After more than a decade of dedicated service to Howard County children, Rea Goldfinger (who is seated, center in the photo) is retiring from AOK Mentoring & Tutoring, leaving behind a legacy of commitment, compassion, and positive impact on the lives of countless young people. 

Rea’s work and leadership has helped the organization thrive, expanding its reach and ensuring that every child, regardless of background, had access to the guidance and encouragement needed to reach their full potential.

Beyond the numbers and success stories, Rea’s deep belief in the power of mentorship, paired with a tireless work ethic, has inspired mentors, staff person, and the broader community. As she steps into retirement from AOK, Rea’s influence will continue to be felt in the lives of those she’s touched and the foundations she’s built. 

We wish Rea all the best in her next chapter and express our deepest gratitude for her incredible contributions to Howard County children and AOK Mentoring & Tutoring.

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The little boy silently handed Jyotsna Jayaram the card he had made for her. Jyotsna, who had been the AOK mentor/tutor for the third grade class since the beginning of the school year, happily accepted the gift from the quiet child. It was a drawing of a koala bear, her favorite animal. She had mentioned koalas briefly for a math problem when working with the students. The little boy had remembered. That was the moment she began to understand the impact she had on students in her class. 

Last year, Jyotsna, a recent Biological Studies graduate, was working as a lab researcher. Growing up, she had many mentors who helped her; she had always wanted to become one herself to give back to the community that had supported her. She found AOK Mentoring & Tutoring, quickly enrolled as a volunteer, and began her assignment as classroom mentoring/tutoring support in October of last year. 

“There’s something about how kids look at you that can be intimidating,” she said of her first, nervous day at Elkridge Elementary. Soon, she began to see the students thriving in reaction to her confidence boosting encouragement. Children blossom with a little patience and understanding, and she loved seeing kids’ faces light up when solving a problem they had struggled with. Jyotsna worked with one boy who could not tell time by breaking down the elements, and slowly teaching him step by step how to read a clock. He got it. “He was so happy with a huge smile! And that made me happy!” 
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Jyotsna is currently attending Johns Hopkins University to pursue a Master’s Degree. She will also be returning to volunteer as an AOK mentor/tutor. “I am so glad AOK has this program! With larger class sizes, children need another encouraging presence in the classroom.” Jyotsna is happy to be that presence. 

​Written by Karol Olson, AOK Board Vice President

Rebecca Saul was active in mentoring-tutoring throughout high-school and college as both mentor and mentee. She was thankful for those experiences and when she moved to Maryland few years ago, she wanted to carry that legacy forward.  Volunteering with AOK Mentoring & Tutoring allowed her to do just that.
One child she worked with was with a little boy who was a bit behind in reading. Initially, reading was not one of his preferred activities, and they would only spend a short portion of their time together working on this skill. As the weeks went by, he gradually grew more and more excited about the stories they were reading, and soon he was insisting that they spend the entire session reading each week.”
Rebecca learned that being a good mentor is 90% just showing up as a consistent, positive adult in the student's life. The other 10% is taking time to learn about the mentee and incorporating their interests in the weekly activities. “Keep in mind that kids are people, and they have bad days too. Sometimes, mentees will not be as engaged in the activities you plan for them. It can be easy to internalize this, but it is almost never a reflection of you. Allow your student to have an "off" day and don't let it shake your confidence! Just remember that being there for them is what is most important.”
Mentoring has helped the students that Rebecca mentored build not only academic and social skills, but also become more confident in themselves and their abilities. “Watching students gain confidence in areas where they had previously struggled is definitely the most rewarding part of being a mentor,” she noted.

​Written by Karol Olson, AOK Board Vice President 

Hello, there! 
​I am filled with pride and gratitude for the accomplishments AOK Mentoring & Tutoring achieved last school year. Your collective efforts made a lasting impact on the lives of many children and families, and I am excited to share some of the highlights from this past year. 

