For this month’s Volunteer Spotlight we here at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southwest Virginia would like to both thank and honor Sean Miller for all of his efforts with our organization. Mr. Miller recently moved to Roanoke after two years of AmeriCorps service at a Non-Profit Organization in Jacksonville, Florida where he served as a tutor and mentor to students in an urban middle school. We have been lucky to have him here and he has been an exemplary volunteer and role model for our 3rd and 4th Grade classroom. In the short amount of time he has worked with our program he has truly developed a constructive, encouraging relationship with our kids. His time working within or programs is one of the “highlights” of his week and allows him to be a kid again. From homework, to playing games, to dancing with the kids, Sean is fully engaged in the classroom and truly enjoys the opportunity to give back to the Roanoke community through his work with our organization.
Sean began his relationship with the Boys & Girls Clubs in October of 2015 while looking online for job opportunities in the community. He was drawn to our organization because our mission to help our members succeed and become the best versions of their selves aligned with his passion for helping out younger generations of Americans. Sean has a huge passion for working with youth and when he is not volunteering for the Boys & Girls Clubs he is volunteering as a “Big” for Big Brothers Big Sisters, working full time with the Roanoke County Public Schools, or studying for his Master’s in Teaching at Liberty University.
When asked what he would say to someone who was thinking about becoming a volunteer or donating to the Boys & Girls Clubs Sean says that “any donation or time with a kid is worth it . . . You will love these kids and if you pour out all that love and energy they will sense it and gravitate towards it . . . many of the kids have had many people exit out of their lives and they just want someone to be there for them.” We strive as an organization to always be there for our kids as they progress through their educational and professional development and it truly speaks to Sean’s character that this resonates so strongly with him.
Sean truly values his experiences here working in our classrooms and praises the “love that every staff member gives to the kids” and the fact that “they are a joy to volunteer with!” Not only has he been able to give back to the kids, they have changed his life as well. Sean says that “there are so many kids that have impacted my life and inspire me . . . they are a wonderful bunch!”
When asked what he would change about his experience with our club on 9th Street Sean simply says “absolutely nothing . . . you can feel the love that every staff member gives to the kids.” Well Sean, there is absolutely nothing we would change about you either. Thank you for all of the time and effort you have given to our kids! We truly appreciate your work here in the classroom and we salute your dedication to our members, our Club, and our organization.