The Actuarial Foundation — Math Motivators
As a candidate, your time is precious. Each moment needs to be efficient and effective. For example, if you are going to dedicate any of your valuable time to volunteer efforts, you want to make sure that it is meaningful and lasting. The Actuarial Foundation provides just such an opportunity!
The CAS, SOA, Academy, and other actuarial organizations have teamed up to support The Actuarial Foundation and its efforts to provide free tutoring and mentoring services, financial literacy resources for the public, learning tools for teachers and students, and scholarships to promote lifelong math education and change lives.
One of the best ways for YOU to help is through the Foundation's Math Motivators program. This program relies on professional actuaries and college student volunteers to tutor and mentor inner-city high school students, who do not otherwise have access to such services. Volunteers are asked to donate just an hour each week to help students with assignments and SAT preparation. This small sacrifice of time is enormous in the lives of these students. You will be helping to launch them on a trajectory toward lifelong success by teaching them to love and appreciate math and giving them the self-confidence to endure the trials and challenges along the way. You will be standing as an example during a time in their lives when they can be so easily influenced in negative ways.
I am currently in my second school year of volunteering for the Math Motivators program. I will be participating as a mentor this time and am looking forward to the opportunity. Last year, I had the pleasure of working with two wonderful freshmen once a week during lunchtime, whom I grew to love and appreciate. There were struggles all year long, but they were very smart and often just needed a confidence boost to get them going. It was simple, but incredibly important. It was amazing to watch their faces light up when a concept finally clicked. Sometimes, they just needed someone to talk to. I could tell they looked forward to our visits, and it would always brighten my week to help them. We laughed a lot, too! The best part of the experience was to watch them progress from students that were frustrated and scared of math to students who were motivated, patient, and willing to help others that were struggling. It was a welcome hour to take a break from regular work and focus on the needs of others. It was a priceless experience.
The Math Motivators program is expanding and in need of volunteers! I encourage you to visit actuarialfoundation.org to learn more. It's a wonderful experience, absolutely worthy of a small investment of your time.
