From Homework to Basketball, College Kids Lend a Hand

Without the hard work of volunteers, the club wouldn't be the great community resource it is today. 

Although it costs just $125/year per family –regardless of the number of children the family has—it costs the club roughly $1,000 per child, according to Development Director John Ryan.

Needless to say, the volunteer work of Lasell College students like Kristen Casey, Scott Janz and Robert Schneider are vital to the success of the program.

Thanks to this handful of humanities majors, kids at the Newton community center get some extra help on their homework and basketball skills.

Responsibilities vary, but for the most part, Lasell students are tasked with helping children with their homework, supervising kids while they play in the game room and making sure every child gets along. Bullying has become a greater concern for teachers and parents, so ensuring that playtime is a safe environment was a major responsibility for the volunteers.

When asked about their favorite experiences at the Boys & Girls Club, both Janz and Schneider said the overnight basketball tournament was the highlight of their volunteer work.

"Basketball from 7pm to 7am, all night, with upwards of eight teams--it was one of the greatest experiences I had there," Schneider said.

Meeting the children's parents at the basketball clinic was another great experience, Janz added.

Casey, on the other hand, didn't have just one event to highlight. For her, being accepted into the community was what she'll remember.

"Being accepted really stood out," she said. "After the first week, the kids got to know me and asked me to play with them and that was really great."

For Casey, working with kids at the Boys & Girls Club didn't even feel like work.

"It was a great place for me to relieve stress," Casey said. "When I was cooped up at school, I'd go to the Boys & Girls Club. Then when I came back I'd feel like I got back from being with friends and I'd be more relaxed."

All of the volunteers encouraged anyone with an interest in children or community outreach to get involved with the organization.

"It's an excellent learning experience," Schneider said. "You get a lot of joy from working with children. You can learn so much from children. You can teach them just as much as they can teach you."