FELLOWS unites generations
By Suzanne Roig
Advertiser East Honolulu Writer
WAI'ALAE-KAHALA — Every student at Wai'alae School knows Ed Krentzman.
Bruce Asato • The Honolulu Advertiser
He's the guy who brings the cookies every day. He's the guy who plays chess with the students at recess. He's the guy with the "blubbery" arms. He's the guy who helps them with their math.
Third-graders Breeanna Takatsuka, left, and Shaye Yoza listen as Ed Krentzman assists their studies at Wai'alae Elementary School. Krentzman heads FELLOWS, or Fellowship Education Lifelong Learning Opportunities With Seniors.
Krentzman is all those things and more as the leader of a band of about 45 senior citizens who come to the school throughout the day to help teachers in the classroom, tutor students one-on-one or just provide a sympathetic ear.
In the broadest terms, Krentzman and the other senior volunteers provide a sense of academic and emotional support that students sense and appreciate, said third-grade teacher Yvonne Wakata.
To the students, it's simpler than that.
"Mr. K is like a grandpa," said fourth-grader Kayla Chinen, 9. "He plays games with the kids and helps them with their math. He's very nice and he's very fair."
Since Krentzman took over FELLOWS — Fellowship Education Lifelong Learning Opportunities With Seniors — nearly six years ago, the program has grown from just two volunteers at a single school — Wai'alae — to 17 campuses and scores of senior volunteers. Recently the program and Krentzman received national recognition when he was named the nation's Outstanding Older Adult Volunteer by Generations United, an umbrella organization of international programs bringing seniors and young people together.
To become a FELLOW or to start a program in a school, call Ed Krentzman at 226-6992. The FELLOWS program operates at these elementary schools: 'Ahuimanu, Ala Wai, Enchanted Lake, Gus Webling, He'eia, Kainalu, Kalihi Uka, Kalihi Waena, Kamiloiki, Keolu, Koko Head, Lunalilo, Ma'ema'e, Pauoa, Pu'uhale, Wai'alae and Wailupe Valley.
The idea behind FELLOWS is simple: Provide a place for seniors to go and let them feel useful among young people. At Wai'alae, the volunteers have converted an old room into a cozy recreation center, with four shelves of games, a chess set and Hawaiian print curtains on the window.
Getting involved
During recess one recent day, Krentzman opened a bag of sandwich cookies — he buys five every weekend in preparation for the coming week — as dozens of students streamed in. Krentzman played chess with one student and the others milled around watching, playing on the computer or the blackboard, or just sitting and eating a morning snack.
"This room has become a sanctuary for the kids," Krentzman said. "Each year the students have new teachers, new friends, but this room is a constant.
"It's the proverbial home away from home."
Krentzman, 74, became involved with FELLOWS after retiring in 1995 from his position as a marketing manager with Pitney Bowes.
"At first I wanted to give something back to the people," Krentzman said. "I know that sounds corny. I always enjoyed being around kids, maybe because I never had my own."
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Unsure of what he wanted to do with his time, Krentzman met up with a senior volunteer who steered him to a school in his Makiki neighborhood where he could tutor a middle school student in math.
FELLOWS volunteers, from left: Alice Watanabe, Esther Yokoyama, Maris Araki and Ed Krentzman. There are about 45 seniors in FELLOWS, which serves 17 schools.
As a tutor, he came and went, and only the student and the teacher really knew who he was. It wasn't satisfying enough for Krentzman. Then he heard about FELLOWS at a senior citizen meeting.
He liked what he heard and believed he could help because the program needed someone at the helm, promoting the program and talking it up. With Krentzman's marketing background, it seemed like a natural fit, he said.
After the first couple of years of success, Krentzman began taking the FELLOWS program on the road, meeting with other school principals, teachers and parent boards, talking about how to set up similar intergenerational programs. Still, he has been surprised at its growth.
"I never dreamed of building FELLOWS to 17 schools," Krentzman said.
Krentzman is the key ingredient to keeping FELLOWS going and growing, said Mae Mendelson, director of the Hawai'i Intergenerational Network, which nominated him for the national award.
"FELLOWS' uniqueness is not just about volunteering as a tutor or mentor, but engaging the senior volunteers in a way that they feel a part of the school community," Mendelson said. "The senior citizens are encouraged to stay on campus, eat lunch with the kids and think of other ways to use their skills and resources.
Jeff Widener • The Honolulu Advertiser
"The notion is building a sense of community within the school for the senior citizens."
Shaye Yoza, 8, beams at Ed Krentzman, otherwise known as "Mr. K" to students, as they begin a math lesson at Wai'alae Elementary School.
Now Krentzman spends about 10 hours a day at Wai'alae School, working alongside people such as Esther Yokoyama, a FELLOWS founding member who started out as an interested grandmother when her grandson was in second grade six years ago.
Yokoyama spends four days a week from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the school. The students call her Grandma Yokoyama or Grandma Esther.
"For me, I'm glad I have something to do," said Yokoyama, 76. "It keeps me healthy. It is good to get up in the morning and know I have someplace to go where I'm needed and expected."
School staff can't say enough about what the senior volunteers bring to the campus.
At Wai'alae, Krentzman's volunteers have conducted art and essay contests, raised $2,100 for the school through a bake sale, refurbished the music room, started a mediation program and an after-school service learning tutoring program.
And they've created a sense of trust and stability that comes from having gray hair on campus, said Wakata, the third-grade teacher.
"The senior citizens are more accepting and patient, especially Mr. Krentzman," Wakata said. "The students know he's available to them. Generally the students are calmer because they know there's another person they can go to to get help."
Principal Annette Masutani said the program unites the generations, bringing a resource to the campus that otherwise would not be available to students. With today's busy society, children aren't exposed to senior citizens outside their family, they aren't exposed to the stories and the caring.
"The senior citizens have stories and experiences to share with the students," Masutani said. "It's really important to foster that interaction with adults that aren't related or are teachers. We see it as part of our education mission to provide that link."
Students are also glad to have them around.
"Sometimes I need some extra help," said fourth-grader Kennan Katayama. "The FELLOWS are real fun. When you're feeling down they cheer you up by telling you to look on the bright side."
Reach Suzanne Roig at sroig@honoluluadvertiser.com or 395-8831.
