WESTFIELD – School volunteers were appreciated for their service this year at a luncheon recently hosted by VIPS and the students in the Culinary Arts program at Westfield Vocational Technical High Schools Tiger’s Pride Restaurant. The program featured students from the Franklin Avenue Elementary School chorus who performed a delightful program enjoyed by all under the direction of Mr. Dan Kane. A Jugglers Jam Circus video performed by Mrs. JoAnn Roselli’s Franklin Avenue 5th grade class was shown to highlight a Westfield Helps Its Public Schools (WHIPS) committee teacher grant of $500 this school year. The WHIPS committee is an initiative of the VIPS program. The group was thanked for their service this year by Coordinator Barbara Trant and Schools Superintendent Dr. Suzanne Scallion who praised all and encouraged them to come back next year and “bring a friend”
It is a very small way the VIPS program can thank the volunteers who donate their time and talents to our students and staff. While not everyone has time to share lunch, the VIPS program would like all volunteers who help in our schools to know they are appreciated. The hours that volunteer’s sign in at school are recorded and tallied each year to demonstrate the contribution volunteers make. Over 7,000 hours have been donated to our schools by the many parent, student and community volunteers as of May 1st this year making a dollar contribution of $191,500* to the schools.
These dedicated individuals work directly with students and behind the scenes to enrich the educational experience of our children. Some volunteers work weekly with individual students or small groups, as a reading or math tutors, mentoring students in need of support or motivation. Others help teachers prepare classroom materials, freeing up the teacher’s time for direct student instruction. School volunteers often share their special interests and hobbies. Living Historians in the Story of Westfield program bring local history alive for students. In our school libraries, volunteers read to students, help them choose books, and keep the shelves orderly. What do school volunteers get in exchange for their efforts? One community volunteer says “Make sure to tell everyone that we get as much satisfaction by helping the students as we give.”
Each year VIPS takes time to recognize a volunteer by awarding the Virginia Trela “Unsung Hero” award. Virginia joined our program at its inception in 1994, working in the Munger Hill and South Middle School libraries for more than ten years. We honor her giving to our schools by recognizing an individual each year that has made a contribution to the school or assignment he/she has worked in, who gives freely of his/her time in any capacity that helps the students or staff, and brings his/her unique personality and talents to their volunteer experience with the same commitment “Ginny” did. The 2013 recipient of the “Unsung Hero” award is presented to Mr. Laird Wiggin a valued volunteer at the Southampton Road School. Mr. Wiggin has volunteered over 215 hours this school year tutoring students who needed extra assistance in math. He has worked in our schools over the last 10 years.
We are very fortunate to have Mr. Wiggin and all of our school volunteers. Thank you all for all you do!!!
*The value of volunteer time for 2011 is $27.43 per hour based on the average hourly earnings of all production and non-supervisory workers determined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The Independent Sector uses this amount plus 12 percent for fringe benefits for Massachusetts volunteers in 2011.
Barbara Trant
Volunteer Coordinator
Volunteers in Public Schools of Westfield (VIPS)
Serving the students and staff of Westfield Public Schools since 1993
