Judy Halderson serves Senior Corps through the La Crosse, Wisconsin Foster Grandparent program and strives daily to enhance area youth’s educational experiences at Sand Lake Elementary School in Holmen, WI.

Growing up, Judy was a very quiet and reserved child and school proved a continual struggle for her. In her retirement, her personal experiences and hardships motivate her to dedicate her time reaching out to struggling students, helping them grow personally and academically. Judy works in a “Ready, Set, Learn” classroom four days a week for five hours a day assisting kindergarten students who began the year way below grade level, giving them the skills needed for their academic success and self-esteem. She facilitates learning activities and provides a strong mentorship role for the students, teaching them a number of life skills, manners, respect, responsibility, organization, and etiquette. Judy targets math skills, phonemic awareness, handwriting, and even takes one student for sensory breaks; all so each student is able to perform confidently.

Judy’s work with individual students and small groups helps struggling students learn daily lessons quickly, her continual practice and emphasis allows them to commit information to long-term memory and improve academically much faster than they would without the additional support. Many of her students started the year not knowing the ABC’s at all and barely able to recognize numbers. At Judy’s school, they use the Kindergarten Letter Knowledge Inventory (KLEKI) to test the students’ progress throughout the year. Results from five of the students whom Judy helps most frequently showed that with her support 100% of her students who began the year not able to test at grade level were not only able to perform at grade level by December, but were testing high above grade level. Each day is a reward for Judy to know she is strengthening her community by playing an essential part in helping students grow academically and socially right before her eyes.

Judy works hard to establish personal relationships with the students; she is aware of the academic abilities of each student and challenges them appropriately, striving for excellence along the way. Judy encourages reluctant students and is persistent in her efforts to move them forward in their lessons. A reading resource teacher at Judy’s school, states, “Judy serves graciously and without complaint, always willing to go that extra mile. She is cheerful and positive with all the children she works with. With Judy’s assistance, many students have been able to receive extra practice in literacy skills and have learned to read and write with the patience and wisdom of a Grandma at school. Students feel very loved because of Judy’s patience and kindness.” Judy continually displays outstanding dedication to improving the lives academically and socially of our area students through her patience and understanding by supporting the current generation of learners and developing them into our future generation of leaders.