Oct 7, 2009 7:53 pm US/Pacific
Classroom Hero Tutors San Francisco Kids
Jefferson Award Winner: George Kelly
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS 5) ―
"Congratulations, this is your day! You're off to great places. You're off and away!" George Kelly reads one of his favorite Dr. Seuss books to a class of first-graders at Harvey Milk Civil Rights Academy in San Francisco.
Wearing his trademark Superman t-shirt, this is where he takes youngsters on reading adventures every week.
"It's the love. It's all about the love," he says with a smile. "I come here to give, but I leave feeling I'm the one who's doing all the receiving."
"Excellent. Good writing. I like the spaces," he tells student Vontre Williams, looking over the child's shoulder.
"It helps me read too," Vontre says.
"He's really fun and he helps us," adds student Iris Castillo. "(He helps with) reading books and spelling words."
George, a Kaiser health educator, volunteered to read aloud to a class in 1997, then got hooked.
"I had such a great time with it that I soon became a classroom volunteer," George remembers. "I was matched with Ms. Francis."
George has become a fixture in Leanne Francis' class at least one morning a week for the last decade.
"The children see him as a superman who teaches how to use spaces, periods, and capitals," Leanne says. "In my life, he's a hero to me. All that he does, as a volunteer."
George credits volunteering for his own well-being. He was diagnosed HIV positive 25 years ago; his doctor said he only had months to live.
"I'm definitely a happier, healthier person because of my school involvement and my involvement with my community. It's a great dose of medicine every time I come here," George says.
George's volunteer program manager spells out how he goes the extra mile: he's raised money to pay doctor's bills for a class' sick turtle, and he leads memorable field trips.
Volunteer Manager Jessica Pullano remembers, "He took the kids to a movie and he talked to a local restaurant, they got to eat at a restaurant together. They were so excited, they felt so grown up."
"I love kids. I don't have any of my own but it seems I get twenty new ones every year," George laughs.
For being a super classroom volunteer, this week's Jefferson Award in the Bay Area goes to George Kelly.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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