Dana has always been passionate about serving others. After graduating from Anoka Tech, she joined the military and served in the Air Force for twenty years. “The ability to lead, serve, and help people” motivated her to join the military. During her time in the Air Force, Dana led and supervised young airmen and traveled all over the world. She was also given the opportunity to mentor students – visiting various elementary schools every three months or so to read, eat lunch, and talk with them.
Dana loved the mentoring she did while serving in the military. When life brought her back to her hometown, she knew she wanted to give back to the community she grew up in. Applying to become an Early Learning Tutor made perfect sense.
“These kids are our future leaders. I want them to have the confidence that they can succeed in life,” she says.
Dana knew she was making a difference when she tutored two students in particular. The students began the year with skills significantly lower than other students. She thought, “these kids won’t reach their reading goals by the end of the year.” As months passed, the extra practice and support paid off! The students made incredible progress and met their goals.
The 2022-2023 school year is Dana’s fourth and final year serving as an early learning tutor, She has loved every minute of it. “Every one of my students has been a success,” she says. Although AmeriCorps regulations prevent Dana from more than four terms, she plans to continue giving back to her community and supporting students in other ways.
When this school year comes to an end, Dana will have devoted more than 2,000 hours to supporting Princeton’s youngest learners. Thank you, Dana, for your service!
Would you or someone you know be interested in filling Dana’s shoes or supporting students in another location? Apply now to begin in August! You can learn more by visiting join.readingandmath.org.