February 25, 2021

Dear Scholarship Committee,

It is my great pleasure to write this letter of recommendation for

scholarship for Paige Sanford. I was thrilled, but not surprised to find out
that she is pursuing a degree in Education as she has already shown in
her work with our students at Kids Cafe that she passionate about
teaching, and she truly enjoys working with children. As the Co-Founder
and Executive Director of Altoona Kids Cafe, I have had the privilege of
working alongside Paige as she has volunteered as an assistant
classroom teacher for our program for multiple summers and she has
donated over 100 hours of her time to the students we serve.
While we are a USDA Summer Food Service Program, we like to say
that we are “more than just a meal,” offering our students a curriculum
rich in STEM, the Arts, Health and Life Skills. That being said, Paige is
more than just a volunteer. She made positive impact on, and strong
connections with the children that we serve. Her first summer
volunteering, Paige signed up to be an Assistant Classroom Teacher.
This immediately set her apart from her peers, as the majority of high
school students who volunteer for our program request to work in our
kitchen, prepping and serving lunch to our students, or they assist in
daily set-up, clean-up, or organizing books and helping in our library. It
was evident from the very beginning that she had an interest and a
natural talent for teaching. She was enthusiastic about working with her
students, she made an effort to get to know them, and it was obvious
that she enjoyed being in a classroom.
I have been extremely impressed with Paige’s flexibility, versatility, and
willingness to go where she is needed. This has also set her apart from
her peers. I have had many volunteers who prefer to only volunteer with
one classroom or age group. Whenever we have had a volunteer cancel
at the last minute, Paige has enthusiastically been willing to fill in, no
matter what the classroom or age group. We have come to rely on
Paige as a dependable, hardworking and highly capable volunteer, who
is able to guide students of different age groups through activities, lunch
and playtime. Her positive attitude, and her diligence make her a person
whom everyone in our program has enjoyed working with. She is more
than competent, and has performed beyond all expectations as a
volunteer for our program.
Paige has a remarkable depth of compassion that sets her a part from
other high school students. Many students who volunteer with us are
volunteering to fulfill a service hour requirement, or special graduation
designation; Paige volunteers because she genuinely cares about the
children of our community and wants to serve them. Our program
enrolls primarily underserved students and many come to us with the
challenges and barriers that typically make learning difficult. I have
personally observed Paige’s interactions with the most challenging
student in our program who has special needs and requires constant
attention. The care and patience that Paige has shown in her
interactions with her, and her commitment to making sure that she is
able to fully participate in programming, is extraordinary for someone so
young.
You will see from Paige’s transcripts and application that she is an
intelligent student, an advocate for voiceless, a leader among her peers,
an active community volunteer, and a hard worker. What you cannot
see is her charisma, her confidence, and her passion for educating the
next generation. I have had the opportunity to work with hundreds of
wonderful teen volunteers, and Paige is truly exceptional in that she
puts her whole heart into everything that she does. I am looking forward
to seeing all of the good that she will continue to do in the world. I know
that she will thrive at the college level and beyond. Paige has my
highest recommendation. I have no doubt she is the caliber of student
that you are looking for. If you have any questions, please contact me at
altoonakidscafe@gmail.com.
Sincerely,

Maggie M. Crabb
Executive Director, Altoona Kids Cafe
President, Swerve Outreach