As your body grows bigger Your sarsaparilla grows flowered It’s great to learn Cause knowledge is power! It’s Schoolhouse Rocky That chip off the block Of your favorite schoolhouse Schoolhouse Rock!
I’m Hannah Rodriguez, the Register’s retail reporter. Welcome to Off Hours, a weekly newsletter on all things entertainment from the Des Moines Register. Thanks for stopping by in your free time. You’re telling me I’m not allowed to leave my house, I can wear pajamas all day long, try new recipes and watch as much Netflix as my brain can handle? I found myself doom-scrolling on Twitter, sifting through terrible headline after terrible headline. I often found myself seeking out good news and stories of hope.
When I moved to Des Moines earlier this year, I knew I wanted to shed my pajamas, turn off Netflix and do something in my off hours that wasn’t completely self-indulgent. I could filter by my interests, skills and causes in Des Moines, my new home. After every visit, I take notes on what we talked about and follow up with their relatives, therapists or social workers and submit reports about the conversations I’ve had. A lot of people have preconceived ideas about kids in the foster-care system that are inaccurate. They’re truly just children who got a rough deal in life and deserve someone who shows up.
As you celebrate this season, I encourage you, dear reader, to make a New Year’s resolution to volunteer just one more time than you did in 2021 and maybe do it for the kids. Want to know more about my experiences working as a CASA or interested in signing up? My Top Three: Volunteer opportunities to work with children1. Iowa: Take an hour out of your week to read with a student. Reading aloud with children is shown to improve fluency, build vocabulary and enhance literacy. Mentors are primarily placed at elementary schools to help build children’s confidence in their reading skills from a role model.