Both teachers and students at Mountain View High School feel that Dave “Rex” Conner, who has volunteered tutoring math since 2019, has had an important impact on students, helping them to succeed in classes that they may not have without his help. “He pushed me to work my best and did it while making me laugh,” commented Mira Robeson. Another student, Charlie Tapia Galvan, explained how he had struggled with math, but that Dave motivated and helped him to not only pass, but also improve his grades. “He is always so fun to work with and has amazing stories that correlate to the math problems themselves. He’s helped me through a lot and has given me so much knowledge about the world.” While Dave is an incredibly gifted mathematician and effective tutor, what makes him noteworthy is that he uses his gifts and passion for students’ well-being by giving countless hours to volunteer his time.
For five years, Christine Rogers has been volunteering at Coyote Ridge Elementary School, helping the secretary in the front office. If you ever met Christine, you would immediately be drawn to her always upbeat and positive energy. In every task she does, she shows her care and concern to students, parents, and staff. A staff member shared, “She was so sweetly supportive of me this fall when she found out that our son had been killed in an accident. She gave us a neat remembrance plaque and card.” Whether Christine is working at her job at Good Samaritan or volunteering at Coyote Ridge, she serves with kindness and touches everyone she encounters with a sense of joy.
When Janice Ehlers started volunteering for the VITAL Office in 2018, she brought an immense amount of creativity and dedication to TSD. That was evident when she cut, glued, and assembled super hero decorations, Candyland lollipops, and railroad crossing signs as well as when she counted, organized, boxed, and taped 1,100 gifts for teacher appreciation week and scrubbed and sanitized hundreds of used volunteer name badges. Whether the task is tedious or requires a lot of imaginative designing, Janice conquers every task. Every holiday she always goes above and beyond what is asked, hand making specially designed cards that she sends to staff. VITAL Coordinator Lisa Wegener stated, “Janice’s cards mean so much to me. Her volunteer commitment not only enables me to get everything done, but her care also lifts my spirit and inspires me.”
These stories give a small glimpse of how over 2,500 Thompson School District volunteers make a big difference to students and staff. Margaret Mead once said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed individuals can change the world. In fact, it’s the only thing that ever has.” So, imagine how much a difference a large group of many individuals can make. As Volunteer Appreciation Week ends, we would like to thank each and every TSD volunteer who has given time to positively impact our students and staff. Because of our volunteers, we are able to do more, achieve more, and help more.