Idea 26: Be a Mentor

At face value, mentoring a student at First Place is a one-hour commitment at the same time and place each week September through June. If this is what we were convincing you to do, we wouldn’t be giving you the whole truth.

If we then said that it’s also playing games, making jewelry, hanging out, playing dolls and putting together puzzles—we would still be just scratching the surface.

Mentoring is actually changing lives one hour at a time.

Lisa is a mentor who has been with First Place close to 10 years. She mentored a young student name *Maria who was very shy and barely spoke above a whisper. Lisa asked Maria what she wanted to work on with her during the year and the student said that she wanted to be able to read in front of her class.

Throughout the year, Lisa and Maria read a book together with Lisa reading a couple of pages out loud and Maria reading out loud. During that time they worked on special projects such as making bracelets for each other and other fun things. Maria told her mentor that she wants to be a doctor and Lisa introduced her to a goal chart. Each week they talked about what it takes to be a doctor and the student had certain goals that she wanted to achieve. Every week, if she made one of her goals, she got to place stars on her chart.

By the end of the school year, the chart was done and the student was able to stand up front of her class performing in the class play. This child will always remember the valuable lessons that she learned from her mentor and Maria will always hold a special place in Lisa’s heart.

Every mentor, tutor and classroom volunteer at First Place is offered training in:

• Building positive relationships with students to improve self-esteem
• Using non-punitive ways to encourage students’ development of life skills
• Developing strong boundaries and healthy limits
• Taking time for training with students to clarify expectations
• Using “teachable moments” when students make mistakes while encouraging students to take risks
• Using practical problem-solving methods to show students how to see problems as learning opportunities

If you are interested in learning more, contact our Volunteer Manager Joyce Scoggins at 206 323 6715.

Thank you for all of your support of our programs thus far. And remember to check back for daily updates and ideas! If you have any questions about the Idea a Day postings, please email Melissa Collett, Marketing & Events Manager.

Previous Idea a Day Posts:
Tour First Place
Keep In Touch
Dine In for First Place
Paint a Classroom

Idea 24: Paint a Classroom

One way to volunteer is to get a group together and come down to First Place to do a one-day project. Projects are often painting a classroom and hallways and also include outside and playground clean-up.

A great example is Vision Quest, a local company who offered their employees to First Place for the day. They came to First Place on September 4th; sleeves rolled up and ready to tackle any job that needed to be done. They painted 2 classrooms and the multi-purpose room. Not only are they hard workers, but have a sense of humor that kept everyone laughing and that made the painting go faster. They did a professional job and came back a few weeks later to finish up one of the classrooms. Vision Quest, you’re welcome back any time!

If you are interested in doing a group volunteer project, contact our Volunteer Manager Joyce Scoggins at 206 323 6715.

Thank you for all of your support of our programs thus far. And remember to check back for daily updates and ideas! If you have any questions about the Idea a Day postings, please email Melissa Collett, Marketing & Events Manager.

Idea 9: Volunteer in a Classroom

Today we'd like to share a letter we recently received from a volunteer. We were inspired by his message.

To the staff, students and volunteers at First Place:

I would like to thank you for the amazing and life changing opportunity to volunteer my time at First Place. Through my experience at First Place I have had the honor of meeting, interacting, and befriending several students, staff and fellow volunteers. I have had the opportunity to grow as an individual and as a member of my community.

There is a Chinese Proverb that says, “A single conversation with a wise man is better than ten years of study.” My experience with the children and staff at First Place have been like my “wise man” – I have learned things I could have never have learned about life and myself through studying, that I have at First Place and for that I am thankful.

Again, thank you for the opportunity to volunteer at First Place, it has been life changing and something I will never forget.

Warmly,
Michael

Volunteering will change the lives of our students, and quite possibly your own. If you are interested in volunteering, contact our Volunteer Manager Joyce Scoggins at 206 323 6715.

Thank you for all of your support of our programs thus far. And remember to check back for daily updates and ideas! If you have any questions about the Idea a Day postings, please email Melissa Collett, Marketing & Events Manager.

Previous Idea a Day Posts:
Write a Review on GreatNonprofits.org
Be a Secret Santa for a Child
Donate Office Supplies
Offer Your Talent
Shop Amazon.com Using School Rewards

Idea 7: Offer Your Talent

Here are a few organizations and individuals who donate their talent to First Place. Each one saves us staff time and money. Every time we save money, the students and families win.

VanHouten Photography: Ben VanHouten is a professional photographer who donates his time to First Place photographing our annual fundraising breakfast, and children in the classroom.


Taproot Foundation recently granted First Place a redesign of our website. The grant provides First Place with a highly skilled team of professionals working pro bono in their area of specialty.
Linda Byron, Investigative Reporter for KING5 News has been a volunteer at First Place since our very first year. She donates her talents as the emcee of our annual fundraising breakfast and offers her professional advice to us in marketing and communications.

Thank you to all of our volunteers for the time you donate to First Place.

We have many opportunities for professionals who are interested in volunteering their skills. In addition to volunteer opportunities we have with the students, we are currently looking for help with event planning, fund development, marketing, finance, law, and advocacy.

Contact our Volunteer Manager Joyce Scoggins at 206 323 6715.

Thank you for all of your support of our programs thus far. And remember to check back for daily updates and ideas! If you have any questions about the Idea a Day postings, please email Melissa Collett, Marketing & Events Manager.

Previous Idea a Day Posts:
Write a Review on GreatNonprofits.org
Be a Secret Santa for a Child
Link Your Website to First Place
Donate Office Supplies

Photos in the post: Two students eating lunch.
Linda Byron as emcee at our April 2009 Fundraising Breakfast. Both photos by Ben VanHouten.

