Cultivation of a Quality Education

During the academic year I volunteer at Henderson Middle School, an under-funded school in the city of Richmond, Virginia. I’ve been mentoring and tutoring the same group of students for two years now. In this short span I have already been able to form a strong bond with my students and witness them mature and develop their interests in and out of school. All of the students at Henderson have so much potential, but they unfortunately struggle in school because they lack the support and materials necessary for academic success. Many students come from low-income households and depend on the school to provide them with lunch or supplies, but the school’s lack of funding inhibits their ability to do so. My experience at Henderson Middle School has given me the opportunity to be proximate to a deficient school and understand the importance of providing children with the tools they need to effectively learn.

Volunteering at Henderson was my first exposure to a dilapidated learning environment that hinders the potential of intelligent and passionate students. Even my young scholars understand the flaws in their school: from teachers who don’t care about the students to no walls between classrooms to a lack of paper and writing utensils. The lack of supportive mentors and learning supplies at Henderson Middle School forces talented students into a box. My students are smart, kind, and beautiful. However, they lack the proper resources needed to help them grow and develop and push them for success. As passionate as I am about the middle school students in urban Richmond, this issue occurs all around the globe. One area in particular – Wayanad, India – has students in similar circumstances.

As I stress the importance of providing students with the support they need, I want to highlight Profugo’s ongoing Student Sponsorship Program. This program will help students below the poverty line by providing them school supplies for an entire school year. The cost of school supplies can be a barrier to access to education, but donating to this program will not only give a child school supplies, it will give them the opportunity to learn. I am passionate about youth education and I believe there are many ways to help whether it is tutoring a student or donating to a charity. This is why I strongly encourage you to donate to help a student in Wayanad continue to learn and discover.