During the last three years, Ashley has volunteered with Pi Quilters, the Pi Party, Black Parents Organization (BPO) and any other event where an extra hand is needed. “I’m just here,” said Ashley. “If you need me here, I’ll be here.” We sat down with Ashley to talk about her experience as a parent volunteer, how she got involved on campus and why it’s important for parents to get involved at Paideia.
Q. What got you started?
A. When my daughter was in middle school, every parent had to volunteer 40 hours a year. I did like 200 or 300 hours. At first I was just being nosy, like let me see what’s going on here, and then I realized, I really like this place. I was just so used to being at the school and they made sure you felt appreciated and always had something to do. It was so fulfilling, we felt like a family. When I came to Paideia, it was a little different because everyone’s been here for so long, but I started coming and I kept coming.
Q. What do you enjoy the most about volunteering on campus?
A. The friendships! I’m actually an introvert and I hate small talk, so it can be a little bit much for me, but once I find one person to talk with we can start having those personal conversations that we need to have and get past the small talk. Ok, our kids go here - now what?
Q. What do you think is the greatest benefit of having parents involved at Paideia?
A. It makes the school feel less distant. It’s not a place where you just roll up and drop your kid off. You care more. You care about the teachers, you care about what happens here. We know that Paideia is a place that takes commitment from parents. When I saw the level of commitment of other parents, I was like oh, that’s me too. For the high school students, it’s that familiarity - it’s them recognizing me and saying, “Hi, Miss Zoe’s mom.” It’s being able to know their names and know their faces and making them feel seen.
Q. What advice would you give to new parents who are unsure where to start?
A. Show up. Just show up. If somebody invites you, show up. Talk to people. You might think somebody else will be there, but we need you too. There’s space for us all. There’s room for everybody. Everybody’s new at some point, so show up - what’s the worst that could happen? You’ll miss out on that opportunity. I don’t do regrets, I do things very intentionally and I make sure I show up, even if it means I will sometimes embarrass my kid.