake
Photo by Martha Nichols

With the new school year underway, The Power of One Community Volunteer program is looking for people to help students in Shoreline Public Schools.

Volunteers are community members who can give at least an hour a week on a consistent basis. Volunteers are dependable, positive role models. They include former teachers, college students, grandparents, family friends and neighbors of schools who like to connect with kids and want to support education.

As a volunteer, you support academic success, development of social skills and motivate students to become life long learners. A majority of volunteers help in elementary classrooms during the school day working with students one-on-one or in small groups. Some volunteers work with English Language Learner students. Others help in libraries, shelving books, checking materials in and out, or with book covering. Volunteers also mentor students who may need extra academic or social support.

Becoming a volunteer is easy. There is an application process followed by training and orientation. Power of One Volunteers must undergo a Washington State Patrol background check.

Benefits of joining Power of One include access to free training and resources, a school district badge, and coordinator support. The Coordinator helps connect you to the classroom/teacher/school that best fits your interests, schedule and availability.

The fall orientation is Wednesday, September 11, 12:30-2:30pm at the Shoreline-LFP Senior Center, 18560 1st Ave NE #1, Shoreline 98155.

More information is available here. To apply to the program, contact volunteer coordinator, Karen Kessinger, 206-365-1169. 

About Power of One Community Volunteer Program

The program started in 1996 and is a partnership of the Shoreline-Lake Forest Park Senior Center and the Shoreline school district. During the 2012-13 school year, a core of about 55 Power of One Volunteers put in nearly 4000 hours of time at Shoreline schools and programs. The Shoreline Public Schools Foundation also supports Power of One.

The purpose of the Power of One Community Volunteer Program is to assist the Shoreline Schools to achieve excellent education for all students. We believe as caring adults we can assist all students to become successful learners.