Reading-Buddies
In our reading-buddies program, high school students teach, mentor, and guide elementary students. We specialize in ESL, special-education, and general literacy needs. We strive to form connections with our students and make deep impressions.
Our Reading-Buddies
Maile Marguleas
I want to make connections with the students and be able to cultivate trust and a close relationship. I want the students to feel safe and feel like they are being heard. Because our world is changing so much, I think it is important for the kids to feel accepted for who they are. Being a person with Dyslexia and ADHD myself, I understand learning struggles and how to find the best form of learning tailored specifically to the student.
Sabrina Loui
I am really excited to be working with the kids because I love watching them grow and learn. I want to form strong connections with the keiki and help them to overcome any fears while also becoming confident in themselves and their abilities. I’ve been fortunate to have really great adults in my life who have helped me tremendously, so I want to be that person that the kids can turn to if they need to talk. I want to help the kids I tutor/mentor to become confident individuals who are unafraid to follow their passions and embrace their uniqueness.
Ashlyn Natori
I enjoy being around kids especially because I feel that I’m still a kid at heart. I’ve worked closely with young kids in the past and really enjoyed connecting with them. Connecting with other people is important to me because I believe that connections help enrich our lives and it is nice to know that you have someone that you can talk to about anything. I understand how difficult it can be to build confidence or simply open up to someone and I would love to be the person that these kids can talk to.
Mariel Limos
I love working with kids of different backgrounds. Even though I don’t speak another language, I hope to work with some of the ELL students because growing up in the public school system I’ve always had to work closely with them (I also have created fond memories with those students when I was in elementary school). I also understand we may have the chance to work with some of the special education students, and I would love to be of any help! In my family I have a younger cousin who has autism, so I understand that there are struggles these students go through, and I want to be the person they can look to as a friend especially during these trying times. In general, I’m so excited to work with all different kinds of students, whether it be as a mentor, friend, reading buddy or tutor! Through reading-buddies, I hope to establish a relationship with students and leave a lasting impression on them while also teaching them.
Mari Shoop
I have worked with kids (K-6) at my school’s Japanese Immersion program and that experience allowed me to create deeper relationships with the youth and strengthen my love for working with kids. I am excited to create similar relationships at Waikiki Elementary and be a support system/mentor for the students whenever they need someone to talk to or help them.
Leila Hirayama
Growing up in the public school system I understand how important it is to provide extra support to the students as well as a support system. While this is very important, it is also true that these resources are hard to come by. Being around younger cousins and a younger sister very often, I love to be around kids. Ultimately, I would like to provide a support system for the students. I would like to be there to help in any way I can, whether it be as a tutor, mentor, or someone to talk to. I am very excited to start to form bonds with the students that will hopefully leave a long lasting impression of a positive, helpful, and remarkable experience.
Tracee Nguyen
Being a leader in student government in this time, it is very common to see the same pattern where students are struggling. Learning online nowadays is unmotivating, and it definitely isn’t the same as being in class in person. Therefore, providing an opportunity such as this to ensure that the students stay engaged is very important to me. I am an only child, and I’ve always wanted to have a younger sibling to care for and to help them out. There were many instances when I was younger where I felt alone and like I didn’t have many people to talk to. In this program, I want to be able to develop a close connection to whoever I happen to meet, and as I hope to see them grow, I also wish to act as a good friend to them and a great mentor!
