Volunteer Spotlight
Ralph Painter
Ralph works with reader Jonathan Sipps, 3rd grader.
Ralph listens as Julia McGehean, first grader, reads.
"I have been reading with Ms. Abrams' classes since I first joined the RSVP Paired Reading program 11 years ago," said Mr. Painter.
Ms. Abrams' class is a transitional class (T-1) between kindergarten and first grade. Mr. Painter reads with two children a week so that each child has at least two 1:1 reading sessions with him during the school year.
"Mr. Painter is invited to all of our 'special days'. In December, he is a special guest at our holiday show that we present on the stage. During the month of February, he helps us at our Valentine card exchange as he is one of our class's special valentines. Then, at the end of the year, he is a special guest at our 'Gentleman's Breakfast' and acts as a surrogate father or grandfather for a child who is need of this special guest. Although he helps us with our reading, he is so much more to our class. I feel so fortunate to have had Mr. Painter be my class's RSVP volunteer for the past 11 years. He is our class's special friend. Thank-you Mr. Painter," said Abrams.
"What is fascinating about children of this age is that you are able to see the progress between the beginning and the end of the school year. In other words, I am reading to them in October; they are reading to me in May," said Painter.
He volunteers at Pennell Elementary and has a fabulous working relationship with several of the teachers there as he works with classrooms Pre-k to 3rd Grade.
Some teachers prefer to have the same two students read each week. They choose the book and read at their own pace, interrupted only by the need for help with a word or a short discussion of the story. However, the majority of teachers select two – sometimes three – different readers each week," said Painter.
Ralph's background is in the printing industry. "Words and books have always fascinated me; the RSVP America Reads program is a wonderful way to pass on that enthusiasm to others."
Previously featured volunteers: Terry Mendenhall