by KATE NASEEF

Just over 5 feet tall, Shana Savage stands on the bench of a cafeteria table to get the attention of the students who have gathered for Heads Up, the after-school program she runs at Garfield Elementary School in southeast Washington, D.C.

Standing on top of that bench is the longest she spends in one place for the entire afternoon. At the start of every day, she tells the children the eight rules of the Heads Up program one by one.

“Heads Up rule number one,” says Savage.

“Heads Up rule number one,” reply the students in unison.

“Follow directions the first time they’re given.”

“Follow directions the first time they’re given.”

Heads Up is a non-profit organization that provides after-school and summer literacy-based programs at six of the District’s most underserved schools. While Mayor Adrien Fenty’s plan to fix public schools moves slowly forward, Heads Up continues to do what it has been doing since 1996: recruiting college students to help children.

The organization’s daily business is run by a handful of people like Savage, who work as site directors for each of the schools Heads Up serves, but relies heavily on volunteers for the day-to-day work. The programs at the schools are mostly run by AmeriCorps volunteers, who spend time with the students and plan the curriculum. They are assisted by other volunteers from local colleges, like the dozen students from Catholic University who arrive in matching black polo shirts. Students are kept at a small student-to-teacher ratio, usually having one teacher per five students.

As the program begins on a rainy Friday, Heads Up participants line up to get their snack, including a fruit cup and pretzels from Savage, before heading outside for recess. Then it’s time to get to work.

The fifth- and sixth-graders make Play-Doh in science club, the third-graders make pirate puppets and write stories about what a pirate would wear, and the kindergartners decorate thank-you cards to be sent to people who donate to Heads Up. Savage wanders between the cafeteria and the classrooms to maintain order, directing children back into their seats and glancing at the projects along the way.

Observer photo by Kim Hoffman
Garfield Elementary students check out a school project as part of the after-school reading program.

“That’s you with the big teeth,” says a little girl in a blue t-shirt, showing Savage the card she drew. Savage smiles, looks at a few more cards, and moves on to check on the next classroom.

Like the students, Savage grew up in urban west Philadelphia. She graduated from Hampton University in 2001 and spent three years working in local politics before changing careers.

“Grown-ups are horrible people,” says Savage. “It’s easier to work with children. They don’t have their perception of the world yet, so you can still mold them.”

The college students she works with have a great commitment to service, says Savage.

Marcus Bolston, a junior at Catholic University, has been an AmeriCorps volunteer for almost a year. He wants to work for the FBI but enjoys helping the children in the meantime. Tracey Cooke, another AmeriCorps volunteer and a sophomore at Trinity University, is majoring in elementary education. She grew up in southeast D.C., and her mother works for District public schools as a counselor. A lot of the volunteers for Heads Up at Garfield Elementary grew up in urban areas or have relatives who work in education.

“I think that everyone should feel like a part of something bigger than themselves,” says Savage. “The more people that give back, the more children that benefit.”

As the day winds down, parents show up to pick up their children and volunteers clean up Play-Doh remnants and scraps of paper. A little girl with braids in her hair and a pink book bag slides out the door and leans back to say “Bye, Miss Shana.”