Community Spotlight:

2010 Star Volunteer: Kathryn Auw

Saturday Program Volunteer

The Hamilton-Madison House 2010 Star Volunteer is Kathryn Auw, an Agency CMO Associate at Morgan Stanley who has been tutoring in the Saturday Program since September. The program has been making extraordinary progress in the participants’ literacy and mathematics skills, thanks to the individualized assistance Kathryn and other volunteers provide. Kathryn continues donating her time and talent because she wants all children to have access to programs that help them reach their full potential and is rewarded by witnessing the kids’ progress.

Looking back, Kathryn is very thankful for the tutoring and community support she received as a child that helped her be successful. Her parents were Chinese immigrants who were adamant that she not loose a sense of who she is and where Chinese culture comes from, despite living in North Jersey. She spent every weekend of grade school in Chinatown going to Chinese school and connecting with many traditions: whether it be the language, food, symbols, activities, and cultural nuances. Kathryn is also thankful for her parents placing her in rigorous preparatory programs, a contributing factor to why she is where she is now. While she has excelled in demanding environments - she is an MIT graduate - the Chinatown community always brought her back to her cultural roots. A key reason she has been a star volunteer, is that she can identify with the children’s academic, personal, and emotional stress through the eyes of a Chinese American.

One shining moment in the Program was after the 5th graders took the middle school placement examination and they retuned the next Saturday with questions about the Pythagorean Theorem. After just one session the students mastered the topic and its applications. It is rewarding to share in this above-average progress and Kathryn is completely honored to be a part of the kids’ preparations for the next steps in their lives. Kathryn shared that a challenge to being a volunteer tutor is “you are not quite sure what the boundaries are to compel a child to do academic work on a weekend” but she remains both focused and understanding of their needs. Ultimately, she has an upmost respect for their parents, who are sacrificing time and money to give their children extra assistance, which she occasionally uses as a motivator.

When asked about her experience with the House she stated “it is probably the best time investment that I have made in a very long time. It has been a completely eye-opening experience and very humbling to be able to give kids the opportunity to participate in a Saturday tutoring program of this caliber where I am a part of these next leaders’ development. It is heartwarming.” It is through the work of Kathryn and the House’s other 150 volunteers that the organization continues to provide new immigrants and low-income residents of the Two Bridges/Chinatown community with a foundation for future educational, social and professional success. If Kathryn’s story motivated you to volunteer or you would like your company to volunteer at the House, please contact Volunteer Coordinator Tracy Garber at 212.349.3724 x 316 or tracygarber@hmhonline.org.