iPeriods are a time for students to discover topics outside of the classroom every week. There are many different options for iPeriods, but one option I chose during the third term was Classroom Helper.

Classroom Helper was an iPeriod where students volunteer to go help out in the lower grades [Pre-K-2nd] and earn service hours by playing with them on the playground or in the classroom if the weather is bad.

I did not know much about Thatcher or the lower grades when I first came to Darlington because I was so immersed in the world of the Upper School. When I first joined this iPeriod, I was expecting it to be like most other iPeriods, more academically based, but it was something I’ll never forget.

Students do not realize the impact that they have on other peers when you volunteer with them, even if it is to play with them thirty minutes, twice a week, it means a lot to the students. I have learned so much about these children, their stories, and they are so interested in everything; it sometimes makes you forget about the stress of school.

During the fourth term, I decided to volunteer again, this time as a sponsor, with fellow sophomore, Abigail Yerke. Together, we saw what this iPeriod could offer and began to motivate students to join. We plan on hosting this iPeriod again for the 2018-19 school year, so if you want to come learn about some of the students at Thatcher Hall or are interested in becoming a teacher, join Classroom Helper next year.