Janelle Mitchelle (right) is an AmeriCorps volunteer from Altoona, PA. This is Janelle’s first JCWP but she is not here to just build homes, she’s here to build lives. Janelle has developed a program for the week to help teach literacy to the young children who’ll be living in these new homes. She believes she can help the families by entertaining their kids while they work on their home and she’s created some Dr. Seuss-themed tutoring programs with her.
Janelle, who studies in Santa Barbara, contacted Habitat for Humanity of Greater L.A. to ask how she could help with the children and explained her ideas. They loved it and here she is. Oh and she’s also pretty handy with a hammer!
She says she loves meeting people from all over because everyone has a great story to tell (we agree.) She also loves learning new things, like conquering the nail gun. “It’s intimidating and powerful, but empowering at the same time. It feels so good to be dirty.”
“I hope to create ongoing programs for the kids and plan to be down here several weekends a month to spend time with these children. Many of them just want someone to read with them so that’s what I’ll do.”
3 comments:
I don't actually go to school in Santa Barbara. I graduated from Juniata College in Pennsylvania and recently moved to Santa Barbara because the AmeriCorps program I work for, the Santa Barbara Applecorps, is based there.
Oops sorry Janelle! Thanks for clarifying. Please keep in touch and let us know updates about your literacy program and tell us about the great kids of JCWP!
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