Nine months of assiduous planning and intensive volunteer recruiting all over Richmond paid off in a big way this week, with our first coaching sessions at Richmond High. Here is how Site Coordinator Karen Larson saw it:
"We had our first two days of coaching this week, working with 82 ELD (English Language Development) Level 4 students from Ms. Schultz's three classes. Nine experienced coaches joined with 31 newly-minted coaches to introduce this program to RHS and its students.
"Since there were so many new coaches, I stressed the importance of remembering to breathe! ('Don't forget that these students/coaches are just other people.') Coaches and students shared three things about themselves, and we learned that students like playing soccer, hanging out with friends, helping with younger siblings, working with animals, and some even enjoy writing! Helping the students on writing about a time they, or someone they knew, experienced discrimination allowed us to have some interesting and meaningful conversations.
"New coaches were relieved that they will never have to have their 'first coaching session' again; I let them know that they are now experienced coaches! One new coach summed up the feelings of many coaches: 'I hope the kids had as much fun as I did!'"
Hours, days, weeks, months of work by at least a dozen people went into the successful launch of WCC in Richmond. First, we offer a tip 'o the cap to Richmond Volunteer Coordinator Shelli Fried and Richmond Community Liaison Fernando Ramirez, who set a goal of 60 writer coaches to work with Richmond High students and so far have recruited at least 20 more than that. Thanks also to our associate director Lynn Mueller, who has been heavily involved in planning the program. And most especially, we thank dozens upon dozens of community volunteers, new coaches and experienced coaches from other school sites who have come over to help in Richmond.
Here is coach Rebecca Jeschke, focusing in closely on her student's essay:
Sometimes, a coach likes a little quiet space to work with a student, and coach Kim Stewart has found it here:
We're especially grateful to Richmond High Principal Julio Franco, Vice Principal Kibby Kleiman, and their staff members for making us feel so welcome at Richmond High. We look forward to a very productive partnership!
Bob Menzimer