Seven TIAA volunteers went to the Boys & Girls Club on Brown Street in Dallas. We visited and worked with 50 boys and girls ages 6 to 14. These children spend their days learning and playing games in highly motivated group activities organized by the Club’s Program Manager, Sophia Cordova and her staff. Our TIAA volunteers were assigned to one of three age groups consisting of 15 to 20 children to pursue further special assignments. The 6-to-9-year group spent their morning with crayons and coloring books; the 10–to-12-year group spent their morning answering cultural-awareness questions in the computer lab – they were encouraged to use the PCs to look up how different societies were influenced by their culture; and the 13–to-14-year group built “marshmallow catapults”. These children had a contest to see which of the five teams could launch a small marshmallow the farthest. All of our TIAA volunteers had a great time sharing their experiences with the youth and working one-on-one as they fulfilled their assignments. We were amazed at how inquisitive and creative the children were and came away from the event pleased that we could make a difference in their learning experience and how their generation has knowledge of things we never dreamed of when we were growing up.
TIAA members help kids at the Cedar Springs Boys and Girls Clubs in Dallas
