Story from Alyssa Meyers, Senior Development Writer about her colleague Rebecca Kelliher, Associate Director of Editorial Services
I’d like to share a story of a colleague who is Taking a Stand through volunteering at Read Ahead, a non-profit, reading-based mentoring program. Rebecca Kelliher works with an eight-year-old mentee at P.S. 125 for an hour each week, and here is what she had to say about her experience:
My Read Ahead mentee is eight years old, wears pink nail polish, and likes to dance to Shakira (as do I). For an hour each week, we read whatever books she picks. I love language, so I wanted to share the magic of words with a child discovering books for the first time. But I learned a Read Ahead mentor’s task is not so much to read but to connect with a child, wherever she is that week. While some days we sound out tricky words like “chaos,” other days we forget about Dr. Seuss and talk about nail polish instead. I am learning that half the journey of mentorship is simply being present. Because it shows a child you care.
My Read Ahead mentee, Blythe, drew this portrait of me (although my hair is not that long). She said she put “Blythe” on my shirt so I’d remember her name.
