Students at Wellington Elementary affectionately call her Miss Norella. As a Foster Grandparent volunteer with AmeriCorps Seniors, Norella works with 120 students who need extra help with reading. Yet despite the large number, she builds a special connection with each and every child. She keeps a sticker that says, “I carry a part of every person I have met,” and that sentiment perfectly captures Norella’s heart for service.
Norella shares about one little boy that she works with everyday, “He comes from an unstable, chaotic background and comes to school with a lot of emotions. But he knows he is safe with me and can relax around me because I allow him to be who he is. He knows he can work through all his emotions with me, even the harder ones.”
Her care and attention to detail shine through in the small things like the little notebook she keeps to track each child’s name, what they’re reading, and what they need to work on. Norella says the children have noticed the book and, “it makes them think that I really care about what I do.”
One of her favorite parts of volunteering is the joy she feels when she calls a student over to read with her. She also treasures the many thank-you cards she received from the children she worked with last school year.
Norella’s dedication to helping young readers isn’t new. Forty years ago, at an elementary school in California, she helped sixty sixth graders progress from reading at a third-grade level to a sixth-grade level by the end of the year. Now, at Wellington, she’s continuing that legacy by helping students make remarkable progress in just a few short weeks.
Miss Norella also shared some special experiences from her time at Wellington. Because older students read longer books, she doesn’t always get to hear the endings. One fifth grader made sure she wouldn’t miss out, telling her, “I picked this book out special, and I am only going to read it with you so that you can hear the ending.” Norella smiled as she recalled the moment:
“It was so sweet!”
The staff at Wellington Elementary shared at the end of last school year, “Norella had a huge impact on the students. They knew they needed to stay on task with her and do their best. She was very patient with each student and she continued to work with each of them on their individual level to help them improve. The teachers, staff, and students enjoyed having Norella at our school and are very grateful for all her help."
Beyond being a wonderful Foster Grandparent volunteer, Norella is also a cancer survivor, a retired Castleview Hospital phlebotomist, and a true example of optimism. Her personal motto, “Keep Smiling!” is something we can all learn from.
If you would like to learn more about serving as a Foster Grandparent, call 801-538-3999, visit userve.utah.gov/seniors or fill out this interest form.