Our daily volunteers are a very important part of the YELLS team. Volunteers are needed to help make sure that everything runs smoothly and our kiddos receive the individual guidance to help them learn and grow.
Dan Moore, affectionately referred to as Mr. Dan, came to YELLS last year as a retiree looking for a place to donate some of his time. He learned of YELLS through some neighbors who lived in the area. Mr. Dan jumped right into the hustle and bustle with all of our kids, and now he is a rock star of managing the homework room, joining us at least twice a week. It is clear that he genuinely cares about our students’ success, which we greatly appreciate! He takes the time to work one-on-one with each student during homework time. His commitment and quality time spent with each student is so valuable, and is exactly the type of dedication that we need to help our students be successful. When asked why he keeps coming back, he said that he really enjoys interacting with the kids and seeing the difference he is able to make in their academics. Our staff even occasionally consult with him to find out how students are doing with their assignments. He is able to share valuable insight because he is a regular that sees our students often and cares about helping them to be their best.
He’s handy, too! When Mr. Dan noticed that we needed a place to hang our students’ reading certificates, he brought the supplies and hung a new cork wall in our homework room. When he noticed that a wall needed to be repainted, he offered some extra paint he had laying around and came to touch up the wall in his spare time. When he noticed that a few of our ceiling tiles needed to be replaced, he generously offered some extras from his home and helped us to replace them.
Mr. Dan is so committed to the achievement of our youth that he’s even working to recruit more volunteers like him! He wants to see every student receive the one-on-one support and attention they deserve.
When asked to share a favorite interaction with a YELLS student, he shared these moments with us:
YELLS student to Mr. Dan: “You dress nice.”
Mr. Dan: “Why thank you, why do you say that?”
YELLS student: “Because of the little animals on your shirt.”
One night during dismissal, students were given pizza once their parents arrived to pick them up. One student asked Mr. Dan, “Is your mother coming to pick you up?”
Thank you, Mr. Dan, for your dedication to helping our YELLS students succeed!
