By mobilizing the caring power of our community, United Way of Kenosha County (UWKC) makes a lasting impact — together. How? From helping Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) clients get the most out of their tax refund, serving on governing committees and advocating to tutoring elementary school-aged learners, reading with students and painting Born Learning Trails (and so much more throughout our community!), UWKC volunteers bring our vision to life.
Our vision: a community where all individuals and families in Kenosha County achieve their human potential through education, income, and healthy lives.
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Today, we introduce you to a volunteer, Anita Godina, who has made a difference right here in our community by living up to the meaning of living united. Anita is a Racine, WI resident and a professional psychology student at Bellevue University. As part of her program, she needed to complete a service-learning project, which required volunteer hours. That is when she contacted United Way of Kenosha County.
After hearing and learning about the programs we offer, she wanted to be a part of making an impact too. When we talked more with her about her interests and availability, we decided together that Readers Are Leaders (RAL) closely aligned, however, we worked with the school coordinator at Forest Park Elementary to gear something just a little different that would be just right.
From then on, Anita completed the RAL tutor training and jumped right in, working with small groups of kindergarten students on numbers, letters and sight words, per the teachers’ guidance and identification of learning objectives with the greatest need.
Anita’s favorite part of volunteering with the kindergartners at Forest Park Elementary School was creating excitement for the children's learning experience. As she never worked with children one-on-one in an educational setting before, it was eye opening to experience firsthand how an educator's performance can impact a student's mood for and interest in learning. With the students she worked with, Anita leaned in on fostering a learning environment full of excitement and passion for learning.
In fact, excitement was a part of Anita’s volunteer experience through and through. Not only was she excited each time she got to work with the students, but she found joy in the excitement students shared during their time together. Hearing students exclaim, "Yes!" when she arrived and receiving welcoming little hugs and waves from each student was a highlight of her experience. Although Anita is no longer volunteering in this capacity, it was hard to say goodbye to the students for the last time once her service hours were completed, and she now knows what volunteer opportunities are available the next time she is looking to get involved.
As a soon-to-be graduate (April ‘22), Anita is eager to soon start working with not only children but people of all ages in our community. All of us at United Way of Kenosha County wish you success in your future endeavors, Anita, and thank you for making an impact right here in Kenosha County!