Katie Lewis said she always liked working with kids. So, through Volunteer Connection she found the perfect match at a new charter school. It is located at the Family Learning Center at San Juan Del Centro in Boulder. She helped out 3 days a week throughout the school year and in the process endeared herself to the teacher there and all her pupils.

Lea Alvarado, the teacher, said, "Katie is incredibly smart, dedicated and reliable. On Valentine's Day she went out, all on her own, and bought each of the kids a little Valentine's Day gift."

Lewis's dedication went even further. Though the classes are in English, the students' native tongue is mostly Spanish. So Lewis took a Spanish language course at night to better connect with them. "I hope I made a difference in their lives," she said. "I tried hard to make it fun and rewarding for them." They responded to her, too. They each made a special card, showing their care for her near the end of the school year.

"It felt good for me too," Lewis said. "Especially when one of the little ones would lean back from the computer while on my lap and say, 'I love you, Miss Katie.'"

Lewis and her husband moved here from Wala Wala, Washington last August and while she was doing her volunteer duties, she was also looking for a full-time job. Happily, she found one but it means she will not be coming back to the school. Alvarado said, "She will be greatly missed."

For information about volunteering with the Family Learning Center or other agencies, call the Volunteer Connection at 303-444-4904.