By Clyde Noel
Town Crier Correspondent
During the past five years, Los Altos and Mountain View’s Rotary Club’s Partners for New Generations (PNG) has matched more than 200 volunteers with the local schools. Last Thursday, the program held its annual appreciation luncheon to recognize their contributions.
Rotarians volunteer for many programs at Alta Vista High School,” said Principal Bill Pierce. “They coach basketball, they read to the students and many work with the ‘Out To Lunch’ program. Their energy and time is greatly appreciated by the students.”
PNG is a community outreach program that recruits volunteers and facilitates the connection of these volunteers to local agencies serving youth. Volunteers can contribute according to their availability, an hour a week, an hour a month or for a special project.
Alan Price of Mountain View volunteered for mentoring at Alta Vista High School.
“I had no experience as a mentor. I didn’t know what I was getting into, but I liked the idea,” Price said. “I like photography and I became an adult friend to a student. I expected to share an hour, but we spent the entire afternoon together.”
The Alta Vista student Khristopher Sandifer said “It didn’t affect my life as much as it does the program at Alta Vista. Seeing him (Price) has brought out my life.”
Rotarian Bob Adams coaches basketball at Alta Vista. He goes there 2-3 times a week and works in different athletic programs.
“There is an absolute demand for volunteers in the high school,” he said.
Rob Holden, president of the Bank of Los Altos, is coaching sixth-grade basketball at Almond School.
“You find the things you have a passion for and go do it,” Holden said. “At Almond we introduced the concept and 24 boys showed up. We set up a 3-on-3 tournament and it was a wonderful experience. You don’t get a direct feedback, but the students tell others and it comes back to you.”
Lauren Rucker works with the County Parole Board and Neighborhood Accountability Board (NAB).
“It takes a whole village to raise a child,” she said. “We try to get a workable concept for the kids to work with so they don’t have to go into Juvenile Hall. We need adults to give them a second chance.”
“I always wanted to work with high school students,” Sox said. “It’s fun because they keep me young and they make me question my own values.”
“The Partners for New Generations program makes a tremendous difference,” said Marge Gratiot, superintendent of the Los Altos School District. “In Los Altos we have a lot of children who could be helped with a one-on-one relationship.”
For information, call 949-0828 ext. 44.
