Boston Resident Recognized as Volunteer of the Year for Commitment to Serving Boston Public School Students

June 8, 2015 (Boston, MA) – Today, Boston Partners in Education honored Boston resident Peter Olive with the John C. Rennie Volunteer of the Year Award for his dedication to the education of students in the Boston Public Schools.

Each year Boston Partners in Education hosts the AMP! Academic Mentoring Party, delivering awards in seven categories to honor the committed volunteer academic mentors, teachers, and corporate partners who serve Boston’s public school students. The John C. Rennie Volunteer of the Year Award is presented to a volunteer who demonstrates a sincere interest in the education of Boston Public School students. The recipient demonstrates a true understanding of the tenets of Boston Partners by supporting the cooperating teacher requests for assistance and by being a valuable role model for the students. The volunteer respects the school, teacher, and students and shows that s/he values the learning process.

Peter Olive is a long-time resident of Boston and a self-employed consulting engineer for medical devices. Peter is a second year Accelerate Math academic mentor at the Sarah Greenwood School. He is happy to be able to use his expertise in mathematics to support students who struggle with it.

“The most fulfilling part of being a mentor is feeling like a rock star; it’s so exciting when you walk by a classroom and someone recognizes you, or when kids randomly say hi. And ‘gotcha’ moments — when the kids really understand and everything connects,” said Olive.

Since 1966, Boston Partners in Education has provided tens of thousands of children who are struggling in school with the tools necessary to become better learners, by mobilizing and training community members to serve as volunteer academic mentors to K-12 students across the BPS district. Teachers nominate individual students who could use additional academic or socio-emotional support, and Boston Partners in Education pairs a mentor to work independently each week with the student throughout the school year.

“We are so pleased to honor Peter for his continued dedication to our mission of ensuring students in every neighborhood of the city are receiving the academic and socio-emotional support they need to stay in school and graduate,” said Pamela Civins, Executive Director of Boston Partners in Education. “The personal rapport that he’s built with his students has made him an effective academic mentor. Without volunteers like Peter, a piece of our foundation would be missing.”

To learn more about how to get involved as an academic mentor, please visit www.bostonpartners.org or fill out a volunteer application.