Service and Dedication

This year, our AOK volunteers contributed nearly 1,600 hours of service in Howard County, valued at an astonishing $53,000—an amount that surpasses our annual budget! This is a $13,000 increase in value from last year, a testament to the dedication and commitment of our volunteers. These contributions have reached students in 31% of Howard County public schools, where approximately 350 mentees benefited from the mentorship and guidance provided by AOK mentor/tutors.

Mentorship and Academic Support

AOK mentor/tutors focused on two key areas: academic support and traditional mentoring. 

• 54% of their activities were dedicated to enhancing academic and homework skills.
• The remaining 46% concentrated on nurturing social skills, problem-solving abilities, and self-confidence.

It costs AOK about $131 to provide a child with a mentor/tutor each school year, and every dollar spent is an investment in a brighter future for our students.

The impact of this support is clear. According to teacher surveys that were returned, 100% of mentees matched with a one-on-one mentor/tutor showed academic progress, with 80% demonstrating positive behavioral changes and improved peer relationships. Additionally, 90% of these students showed enhanced social skills, and every single one of them exhibited better self-image and confidence.

Positive Feedback from Our Community

Our volunteers’ impact is further reflected in their own experiences: 97% of AOK mentor/tutors reported feeling happy, happier, or more hopeful after their sessions with mentees. Meanwhile, student surveys that were returned revealed that 87% felt that these interactions helped them get along better with their classmates.

School liaisons working with AOK have also highlighted the benefits of our program, with 100% agreeing that AOK mentor/tutors were beneficial for the mentees’ self-confidence.

Moving Forward Together

We will continue building on these successes and work tirelelessly in pursuit of our vision that every Howard County student succeeds. Our work is far from over, but with the continued dedication of our volunteers and the support of our community, I am confident that we will reach even greater heights to serve All Our Kids.

Together, we are making a real difference in the lives of our students, and I couldn’t be more proud of what we’ve accomplished. Thank you for being part of this journey! 
​
Karol
Karol Olson, AOK Board Vice President

AOK Mentor/Tutor, Theresa, shared her experience with AOK in a recent retiree newsletter for her prior employer.

Below is what she wrote to her former colleagues.

Thank you, Theresa, for spreading the word about AOK Mentoring & Tutoring!



​After seeing so many former colleagues at the holiday luncheon, I was struck by some of the amazing things people are doing in retirement. One thing we tend to have more of in retirement is time. While quite a few continue to work after their government careers, a lot of us are enjoying the time to pursue interests and hobbies.

Another area where we might have more time to spend is in volunteering. Reading a recent Washington Post article (https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2023/12/09/volunteer-decline-homeless-pandemic/) brought the need for volunteers into focus. I know many are already volunteering but If you haven’t thought about sharing your time and talents, perhaps you might consider doing so. There are so many ways to contribute in meaningful ways and all of us have developed skills and have ample experience where we can make quite a difference.
 
For myself, I knew I wanted to give back at the elementary school where I didn’t have time to do more than the occasional field trip or in-room help when my children were young. I was interested in tutoring and learned that [there were only a few organizations partnered with schools in Howard County who serve any child in need of academic or social support] – AOK Mentoring & Tutoring (https://www.aokmentor.org/) is one of them.

After fingerprinting, a background check, and a training session (so much for thinking I was done with all that!), I was matched up with a child who needed some extra help. It didn’t require a huge time investment (only one meeting a week), but it made a big difference to the child’s academic and social skills.

​Since then, I’ve worked with as many as three children during a school year providing one-on-one support. You can stay with a child from year to year if that works for the both of you. I like the idea of making a difference in a child’s life when they’re young for the long-lasting effects it might have. And being on a school schedule (including those lovely snow days!) leaves plenty of time throughout the year for travel or other pastimes… 

Learn More about becoming a volunteer mentor/tutor today at:​AOKmentor.org/volunteer

I would like to say hello and express how proud I am to be a part of this organization as it celebrates its 20th year. As Secretary of the Board, I have spent the past 3 years assisting with our rebranding and strengthening our message and presence on the internet.

