Stuchbery Elementary School

Stuchbery Elem cafeteria is used during the HOSTS mentoring sessions four students are in each table and next to them are volunteers to help them on reading and math skill.

Cheryl Mendoza H.O.S.T.S Instructional Aide

Mr.Mendoza son of Cheryl Mendoza

Hannah 2nd grade student



Today March 19, 2012 an excited day for me going to volunteer at Stuchbery Elementary because I comity myself to mentor young kids to make a difference in helping them to succeed in school. The inside of the elementary look very quiet, the first think I saw on the left side front office and straight ahead was the cafeteria and stage.

   I had woken up having a wonderful day I was ready to helping kids and learn about the HOSTS program (Help One Student to Succeed). It had been really difficult for me and my partner to finally set this volunteer opportunity so I was definitely anxious to start. Being a HOSTS mentor for a week , interacting with kids and helping them in subjects that they struggle in class. I set myself to  take the responsibility and commitment to help them improve on material they struggle and to learn more about them how they feel about school.

I got the task to help a student name Seth with his reading and pronunciation of words. My first impression of seen this kids was his very energetic to do stuff. We step outside of the class room and set in the hall way to start reading. The teacher knew he needed help with his reading skill, I was willing to help Seth a much as possible to improve his reading as well helping him interacted with me to feel comfort. Working with Seth one on one can really help the kid fell comfortable in a way that he can express how he fell towards the subject of reading. He was capable of reading the book in which they’re some kids that need to be in a quiet environment to understand the reading. It was time for him to go to P.E class in which he left with a smile on his face, being glad that I help him one on one to improve on his reading made him feel safe that I can help.

       March 20, 2012     
            The Second day was very rainy and cloudy; I was able to get to school before the heavy storm the meteorologist announce in the news. I didn’t let the weather change my mood; I was determine to help the same kid, Seth on his reading performances. I walk straight to the room where the HOSTS ladies have they’re office to check in and then I enter the class room to pull out Seth to help him more on reading and pronunciation of words. Has soon Seth saw me he smile and quickly grave new literature books to begin practicing building confidence to work with me.

I have 30 minutes to work with Seth in which I want to accomplish the task that his teachers want him to improve to be in the same level of his classmates.  When it comes to dedicating time on helping a younger kid I think about how I can help his education performance thru his career of elementary. I motivated him to accomplish his work and focus in paying attention to the teacher.

March 21, 2012
Third day in Stuchbery Elementary I help two students Hannah and Brandon who are in 2^nd grade. Hannah is a smart girl who struggle to read but she’s capable of reading a full novel slowly. Her motivations on reading are very low but I push her to take her time reading and understand the book. I told her to take her time reading it help build confidence there is no rush to finish fast just slow down and you will get thru this. She notices I wanted to help her we build a better communication and work thru reading and vocabulary lessons slowly. She understood the material better and interacting with me with more confidence thru time.  

Brandon is a calm boy who understand the lesson when the teacher is talking but he sometimes struggle pronunciations on words when reading. I didn’t have any trouble communicating with Brandon he feel confident when he talk and is easily understand. Is the matter of practicing reading building confidence on word that are hard to pronounced ,his cable of reading a book and he can share a small summary of what he understood.

March 22, 2012
I was almost done with my service week at Stuchbery Elementary it was my fourth day has a mentor for this kids. I help Hannah and Brandon again on their reading skill, is very nice to get know this two kids for a bit of time I was able to interact with them learning something new about them.  I learn from Hannah she very energetic girl who wants to finish work fast but makes small mistakes that cause her to get a poor grade. I told her to take her time reading carefully, is better to do the work right than wrong just take time to get a good grade. With Brandon smart kids that get his work done easily his cable to understand new lesson fast and do work right. For Brandon is matter of taking time to pronounced words braking down the word in syllabuses making it easy to say in.  I told him breaking long word in syllabuses when reading is something everyone does on top of their head is just a matter of practice and you will get thru this.

March 23, 2012
            Friday the last day the HOSTS I didn’t get to help  Hannah and Brandon this time due to their schedule of HOSTS program,  I help 1^st grade kids on writing words and making sentences.  The HOSTS program help kids from kinder,1^st grade and 2^nd grade every day is different grade been help. I help a kid name Ivan it was my first time helping him which he didn’t know how to react but I introduce myself being a HOSTS mentor, we being working on vocabulary pronunciation of words. Ivan knew what the word said he read it to himself quietly and couple of second he said it with confidence.  At the moment I notice he was a kid with confidence because he being interacting with my easily. He told him I like video game their very cool and entertaining to play. At the moment I knew part of his confidence and interaction with me was because of video games they provided communication when playing and it builds a self esteem to share new ideas. Ivan self esteem of sharing ideas of how he feel towers video games help him make sentences and knowledgeable kid who can easily speak with confidence thanks to video game.

My service week came to an end it was a great experience to be part of the HOSTS programs helping kids on their reading and writing skill. My goal during the service is to help student’s one-on one academic support for success by providing specific service such as tutoring and mentoring building a better self esteem on their reading and writing skill. I believe the HOSTS program is a way to help kids on their education to not fall behind their peer and are at risk of failing. Working with kid’s one on one it build a better interaction making them feel we care about them to succeed and feel safe. With program like HOSTS in school I believe this nation is on a mission to seek the next generations who will step up to plate and take the region of our leaders and become the change we wish to see.