Partners in Education has a friend in Kiwanis
Harvey Oyler works with Imelda Valdez, student support administrator at Alamo Elementary. Baytown Chamber of Commerce sponsors the local Partners in Education program.
“I’m the Kiwanis Club’s committee chairman for the Partners in Education program. We provide financial support for special activities at Alamo Elementary. We also volunteer for service work to help with projects here. I’m the person she calls when she needs something.”
“They’ve done things like welcome-back breakfasts for faculty and staff, donated money for our library to buy books, helped out at our book fair, bought wristbands for everyone to wear during Red Ribbon Week, and volunteered to help us beautify our garden at the school. It’s a wonderful partnership. We love him. Whatever we need, he’s there.”
“I’m playing Santa Claus for Christmas again this year. I did it last year in Miss Russell’s room, where the special needs kids are. I read them a story and we handed out gifts. It was a great experience.
“And I enjoy the lunch buddy program, where we get parental permission to have lunch with students. I was a lunch buddy last year for a young man in third grade. I would come a couple times a month and bring lunch from outside. He wanted a Happy Meal or buffalo wings or pizza; something other than cafeteria food. We would eat and talk. I’d ask about his school life and family life, or if he needed any help. I brought him a little gift for Christmas and another one for the summer.
“The thing that kind of tugged at your heart was when other students would come up to you and say, ‘How can I get a lunch buddy?’ They saw us together talking and eating good food and stuff, and they wanted some of that, too.”
— Harvey Oyler and Imelda Valadez
Related:
