Scots Shine Volunteering for 突破迈阿密’s Inaugural Summer

伟德国际 welcomed the first cohort of 70 突破迈阿密 Collaborative scholars this summer. 

The 突破迈阿密 Collaborative is a partnership between 突破迈阿密 and 伟德国际 that aims to provide high-quality academic and enrichment opportunities to traditionally underrepresented students in Palm Beach and Northern Broward Counties. Saint Andrew’s School previously hosted a Breakthrough site on its campus from 1996-2010, 当时这个项目被称为“夏日桥”.”

六个星期, rising grade 5 and 6 students spent their weekdays taking academic, 课外, and athletic classes taught by teaching fellows and volunteers, 包括18名圣安德鲁的学生.

Cece斯宾塞, 突破迈阿密 site director at Saint Andrew's, became fascinated with 突破迈阿密 while she was a teacher at Ransom Everglades. "I had these (突破迈阿密) scholars in my classes, 我完全不知道, 我想, “这些孩子太棒了.'" Her passion for helping under-served communities have access to resources led her to join 突破迈阿密 full-time.

当她一年前加入这个团队的时候, 突破迈阿密 was looking to branch out of Broward and Dade counties. While they were searching for a site in Palm Beach County, Saint Andrew's happened to reach out about a partnership. 这是一个完美的时机. Saint Andrew's and 突破迈阿密 worked together to ensure that the Breakthrough scholars had enough teaching fellows and volunteers to work the six-week-long Summer Institute.

Hannah Anglemyer和Lea Franiuk, grade 10 students at Saint Andrew’s School, were two of the 18 Saint Andrew’s students to take part as volunteers during the inaugural summer. Both Anglemyer and Franiuk had heard about the service learning opportunity during an assembly. If you ask Franiuk now about her experience, she gets a big smile on her face and is more than happy to tell anyone who will listen what an amazing experience it was to be part of 突破迈阿密. 

作为志愿者, Franiuk helped in many ways and even had the chance to teach grade 5 English 独立的ly when a teaching fellow had to go out of town. "I feel like I accomplished something because they (突破迈阿密 scholars) learned stuff from me that I taught them. 我想，‘哇，我做到了!' It feels absolutely amazing that I could do that for them."

Anglemyer liked spending the summer volunteering with 突破迈阿密 because she values education. She also enjoyed being part of something bigger in her community. She was a teaching assistant for grade 6 math and helped with extra administrative duties. One moment that resonated with her happened during the poetry elective.

"One thing for me was the connection to Saint Andrew's. 我记得在诗歌选修课上, we had a student reading the honor code because it was on the classroom wall as he was writing his poem, and then he started incorporating 'Honor Above All' into the poem. 所以对我来说, I've been here since kindergarten; Saint Andrew's is such a big part of my life, so to be able to share this with other people, 和其他孩子一起, 因为这已经变成了, 在某种程度上, 我的第二个家. So to be able to share my home with new people and faces, that was a really great experience."

For both volunteers, working with Spencer was a great experience. “她是一个伟大的人... she's always interacting with the kids and making it super exciting. She's just been an amazing person," stated Franiuk. Anglemyer noted that Spencer was encouraging and empowered her to take on more leadership roles and have more confidence.

Anglemyer and Franiuk look forward to continuing to work with Spencer and the 突破迈阿密 scholars as they return to campus for special Saturday classes throughout the school year. Spencer says that the Saturday classes will allow the volunteers to showcase their leadership skills as they teach the scholars new skills through academic elective courses they create. Some academic electives over the summer included Extreme Speech and Debate, 分解它, 体育历史上, 和《伟德国际》. 

"What the Saint Andrew's community volunteers brought to Breakthrough was a special touch. The scholars truly understood that Saint Andrew's supports them being here as guests in the community...they made the summer very special for them," said Spencer.

The partnership between 突破迈阿密 and 伟德国际 is part of the school’s 战略计划 努力. For more information about 突破迈阿密, visit www.breakthroughmiami.org.