The S.M.A.R.T. (Student Mentoring and Academic Reinforcement
Tutoring) Program is a student-based program designed by Duke and
UNC-Chapel Hill students who have been or are currently involved in the
Robertson Scholars Program.
Volunteers in this program work toward establishing and maintaining a sense of normalcy for our pediatric patients by:
- Helping children with their school work
- Providing a listening ear for the patients
- Providing relief and support to the parents/guardians of the patients
Opportunities
Valvano Day Hospital
Working in the Valvano Day Hospital, which is located on the fourth
floor of Duke Children’s Hospital and Health Center, S.M.A.R.T.
volunteers assist in helping children participate in activities such as
arts and crafts, reading, and playing games. The goal is to create some
normalcy and fun while the children are undergoing treatment.
Volunteers in this program also serve as tutors for children undergoing treatment who would like help with their school work.
The DPS Hospital School
The Hospital School is part of the Durham Public Schools, located
within Duke University Medical Center. The School serves students,
pre-k through grade 12, who are receiving treatment at Duke University
Hospital.
S.M.A.R.T. volunteers assist the Hospital School with tutoring in a
variety of subjects, including math, sciences, social studies/history,
and foreign languages. These interactions are set up with the volunteer
and a staff member from the Hospital School as needed.
Contact Information
Contact: Winn Seay
E-mail: norman.seay@duke.edu
Other Details
Program location: Duke Children's Hospital & Health Center; the Hospital School
Training provided: Volunteer orientation
session -- which includes fire and safety, compliance, HIPAA, service recovery, etc. -- and job-specific training
Time commitment: Two to four hours per week, two-semester commitment
Conditions: Must currently be a college or graduate
student, have excellent interpersonal skills, be a good listener with
friendly personality, work well with children, be reliable, be
flexible, and have the ability to adapt well to change
