Students thrive with Ladies' help

Having already practiced writing them, she easily picks the correct words to complete the following sentences: "I got a new bike from Owl," "She shows me what to do" and "I will be a good rider soon."

For her effort, Doreen receives a "TERRIFIC" sticker on her assignment, but it's not her teacher who's given her this hard-earned praise. It's Ruth Maloy, one of 65 members of the Ladies of Charity who have been helping students at Casimir's for the past year-and-a-half.

Volunteers

Although they haven't sought recognition for their volunteer work, that's exactly what they've gotten, being named by the Diocesan School Board as the recipient of the 1999 St. John Neumann Award for demonstrating a commitment to Catholic school education. Last May, the Ladies also received a JCPenney Golden Rule Award for outstanding volunteerism.

They began their efforts by meeting with Arthur Farrington, principal, to get a sense of the student population and its needs. Marcia O'Connell, a member of the Ladies of Charity, coordinated the new mentoring program.

Pitching in

On a recent Thursday, Mrs. Maloy joined Joan Noonan and Patricia Joyner to help four first-grade girls with their writing and reading lessons. After getting themselves settled in a downstairs room, the students gradually begin their work as the Ladies kept an eye on their progress. Doreen, who Mrs. Maloy is tutoring, requires more coaxing than the others.

"Show me what you can do. C'mon, let's get started. They're way ahead of us," Mrs. Maloy said to Doreen as her fellow students already had begun their work.

Encouragement

"You know why you made a mistake?" Mrs. Maloy asked Doreen after a slight error. "Because you're reading too fast. Your eyes are going faster than you can speak." Doreen heeded her advice and finished the reading with ease.

Getting the girls to concentrate can be difficult, even for such fun activities as coloring a picture at the bottom of their writing assignment. Some girls show their artistic ability by choosing crayons carefully and staying inside the lines; others only color part of the drawing or use one color for the whole picture.

Despite their attention lapses, the girls seem interested in their work and enjoy being complimented for a job well done. They converse freely with the Ladies, occasionally talking about family, friends and other issues not directly related to their schoolwork.

Opportunities

"It's amazing what they'll tell you. They really open up. They're lovely little girls," she said.

Mrs. Joyner, who has three grandchildren, is glad to help the students, many of whom live below the poverty level and lack the opportunities that other children have. "These children don't have the privileges of your own grandchildren," she said.

Working with students is an experience that Mrs. Maloy finds beneficial for the kids because they may not receive this much individual attention otherwise. "I think it's fun for them because I don't think they always get that one-on-one," she said.

Pluses

"They've been wonderful. They have no idea how much they've energized this school," he said. "The kids see them as part of the fabric of our school. They're not outsiders. They've blended in very well."

Students get excited when the Ladies come and are not shy about letting the visitors know how they feel. "To the individual kids, it means a great deal, and they look forward to their coming every week. They see them in the hall and come up and hug them," he added.

The tutoring help means a lot to Mr. Farrington and the teachers at St. Casimir's, and the Ladies also have helped the school financially by donating money to complete work on the library and a brochure that is being printed.

"They're very generous in time, talent and resources," he said.

(02-04-99) [[In-content Ad]]