"Saturday morning, 9 a.m. The usually empty
CEGEP classroom echoes with children’s
laughter. Seated around the tables, students
from a local elementary school listen in awe
as their respective "big school" mentors
re-explain a complex math concept.
"I’ll never be able to do this," Irma says
shyly in her small voice. In front of her, her
mentor smiles: "Why don’t we try it together?"
Together, they go through the exercise
again, slowly, until a flash of understanding
lights up the child’s face. "I think I’ve understood,"
says the little girl, snuggling up to
her "big sister," as she likes to call her.
In the back of the room, the volunteer
college students exchange glances of
satisfaction. They know they’re experiencing
much more than a simple mentoring
session. Every Saturday morning, at the
School of the Greats, relationships are built,
skills are shared, and young people, from
elementary school to college, gradually gain
confidence in their abilities." -- AQPC
