The Rotary has provided services for city schoolchildren since 1996.

The Rotary has provided services for city schoolchildren since 1996.
By JoANNE VIVIANO
VINDICATOR EDUCATION WRITER
ECOND-GRADER TY Davenport bounced a red ball into the air as he and fellow Harding Elementary School pupils giggled through a game at Wick Park.
"Timeout!" he yelled.
He sat on a bench a few seconds before springing back up.
"OK. Battery charged," he said.
George Seiders, a Youngstown Rotarian, refereed the game until it was time for lunch.
Seiders, of Negley, is one of 26 adults who are mentoring Harding pupils through the Youngstown Rotary Club. The "Rotary & amp; Me" mentoring program finished up its first year with a picnic at the North Side park Wednesday.
Ty and Seiders have met for an hour two times each month -- once at school and once at the Youngstown Club during a Rotary meeting -- since the start of the school year.
Ty reads to Seiders, they play games and do puzzles. And they swap lunch. Ty prefers Seiders' sandwiches with Asiago cheese and peanut butter and crackers over the school cafeteria fare.
"We make it so we have a good time," Ty said. "We have fun."
The mentoring program is an extension of the "Put Kids First" Rotary initiative launched by the Youngstown group with the city school district in 1996. Harding pupils were adopted to develop the program.
Providing for needs
Through other Put Kids First programs, Rotarians provide books for pupils during the holidays; have a proficiency test course for fourth-graders; raise funds for clothing and supplies for children in need; and read library books with children.
"Rotary & amp; Me," established in September, offers one-on-one volunteer time to pupils. Youngsters involved, 18 boys and eight girls, were selected by school staff as those who might need additional adult support and guidance.
"It gives them the idea that things can be better for them in their life," said Frank Kishel of Boardman, the Put Kids First co-chairman. "A lot of these kids don't have close family."
Some live with a foster parent or grandparent, added Carol Sherman, "Rotary & amp; Me" program coordinator and Put Kids First co-chairwoman.
"It's developing a sense of self-worth and pride in themselves," she added.
Sherman, also of Boardman, mentors second-grader Amber Jennings. They play games, work on class assignments, share snacks and "talk about stuff," Amber said. Once they painted their nails -- Amber picked purple polish.
Amber said she'll miss her mentor during the summer months, but Sherman promised to write. And she'll return to mentor Amber during the girl's third- and fourth-grade years.
Interested in continuing
Mentors will stay with their young charges through their years at Harding. But, Kishel said, some mentors said they want to independently continue with pupils into middle school.
Kishel mentors second-grader Richard Robbins, and he's seen the boy open up and develop a better attitude about himself during the school year.
Robbins said he likes to hear about the cities Kishel has visited, including New York, Chicago, Denver and Los Angeles.
"I'm going to every one he did," Richard said. "And more."
viviano@vindy.com