Ashley Andrade started volunteering with Immigrant Services Calgary (ISC) in our Early Learning Across Cultures (ELAC) program in June 2021. She began by joining the Zoom classes and capturing photos while staff were teaching. This resulted in her creation of a delightful video featuring all the children's artistic accomplishments. The parents and staff enjoyed the presentation so much that they watched it multiple times.

After attending the virtual Zoom sessions, she moved on to assisting ELAC with outdoor camp activities in their summer camp, contributing over 50 hours of volunteer time. She helped set up fun activities, read stories to the children, and taught them various games. Ashley’s background in art was of immense value in helping develop the children’s artistic abilities and knowledge. It was evident that she was highly engaged with the children and parents in every lesson. Moreover, she was punctual, innovative, and could always be relied upon. She was also eager to learn about how to best work with children, and the program staff saw her blossom into an amazing teacher.

Ashley’s commitment to helping run the ELAC program is commendable. She expressed that this experience has taught her how rewarding working with children and families can be and that she may pursue a career in this field after completing her university education. Ashley is also an avid volunteer in other areas of ISC and at the University of Calgary.