Walking through the halls of Mission View Elementary School, one may see an older lady with short salt and peppered hair sitting down working with a student individually. She does more than tutor a select handful of students, she mentors them and provides additional, individualized attention and assistance.
That’s Dora Valentin. She’s in her second year at Mission View.
But you may be surprised to learn that she isn’t a Tucson Unified employee, instead she is part of the Northern Arizona University Foster Grandparent Program. According to NAU’s website, the program, which is created by AmeriCorps Senior, is meant to have Foster Grandparents use their “life experiences and wisdom to help change the future for a child” by having them “act as mentors and tutors for children in local schools who will benefit from extra attention and assistance.”
Dora is one of multiple Foster Grandparents working throughout Tucson Unified. The program is available in eight of the state’s 15 counties.
With a background in education, after previously having worked at a school in Pearce, Ariz., and being an empty nester, Dora wanted to fill her days doing something fulfilling.
After being admitted into the program, Dora requested to be placed in a school close to where she lives. So, the Barrio Viejo resident found herself at Mission View.
For anyone considering getting into the program, you must be 55 years of age or older, meet income guidelines as established by the federal government, pass a fingerprint-based background check, and willing to serve between 5-35 hours weekly.
Volunteers will get necessary training and receive a tax-free stipend of $4 per hour, as well as mileage reimbursements and supplemental insurance coverage while volunteering.
More importantly, the program has shown that students who work with a Foster Grandparent show 92% improvement in academic performance and 100% improvement in social development skills.
“I just enjoy kids,” Dora said. “And I think I’m better with kids than adults.”
