Fall Fun with GEMS

Hey everyone - I hope you are having a happy fall season!

Being so immersed in GEMS over the past couple weeks has reignited my fall spirit. The kids' high energy and nonstop positivity is contagious and has added an element of excitement to my stressful weeks of school. That being said, I thought I’d update you guys on the volunteer activities that we’ve been taking on in GEMS.

Reading Days

On our reading days, we walk over to the school with a couple club members and divide up a kindergarten or first grade class into smaller groups. Before we start reading, we’re swarmed by hugs and high-fives, questions about our ages and grade level, and occasional offerings from the snack bin. One of my favorites is, “Mr. Jack, are you on Ohio State’s football team?” - a question I am honored to receive but never very eager to answer. Then, for 45 minutes, we read in our small groups, encourage them to pay attention and interact with the story, and make the learning fun. I love letting the kids pick their favorite books and watching them eagerly wait for the turn of each page - whether it’s for the next illustration or the plot, it is awesome to see. At the end of each book, I ask my group some questions and help them sift through the pages to find the answers. The kids love it, the teachers love it, and our Uplift team loves it.

After School Program - GAP

One of our new initiatives this semester has been our participation and assistance with the GEMS after school program (GAP). Two weeks ago, the GAP program hosted a fall fest and offered activities like pumpkin and face painting, slime creation, bingo and more. The kids, in a variety of fun costumes, rushed here and there with smiles from cheek to cheek. I was assigned the pumpkin painting room and boy did it get messy. A couple students took an unconventional approach to their pumpkin paintings and said “Forget the brushes, I’ll use my hands!” Their “creativity” never fails to surprise me. If nothing special is planned for the afternoon, we hop into their basketball or Gaga games (and most likely get smoked), take on a role in their imaginary and crazy adventures, or join in on their learning lesson of the day. It takes me right back to the days of elementary recess, it's a blast!

The support that Uplift continues to provide is incredible, but it goes both ways. Every time I walk through the front doors of GEMS, I am uplifted by the students and their great attitudes, easy going nature, and endless energy. So, as the leaves continue to drop and the temperature begins dipping below freezing, I hope we can all take a page out of their books and attack these fall and soon-to-be winter days with less stress and a bit more excitement.

Thank you all for reading - if you are interested in supporting our mission, check out the information below.

Sincerely,

Jack Sweet

Vice-President

Venmo: @Eva-Shearer or @Sarah-Weglarz-2

Checks can be mailed to:

Uplift Youth Volunteers

2095 Ohio Union, 1739 N High St

Columbus, OH 43210