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Dear Friends,
Thank you for visiting my Firstgiving Fundraising Page for my preferred charity, Boston Partners in Education. To learn more about the great work Boston Partners does with children in the Boston Public Schools and why I support them, watch the video to the left and read the interview with me below. Please consider donating to Boston Partners to help them meet the needs of struggling students. Donations of any size are welcome. Your support is greatly appreciated!
Best,
Pauliina
What is your connection to Boston Partners in Education?
I have two connections with Boston Partners in Education. This is my seventh year volunteering with them. Since 2004, I have also served as a member of the board of directors of the organization. I was first a Power Lunch volunteer for five years at the Harvard-Kent School in Charlestown. In Power Lunch, volunteer mentors from Boston-area companies work with students one-on-one to encourage the child's interest in reading and enthusiasm for literacy by reading aloud and engaging in conversation. Volunteers meet with their assigned students on a weekly basis throughout the school year during students' lunchtimes. Last year, I switched from Power Lunch to the Math Initiative, which is a math tutoring and mentoring program that matches volunteers with children who have demonstrated a clear need for improved math performance. Once a week during a math class, I work with a small group of students (one to four students) on math challenges instructed by the teacher.
How did you get involved with Boston Partners in Education?
A colleague at State Street was volunteering for Power Lunch and spoke enthusiastically about the program. I like both Power Lunch and the Math Initiative because they allow me to get to know a student on a one-to-one basis and to share my love of reading and math with others.
Why do you support the mission of Boston Partners in Education to enhance the academic achievement and nurture the personal growth of Boston's public school students?
I was a beneficiary of a great public education growing up in my native Finland. By volunteering in the Boston Public Schools, I feel I can give that same benefit to kids in Boston. I believe that all students deserve an opportunity to reach their potential. Boston Partners volunteers enrich the students’ lives by providing them with a caring and concerned mentoring relationship as well as the inspiration to develop skills and confidence to help them reach their potential.
What do you find most rewarding about your involvement with Boston Partners in Education?
It is very rewarding to see a student open up to you and become a more confident person, when reading, doing math or just expressing their thoughts. I have learned a lot from each of the students I have mentored. I also feel that by going to the Boston Public Schools every week, I am more aware of the issues facing public schools today. I feel that I have a personal stake in the success of Boston’s schools because of my involvement with Boston Partners in Education.
Is there anything else you would like potential donors or volunteers to know about Boston Partners in Education or your involvement with it?
I have personally witnessed the positive impact that Boston Partners programs have on the students of Boston Public Schools. However, currently we are only reaching a small number of students in need. By supporting Boston Partners, you can help us recruit, train and place more volunteers. I urge you to give the most generous gift possible in support of Boston Partners. Your support will enable more students to benefit from mentors. And, be sure to double the impact of your gift by asking for a match from your employer’s matching gift program. Thank you for your support of Boston Partners in Education!
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