Knox College students who are planning on teaching careers gained practical classroom experience with school-age children while assisting recently with the 2015 Knox College for Kids academic enrichment program.

Twenty Knox students helped with College for Kids through Knox's REACH program -- Recruiting and Enlightening through Access to and Communication with High-need schools. REACH aims to encourage more first-generation college students of color, especially men, to become elementary school teachers and role models in the community.

REACH fellows served as teaching assistants in College for Kids classes, which covered more than 40 different subjects in art, music, science, history, language, and other topics. REACH fellows also made sure the younger students reached their various destinations on the Knox campus each day and helped them cross streets safely.

The overall goal, said REACH fellow Manny Orellana ‘15, is to "ensure they have the best experience they possibly can."

Orellana, an elementary education major who soon will start teaching third grade bilingual at Harding Primary School in Monmouth, has helped with College for Kids for the past three years. The experience is rewarding, he said.

"I feel that seeing students in their summer environment is benefitting me because I see how they interact with one another," he said. "That will help me not only in the classroom, but outside the classroom, as well."

Another REACH fellow, Martha Brown ‘17, helped with classes in photography, Spanish, and fiber arts.

"I've learned a lot about how to communicate with" the young students, she said. "They're so bright, and they have so many ideas."

Geoff Bergstrom ‘15 is a REACH fellow who will be teaching fourth grade this fall at King Elementary School in Galesburg. He said participating in College for Kids helps him "get to know the community better so I can become a better educator."

In addition, he said, "It affirms that I want to be a teacher."

Below is the student staff from the 2015 College for Kids:

REACH fellows

Chelsea Bennett

Chaz Benton

Geoffrey Bergstrom

Martha Brown

Leslie Carman

Timothy Connor

Dushawn Darling

Mickella Duffy-Webb

Maya Flores

Patrick Ford

Jose Guevara

Kiara Honeysucker

Aaron Hoover

Kristine Ilagan

Ellen Lipo

Manuel Orellana

Natasha Wright

REACH/Office Coordinator

ChanTareya Paredes

REACH Volunteers

Gbenga Ojo

Annie Ford