Getting it Right

Today I had a rare opportunity. I got to see people get it right. Not just partially right, not just satisfactorily right, not just, "well, that's as much as I would have expected," but unequivocally, amazingly, spot on. Today, I volunteered at the St. Mary's Child Center in Indianapolis.


Deborah Wood Associates, the parent company of my employer CME Enterprise, is working with St. Mary's this year as part of our company's community service project. Once a month, different employees sign up to go volunteer at St. Mary's and work with the children: reading books, playing with the kids, basically doing whatever the teachers need. Today, my department volunteered.


St. Mary's Child Center works with children ages 3 to 5 years old who are, "at great risk for a wide range of social, emotional, economic and environmental problems." This not-for-profit organization provides half-day education and meals for children throughout the Indy metro area. Parents pay whatever they can afford. Some pay as little as $2 per week.

One might expect such a place to operate at the lowest possible standards. it doesn't. It operates at the highest. Following the Reggio Emilia educational philosophy, St. Mary's introduces its kids to art, reading, science, drama, and basically anything else it can use to engage the kids and help them learn. I sat in a classroom with 4 year-olds who were counting numbers and reciting the days of the week in song. The kids were well-behaved, lively, and friendly. The teachers were clearly dedicated to the kids, to the learning philosophy, and to education in general.

As I said, they got it right.

Please check out the St. Mary's Child Center Website, particularly their wishlist page where they list items they need for the school. Also visit the volunteer page to see how your company, or you yourself, can help.