Rev. Donna Vande Kieft
This will be my last submission for the Views since I have sold my villa at Robson Ranch and will be living November through April in Mesa and May through October in South Dakota. I have mixed feelings as I close this chapter, but it has been a good read. My volunteer activity with schools in Pinal County has been both rich and challenging. Future academic needs for our children continue to grow.
Geographically Robson Ranch (RR) is situated in a perfect place for giving back from our abundance—our money, our time, and our life experience. Our community is located in one of the poorest school districts in Arizona. RR tax dollars go to the Toltec district, which includes both Arizona City and Toltec elementary and middle school facilities. Eloy is our address and Eloy is also one of Arizona’s poorest school districts. They have a commercial tax backing whereas Toltec does not. All Arizona public schools are under-funded and in need of more resources.
Prison and jail administrations consider academic scores and school drop-out rates in planning for future prison and jail expansion. The future of many students in poor school districts does not bode well.
This is where we can come together in cultural immersion and work toward community connections that can result in a better future for all. Jesus said in his gospel teaching in Luke that “to whom much has been given, much is required.” We have all been given a lot, and are asked to give back in service, time, attention, and monetary resources. If we are open, we can learn and share ourselves with one another.
Toltec has reached out for a grant to go toward tutoring students before and after school. AARP Achieve Pinal has an excellent nationwide program in place to provide fluency reading tutoring for 2nd and 3rd graders. Toltec recognizes that RR and AARP have worked well together in providing reading tutoring to their students. The students who can read at 3rd grade level by the time they complete 3rd grade have a much higher rate of graduating high school than those who are behind in their reading scores. Toltec has asked AARP and RR to be a community partner to help provide volunteer tutors to make their grant successful and effective.
There are disparate cultural and economic differences between RR residents and a largely Hispanic community. We have rich opportunities on both sides to learn, benefit, and grow as we work together to understand and respect our differences. It can be a mutually satisfying experience for all who want their children to succeed and continue building a better world. We are all God’s beloved children!
Kaitlin Burks is the Program Manager of AARP’s Achieve Pinal Experience program and will assist in training, background checks, and support for volunteer tutors. You can contact her kaitlin@achievepinal.org or 520–634-8938 for the application form. She will have more information and details as the Toltec district works out the details for the before and after school tutoring opportunity.