Seniors group looks for more school mentors

By Suzanne Roig
Advertiser East Honolulu Writer

WAI'ALAE-KAHALA — Since last year, a program that uses senior citizens to mentor students has doubled the number of schools it serves, but needs more volunteers to keep growing.

Volunteers work with children at these schools as tutors or classroom helpers as part of FELLOWS, Fellowship Education Lifelong Learning Opportunities with Seniors.

With 50 volunteers spread among eight schools — up from four a year ago — the group wants to sign up more seniors who can work as little as an hour a week or as much as every day to tutor students or work as classroom helpers, share oral history, tell stories, do arts and crafts and mentor at special events.

"We're inviting everyone from everywhere to come to the meeting," said Ed Krentzman, co-founder of FELLOWS. "Grandparents love to work with their kids. Once they're here, even after their grandchildren are gone, they still come."

The program began five years ago at Wai'alae School as a way for senior citizens to feel more useful and needed than just coming and helping in one classroom. It obtained the support of the school principal, who gave the group a classroom to serve as a headquarters, and the rest just evolved, Krentzman said.

The converted classroom has aloha print curtains on the windows made by some of the senior volunteers. There are games, a computer, a phone and a bag of cookies on the table, open and ready to eat.

The seniors are available before school, after school and during recess for the kids to come and chat with. Sometimes the kids will play games. Other times they just come and sit on the couch.

During class time a team of 30 seniors takes turns volunteering in the classroom, or working one-on-one with a student.

"The teachers get assistance in the classroom from the seniors and the students get the benefit of the life experience of the senior," said Joan Bedish, executive director of the Kapahulu Senior Center and a member of the FELLOWS advisory committee. "It's a great opportunity for seniors to mingle with the younger set.

"It's a win-win situation."

Since it began five years ago at one school, FELLOWS is now in place at 'Ahuimanu, Gus Webling, Kainalu, Kamiloiki, Pauoa, Pu'uhale, Wailupe Valley and Wai'alae elementary schools. It is looking to expand to other schools interested in running a program, Krentzman said.

This year it's working with financial support from a Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Foundation grant that enabled them to buy a computer; put up curtains, which the seniors made and hung themselves; purchase cookies, instead of paying from their own pockets; and donate books to Wai'alae School's classrooms and library, Krentzman said.

At each of these schools there's a growing number of volunteers. The lion's share is at Wai'alae, Krentzman said, but Kainalu, which started two years ago, now has nine volunteers.

"You get caught up with the children," Krentzman said. "I'd love to see every school have enough volunteers to have their own FELLOWS program."

Reach Suzanne Roig at sroig@honoluluadvertiser.com or 395-88431.