Idea a Day 1: Adopt a Classroom for the Holidays

Over the holidays we have great success with our Adopt a Family program which provides gifts for families for the holidays, but we don’t get as much support for our teachers and classrooms.

We’ve asked all of our teachers, and our programs such as Mentoring/Tutoring program, Library, After School program, and even Technology and Marketing, to come up with their own wish list in the hopes that someone will adopt their program.

In-kind gifts for classrooms and programs have a direct impact on the children who attend First Place.


When a mentor spends an hour with a student, they choose a board game, a puzzle, a jewelry making kit or an art project from the volunteer room and those short weekly interactions have huge impacts on the rest of their life. A study by Big Brothers Big Sisters of America shows that children who have mentors are 46% less likely to begin using illegal drugs.

Tutors use books in our library to help students with their reading. Many children enter First Place up to 3 grade levels behind their peers. In a classroom of 30 children sometimes special needs are overlooked. At First Place, each child has an individual learning plan which helps them get back up to grade level.

Our After School Program provides arts and enrichment activities that our students may not otherwise have access to. Going to the local swimming pool and learning how to swim is just one example. First Place provides a towel, swimsuit, goggles and swim caps for each child at First Place that they can keep at the end of the program, but right now we’re running short on supplies.

2nd/3rd Grade Teacher Ms. Kristy uses pedometers to help her students measure distances and learn math.

When you adopt one of our classrooms or programs, you’re not just buying a pencil or a packet of paper, you are touching the life of a child.

To view Holiday Wish Lists and for more information about Adopting a Classroom or Program, please visit our Holiday Giving page.

Thank you for all of your support of our programs thus far. And remember to check back for daily updates and ideas! If you have any questions about the Idea a Day postings, please email Melissa Collett, Marketing & Events Manager.

Previous Idea a Day:
Idea a Day Intro Post

Volunteer Mentors Change Lives

For 11 years, Steve Wainwright has come through the doors of First Place once a week to mentor a student.

Volunteer mentors provided a much needed hour to students attending First Place. Steve sometimes gets the feeling that some of the kids aren’t listened to as much as they’d want. Being a mentor means listening, playing a game, coloring, practicing reading or even doing homework.

National research from Big Brothers Big Sisters shows that children who are mentored are:

• 46% less likely to begin using illegal drugs.
• 27% less likely to begin using alcohol.
• 52% less likely to skip school.
• 37% less likely to skip a class.
• more confident of their performance in schoolwork.
• one-third less likely to hit someone.
• getting along better with their families.

Steve knows what he’s doing is making a difference by giving one hour a week. His favorite moments are often at First Place Graduation when he sees pride in the eyes of the parents watching their children.

(Pictured above: Steve with a student at a year-end trip to Wild Waves.)

Steve says he appreciates the overall staff at First Place and that “everybody is focused on the right thing, consistently, year after year.”

If he could say anything to individuals who are considering volunteering at First Place, he would encourage males to give it some thought because their presence is underrepresented and much needed.

First Place currently has 15 students (mostly boys) waiting to be matched to a mentor.

If you are interested in being a volunteer mentor at First Place contact our Volunteer Manager, Joyce Scoggins, at (206) 323-6715 x1205.

Upcoming Event: MXD Championships!

MXD Championships is a mixed doubles tennis tournament held each July at the Bellevue Club. The tournament hosts a player party with a raffle and auction which is a benefit for First Place.

In the past four years, this events has raised over $100,000 for First Place! This year's tournament will be held July 24-26 at the Bellevue Club. Each team is guaranteed two matches. The player party includes food, drinks and a tennis exhibition.
If you are interested in playing in the tournament, you can register online. You can also view photos from last year on our Facebook page.

First Place is also seeking volunteers to help us at the party. Volunteers are needed 5pm-11pm on Saturday July 25, 2009 to help with a raffle and small auction. We are also interested in a volunteer photographer. Email Tammie Conder for more info: tconder@firstplaceschool.org.

Unsung Hero: Volunteer Donna Shattuck

First Place long-time volunteer Donna Shattuck is featured in the Summer 2009 RSVP Newsletter: Experience in Action. You can find the article on page 5.

Donna, our most sincerest thank you's for the time you invest in the students at First Place!
RSVP stands for Retired & Senior Volunteer Program. RSVP encourages people 55 and older to volunteer in their community. First Place currently has two volunteers through the Solid Ground RSVP Program.

You can learn more about RSVP on the Solid Ground website. Learn more about volunteering at First Place here.

Unsung Hero: Kirkland Junior Youth Group

A huge Thank You to Kirkland Junior Youth Group who came down to First Place with a donation of $330 and for a tour of the building! We appreciate their support of our programs and for their future support as summer volunteers.

Some of the youth are pictured here with Chris Cooper, Director of Marketing and Development at First Place.

We were reminded of this quote:

"A person's true wealth is the good he or she does in the world."

--Mohammed

Learn more about Tours and Volunteering on our website.

Welcome New Board President James Tisdel

Longtime professional and classroom volunteer James Tisdel began a two-year term as First Place Board President in September. “First Place provides hope to kids who have seen little of it,” James said of why he joined First Place five years ago.

“As Board President my main goal is to not get in the way of the already successful program, and to help create funding sources that will allow consistent support of those programs and the retention of good staff and teachers."

James, who from his youth knows first-hand the risks of homelessness, will continue to offer personal and professional insight as First Place begins new programs in its 20th year. “My mother, siblings and I were lucky to get help from family and friends to get through a hard period in my life. First Place is a family and a friend to its students, which reminds me every day that it’s that other person who is will to reach and help when there seems to be little hope at all that makes all the difference.”


Here is a picture of James on stage at our 20th Anniversary Gala on September 29, 2008.