At primary schools around the Upper Valley, Dartmouth students are bestowed with a relatively rare opportunity for those in the collegiate world.
START, a volunteer program short for Students in the ARTs, has connected Dartmouth students with schools in neighboring communities by allowing them to "develop a program tailored to their interests and provide a much needed service to the Upper Valley schools," said Emily Pearl '04, a senior intern with the group.
The program started in 1992, when a concerned parent and employee of the Hood Museum of Art approached Dartmouth students, asking them if they would be willing to visit and teach at Plainfield Elementary School. Art classes there had been eliminated due to budget cuts.
Since then, START -- the only volunteer program sponsored by the Hopkins Center for the Arts -- has expanded to other schools in neighboring communities. Current locations include Mt. Lebanon Elementary, School Street School, Thetford Elementary, Seminary Hill and Upper Valley Haven after-school program.
START volunteers have the flexibility and freedom to choose from a wide range of possibilities in constructing their curriculum -- drawing, painting, dance, crafts, theatre, puppetry, the organization's leaders said.
"I tend to tailor art to something that students are already learning about," said Pearl, who has been involved with the project throughout her Dartmouth career.
An average of 20 to 25 Dartmouth students participate in the program each term, Pearl said. While the program requires only a one-term commitment, many students start during their freshman year and choose to stay involved throughout their four years at Dartmouth.
According to Pearl, the sustained interest of Dartmouth students attests to the rewarding value of the experience.
"People usually stick with the program for a very long time. A few freshmen dropped out, but that was because they were already over-committed," Pearl said.
START volunteers are comprised of students with interests in the arts, who are also campus-leaders, involved in numerous other aspects of life at Dartmouth.
START also allows its volunteers to teach in pairs. Monica Bravo '04 and Liz Bertko '04 are two of START's veterans currently working together. They started the program during their freshman year and continue to be actively involved with the program. During their tenure as START volunteers, Bravo and Bertko have taught various grade levels in many different schools in the area. They are currently matched with a sixth grade classroom in Seminary Hill Middle School, located about 15 minutes away from campus.
Bravo and Bertko make their weekly trip to the school every Thursday for an hour-long lesson from 1 to 2 p.m. As part of their routine, they are required to sign up an attendance sheet and pick up their volunteer tags from an office on the first floor, before walking into their classroom. The class of six girls and 10 boys will be already expecting their visit.
"The kids are looking forward to it," said teacher Sarah Merril, "I like to bring in the arts because I have a degree in creative arts and learning, and I know that kids learn in different ways. Some of them can grab on to the arts, and do something with their hands."
In addition to offering an alternative approach to learning, START gives children the chance to interact with enthusiastic and dedicated college students, Pearl said.
The schools are not the only ones that benefit. Dartmouth students have the opportunity to teach and learn through serving others.
Bertko emphasized the refreshing aspect of working with kids.
"There are days when we are not in a good mood, and don't feel like teaching, but as soon as we walk into that classroom things change," Bertko said. "We end up leaving all refreshed and feeling great."
In order for all parties to remain satisfied, they have to go through a match process mediated by Hopkins Center staff, based on comparing teachers' and volunteers' interests and pairing them up.
Teachers interested in having volunteers in their classroom fill out a one-page questionnaire, in which they specify the times and subjects available. Dartmouth students also fill out a form, describing their areas of interests such as program plans, grade and number of students, and their schedule availability. Teachers and students then meet to brainstorm ideas, and discuss lesson plans.
For volunteers who do not have their own means of transportation, START arranges carpools, and, in some cases, car rental or taxi service, Pearl added.
The budget for transportation as well as for art supplies is covered by the Hopkins Center.
