Wake rec center volunteers gain certificates
Hanes Hosiery Recreation Center Director Art Blevins, second from right, awarded certificates to these Wake Forest University law students who volunteered at the center. They are (left to right) Charlee Fox, Class of 2017; Dominique Caldwell, Class of 2017; Christine Tabora, Class of 2019; and Robert Botkin, Class of 2019.
Submitted photo
BY TIMOTHY RAMSEY
THE CHRONICLE
Wake Forest University law students who assisted Hanes Hosiery Recreation Center personnel were honored recently for tutoring kids from kindergarten through the 12th grade along with coaching basketball in the Hanes Hosiery youth leagues with kids ages 6-9 and 10-16.
Director Art Blevins recently awarded the Wake Forest University law student volunteers with a certificate of appreciation for their work this past year at the center. Blevins says the WFU law students are incredible and a blessing to the pro-gram at the center. The law students have been helping Blevins at the center for the past 15 years.
“It’s been great to have these kids come up here over the years,” he said. “I don’t let the parents coach here to keep the pressure and politics out of it so the Wake Forest law students become, the coaches and they are fair and have been great over the years.”
Along with their coaching duties throughout the year, the WFU law students come to the center every Tuesday through Thursday from 4:30-5:45 p.m. tutoring the kids in a variety of subjects.
“They are just a positive influence to have around the kids,” Blevins went on to say about the WFU law students. “They are all as smart as a whip so they can help our kids out with any subject.”
Blevins says he would love for the relationship of the WFU law students and the center to continue to mature and blossom over the years. He thinks both the students and the children at the center equally benefit from the partnership.
“I am happy that the kids continued to come back each year because they have been a blessing,” he continued. “Besides the basketball and the tutoring, they also help out with special events like the pizza party they will have for the kids this coming week.”
Christine Tabora, a second-year law student, says she began tutoring in September of last year and has really enjoyed helping the kids at Hanes Hosiery with their homework.
“I feel that just the one hour a week that I work with them they have become more enthusiastic about their school work,” said Tabora. “I also feel that I am helping these kids realize the potential they have to be successful students by lifting their confidence. However, what I enjoy most about tutoring is developing connections with the students.”
Another WFU law student, Charlee Fox, added “I think tutoring the kids at Hanes Hosiery is such a reminder of how meaningful it is to advocate and educate. I looked forward to working with the kids each week because I was inspired by their progress and curiosity. I doubt I’ll ever be able to verbally express the depth of gratitude I have for the opportunity to tutor the kids.”
Blevins said the students have had the Wake Forest basketball team come to the center to meet with the kids along with other nice gestures. He wanted to give a special thanks to all of the volunteers from WFU.
Besides Christine Tabora and Charlee Fox, this year’s student volunteers are: Dominique Caldwell, Cint Mast, Candice Diah, Meghan Holland, Samantha Poon, Le’Ron Byrd, John Sexton, Robert Botkin, James Lathrop, Caleb Hodge, Ryan Daughterty, Kevin Olsen, Alexis Tremble, Kristin Smith, Mark Huffman, Dylan Tucker, Jordan Lite and Chris Doerring.
