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Parent Category: About Us

Category: Testimonials

“My daughter loves Power Lunch, and her partner Chris from UBS. In the past two months Mackenzie has jumped reading levels!  She recently took the Connecticut Mastery Test (CMT) and said it was easy and fun!  This is a child who struggled with reading in first and second grade and now finds it a joy to read! And we are thrilled! When I asked her to describe Power Lunch in one word, she said enthusiastically, “Awesome!" and we agree!” - Parent

"The Power Lunch Program continues to be very rewarding. I believe that I get much more from the program than I am giving as a volunteer." - UBS Volunteer

“I think it’s a wonderful idea it reinforces partnership and interest in reading, and an opportunity to be with adult who shares or helps to encourage an interest. Keep up the good work.” - Parent

"94% of second grade teachers indicate that Power Lunch has a positive effect on the participating students."- Teacher Feedback

"This was the highlight of my day. The children are very responsive and looked interested in coming to read. I hope to have been a benefit towards their continued academic achievements." - UBS Volunteer

“I favorite part is having more friends, and being able to read well at lunch instead of talking to my friends.” – 3^rd grade student at Stark Elementary School

 “My favorite part of the program is coming to school and helping the kids, helping them to read and seeing their results. Last year Sabine was not doing that well in reading and this year it amazing, really amazing to see her blossom. She is reading so well and the smile on her face that is my satisfaction that is my greatest joy in working in this program. It is much better then working in accounting.” – Power Lunch Program Volunteer

“My favorite thing [about] coming to power lunch is reading the books and talking about the books. Junie B. Jones is my favorite book to read, and Amelia Bedelia. I have learned so far that reading can be fun and exciting and we could share about the book with your partner.” – 2^nd grade student

“I always loved to read when I was a child and I still do, and I wanted to be able to instill that with somebody else; and I have the opportunity with Mackenzie. Having this opportunity at lunch time is just great; it’s fun for me, and a good way to get out of the office for a little while each day, it’s a pleasure. ” – Power Lunch program volunteer

“I love the power lunch program, it gives me an opportunity to work with children and help them get exposed to books they might not have read, and maybe geography and just different things about the world and mentoring, and I love it. Davis is a great reader and each week he gets better and better and stronger and stronger and I really enjoy my time with him.” – Power Lunch program volunteer

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Parent Category: About Us

Category: Testimonials

“For me its not about the school credit because I graduated already I do this for my own benefit, and Christian's benefit. It's a really good feeling that your giving back to the community, and giving back to someone who needs your help. It feels good that I formed a friendship with Christian. We see each other every week and its something we both look forward to. Even though it has only been one year, I have seen him grow up and his grades have improved. As a person he just seems so much more mature and confident in himself.” – Mentor to an 8^th grade Dolan Middle School student

“What I like most about the program is working with my mentee and helping him to think for the future. I like to do it because I want to work with kids; I want to be a social worker and I think this is a great start to work with middle school kids [in order to] understand them. I think I have affected him a lot. He gets really upset to know that I’m mad, because I panic automatically when he’s not doing well, and he knows that I expect more.” – Mentor to an 8th grade Dolan Middle School student

“He is a lot more confident in himself, and does well in school now rather then not caring he actually cares. He's getting a lot of A’s now, when we first started he was getting all D’s. I feel like I am doing something that is making a difference, and I feel happy about myself that I am giving back.” – Mentor to an 8th grade Dolan Middle School student

 
“My favorite part of mentoring is coming in and seeing the kids improving and seeing the difference you’re making with the interaction. We have been working together since last year so we have known each other for a while, and we have our routine and what we go through and its fun I really enjoy doing it. I have defiantly seen an improvement. The organization is better, homework is much better, we are working on the assignment book right now and hopefully that will get better by the end of the year.” – Mentor to an 8th Grade Dolan Middle School student

“I like that she is always willing to research for colleges [with me] so I can get an education and go somewhere in life and be somebody, and that she is always willing to push me so that I can do really good work. My grades have improved and I am more [focused about] college and getting an education. ” – 8^th grade Dolan Middle School student

“We get to talk about college and why it is important to go, and our futures. I have been doing better in classes now and doing my work and homework more. I have been getting higher grades in my classes now since [I met] my mentor. ” – 8^th grade Dolan Middle School student

“I like helping the students and it gives me a better insight to what they are going through. I wish somebody had helped me when I was in school and helped to push me towards looking into colleges, because my parents never went to college.” –  Mentor to an 8^th grade Dolan Middle School student

“They can really help you out in school, by like telling you to do the right things, and [get] better grades. She helped me to think about my future, and got me focused in school more. If I didn’t have this I probably would have been a bad kid. ” –  8^th grade Dolan Middle School student