By Joyce Anderson
Executive Director of Wise Readers to Leaders
At our recent teen board meeting, Wise Readers to Leaders co-founder Rabbi Ron Stern led us in a meaningful exercise that allowed us to reflect on our own why: Why do we do what we do? Why Wise Readers to Leaders? Why now?
Through this exercise, our teens gained a better understanding of what life is like for so many of our scholars. Through discussion of Jewish traditions and texts, Rabbi Stern facilitated meaningful conversation with our teens, who shared their own family histories and experiences with injustice. These experiences, shared through the generations, have informed and inspired our teens to participate in the sacred work we do at Wise Readers to Leaders.
This past month, to help support our 2023 WRTL Summer Literacy Camp, several of our Tikkun Olam Corps volunteers raised funds for supplies through bake sales at their schools. We would like to thank our teen volunteers from Palisades Charter High School and the Marlborough School for their initiative, organizational skills, and leadership efforts to benefit our scholars!
Our Tikkun Olam Corps volunteers’ resourcefulness and devotion to our scholars also shines through in our virtual enrichment classes this winter. We now proudly offer new and relevant enrichment classes thanks to the immense talent and efforts of our dedicated volunteer network and staff. Our Tikkun Olam Corps teens are currently leading STEAM, Spanish, and financial literacy classes for our scholar community.
We are gearing up for summer and are looking for Tikkun Olam Corps teen volunteers. Do you know of a teen who would like to make a difference in a scholar’s life? Email us at [email protected]!