Olean Pridgen has served as a Foster Grandparent volunteer for nearly five years and has provided the community with over 5,000 hours of services. Olean is fondly referred to as “Grandma O” and dedicates much of her time at Margate Elementary, where she provides tutoring and mentoring to students four days a week, five hours each day. During the summer, Olean can be found volunteering at other Broward Public Schools and libraries as well.
Typically, Olean works one-on-one with the students in the classrooms. As most standard county classroom can reach 30-40 students per teacher, individualized instruction and attention for a struggling student is not always feasible. This is where Grandma O comes in! Olean offers support and works with students who struggle with reading fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary skills. Her time and dedication to supporting the students she works with makes a huge impact on their success in achieving their educational goals.
Staff at Margate Elementary School and the North Lauderdale Saraniero Branch Library speak highly of Olean’s positive interactions with students and her willingness to help out in any way she can. Olean goes above and beyond and also supports her peers in acquiring resources for their schools, and for themselves, to maintain self-sufficiency in the classroom.