Volunteer Spotlights: SKATE for Girls x Kenwood Elementary

This fall, SKATE for Girls launched its first program in Champaign-Urbana in partnership with Kenwood Elementary School. Our incredible volunteers, in both the skating rink and the classroom, helped bring the program to life. In this series of Volunteer Spotlights, we’re highlighting their experiences, reflections, and favorite moments working with the students.

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Mayumi

SKATE for Girls Illinois President

It has been such a joy and honor to see SKATE for Girls expand to central Illinois. Since arriving as a freshman at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, I knew my goal was to bring this program to local elementary and middle school students and engage college students as volunteers. With the rink on campus, the opportunity became possible! This fall, we were fortunate to partner with Kenwood Elementary School for our pilot program. Working with the kids was rewarding, and we are so grateful to Principal Nadrozny and Ms. Leverenz for helping make this program a reality.

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Angela

SKATE for Girls Illinois Vice President

Mentoring and tutoring the fourth and fifth graders at Kenwood Elementary over the past four weeks has been an incredibly rewarding experience. Watching the students grow from initially shy and unfamiliar with us to forming meaningful connections was truly inspiring. Because the students were at different math levels, it was sometimes challenging to engage everyone at the same pace during activities. However, the bonds they built with each other and with the volunteers created an environment where students supported one another, helping each other succeed and fostering mutual growth. During each tutoring and skating session, I witnessed these connections flourish, and it was heartwarming to hear the students express their hope that the program could continue year-round. I am deeply grateful to have played a role in their journey—helping them build confidence in their math skills, encouraging personal growth, and fostering lasting friendships. Being part of this experience has been nothing short of extraordinary.

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Zulma

Volunteer Tutor

I really enjoyed helping these girls come out of their shell and become more confident. You can tell that the first few visits were a little awkward and they were very shy. So, it's really rewarding when you find a way to make them excited about a math topic. They really enjoyed when we played games that involved math and they really surprised me by helping each other understand the math as well. In the end, I'm really grateful that we were able to show these girls that math can be fun!

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Makena

Volunteer Coach

I had such a great time being part of this program and loved how enthusiastic the girls were! Getting to share my love of skating while giving back to the community is an experience I’ll never forget.