You can now explore who we are, what we do, what we hope to accomplish, and where we have been at www.aokmentor.org!

I continue to be a Registered Nurse of 49 years with a Masters in Community Health. Early in my School Nursing career, I achieved National School Nurse Certification which I now hold Emeritus status (NCSN-E). Five years ago, I retired as a School Nurse after 14 years in Howard and Baltimore County, but I still felt the need to engage with the education system. I found an ad in my village center newsletter in January. AOK was quick to respond to my inquiry and I was trained and assigned to my first student by March. My mentoring was cut short by the pandemic and my student did not want to continue into 6th grade, but there was a commitment to a purpose as I grew more active within the Board.

Our mission is strong as we commit ourselves to ALL OUR KIDS (AOK) in the Howard County Public Schools as our mentors provide ongoing support to enhance academic, social, and emotional development. I strongly believe that the education of children in our community belongs to all of us and it’s important that we do all that we can as an organization to connect
those that can with those that need. Won’t you join us in accomplishing that goal?
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Donna Lyman, MS, RN, NCSN-E
​Board Secretary, AOK Mentoring & Tutoring

Chaya Kaplan, founder of A-OK Mentoring – Tutoring, Inc., was a wonderful person, kind, thoughtful, wise, warm, considerate, giving, generous, and dedicated to helping children. Her genuine concern and care for young children contributed to her willingness to start and run mentoring programs, and to also being an active mentor in those programs.

In 2003 when the Oakland Mills Interfaith Center expressed interest in contributing to the community by starting a mentoring program, Chaya and her co-founder Joe Wilmott stepped up and offered to get it going. They recruited volunteers and established relationships with Howard County Public Schools and after-school programs, and built a grassroots volunteer supported school based mentoring program that provided mentors/tutors to children who could use that extra support during the school day or while attending the afterschool programs.

In 2009, when asked to set up a legal entity for that program and enter into a formal agreement with the school system, Chaya stepped up again and began the arduous task of turning A-OK into a formal non-profit corporation recognized by the state of Maryland and the federal government. Based on her efforts and those who collaborated with her, A-OK was incorporated in November 2009 and received its 501(c) (3) status in April 2010. With the formalities met, Chaya became A-OK’s first Executive Director, working as a volunteer approximately 20 hours a week to meet its operational needs as a mentoring program, but also ensuring that its business needs, fundraising, bookkeeping, Board interaction, insurance, and government requirements were met.

​She knew that for it to endure past her leadership, it needed structures to safely screen and train volunteers, and eventually funds to pay staff for many of the chores she did as a volunteer. So, before she stepped down as A-OK’s ED in July 2015, she worked with A-OK’s Board and its volunteers and ensured that all that happened. Chaya left a legacy mentoring program that continues to thrive and serve children. While I mourn her passing, I celebrate her amazing life and accomplishments.

​Written by Rea Goldfinger, AOK Administrator

I am thrilled to announce the launch of a new look and website for AOK Mentoring & Tutoring. As the President of the Board, I am excited to witness the ongoing positive impact this program has on the lives of youth mentees in Howard County as we move into our second decade of service.

Through mentorship, AOK provides homework guidance, social skills support, and encouragement to help young minds navigate the challenges they may face and unlock their full potential. Our commitment to fostering meaningful connections between mentors and mentees is at the heart of this program, and we invite all members of our community to join us on this journey as volunteers, as donors, and as cheerleaders.

​Stay tuned for updates on our social media channels and in your inbox from our team, and if you're thinking about becoming a mentor/tutor -- there's no time like right now!

​Join us: aokmentor.org/volunteer

Keith Lusby
President of Board, AOK Mentoring & Tutoring