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Student Support Volunteer Project does transformative work at Padonia International Elementary

By Pat van den Beemt

Padonia International Elementary School’s principal Daniel Pizzo might now believe in magic after seeing what a group of Broadmead residents has done for his school.

While some members of Broadmead’s Student Support Volunteer Project continue to volunteer in classrooms, many others have: helped out at a book fair and a health fair; knitted hats, scarves and sweaters for students; and donated school supplies. They hung an art show at Broadmead highlighting students’ Halloween drawings. They reorganized a cluttered teacher supply closet and fixed up the “cottage”— a mobile classroom filled with used clothing, school supplies, toys, games and non-perishable food. They also deliver food to the school on the second Saturday of each month for distribution to the school’s families. They also have plenty of plans for future projects.

“Without the volunteers, we would struggle to effectively and efficiently serve the students and families with the support that we do,” said Daniel Pizzo. “The Broadmead volunteers provide immediate support to families and students, which supports their ability to focus on learning.”

The idea for the project began about a year ago when residents Marion Baker, Cindy Sugatt and Sandy Angell, who all have backgrounds in education, looked for volunteer opportunities outside of Broadmead. They discovered nearby Padonia International Elementary School—home to some 500 students from 30 countries. About one-quarter of them participate in ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages). “The school doesn’t have a PTA, so we spent the past year saying ‘Yes’ to whatever they asked,” Sandy Angell said. The initiative soon became an official BRA activity called the Student Support Volunteer Project.

Some residents have volunteered to go into the school to help out. Del Sweeney rounded up 14 residents recently to work at a school Book Fair. Bobbie Cook, a former teacher, spends an hour every Tuesday morning with a fourth-grade math class, doing whatever the teacher asks of her. “I just wanted to be back with the kids,” she said. “I was blown away by this teacher who has 24 kids in her class, and she is able to get so much accomplished. It’s great to be part of it.”

Recognizing that not all residents are capable of going to the school to help, the committee came up with projects to do on campus. A group of men and women showed up in the art room one day to cut large laminated sheets of math facts into small cards for students to hold. Folks in Hallowell and Darlington neighborhoods made decorations for a giving Christmas tree that collected small gifts for the students.