by Matt G. from Des Moines, IA
(December 14, 2011)
I've been a reader and mentor with EWins for almost 4 years. It's been rewarding to see the children I read with gain confidence in both speaking and reading, not to mention self esteem. I've seen it in the children I mentor, but also in the children around me being mentored by other volunteers. What keeps me coming back week after week & year after year is that for at least that 45 minutes I am with that child, I know I'm making a difference in someone's life. I've seen kids jump for joy and give big smiles when their mentor enters the room. I've seen children frantic on the last day of reading before a holiday when their mentor is late, afraid the reader may not show, and when the reader inevitably arrives, the sheer joy and heartfelt exuberance that erupts from ever fiber of their being. I've also seen mentor after mentor with those same smiles and that same exuberance, and I see those same people coming back year after year. That's the real five star review in my book.