Volunteering at Ravenscroft Is “One of the Greatest Gifts I Can Give”

  • Voices
Volunteering at Ravenscroft Is “One of the Greatest Gifts I Can Give”
Robert Vail

Lower School grandparent Robert Vail shares what he and his wife, Ellen, think is most special about Ravenscroft and why they give their time to the school community.


 

As part of the Lower School’s Grandparents and Special Friends Day on Nov. 26, grandparent and regular Lower School volunteer Robert Vail — joined by his wife, Ellen, and their three grandchildren — shared with the students, teachers and families in attendance what he and Ellen think is most special about Ravenscroft and why they give their time to the school community.

Here are his remarks.

Good afternoon. My name is Robert Vail, and my wife, Ellen, and I are so excited to be with you today to celebrate Grandparents and Special Friends Day!

Ellen and I are the proud parents of two daughters, Leigh and Katie, and the proud Nana and Pop-Pop to our three exceptional grandchildren. Katie and her husband, Drew, chose Ravenscroft when their oldest son, Zach ’33, started PreK, and he is now in fourth grade. They also have Nathan ’35, who is in second grade, and Anna ’37, who is in Kindergarten.

Having been a grandparent now for over a decade, Ellen and I can find the humor — and the truth — in a joke our parents used to say when our girls were little: “If we had known that grandchildren were gonna be so much fun, we would have had them first.”

Over the past six years, it has been a tremendous amount of fun spending time on campus with my grandkids, getting to know their teachers, and having a whole new group of kids (and some teachers) who now also refer to me as “Pop-Pop.” I've had the joy of watching my grandkids grow and thrive in this wonderful school, and I’ve come to realize that being involved in their education is one of the greatest gifts I can give — both to them and to the school community.

Clockwise from top: Robert Vail addresses the assembly during Grandparents and Special Friends Day, with his wife, Ellen, and grandchildren Anna ’37, Nathan ’35 and Zach ’33 at his side; Nathan (at front near center) and his classmates join other first- and second-graders in performing “It’s a Brand-New Beautiful Day”; proud grandparents and special friends enjoy the program.

At top: Robert and Ellen smile with their grandchildren in Holding Garden.


You’ve probably heard it said before that Ravenscroft encourages the members of our community to give of their time, talents or treasures. It is a personal choice for each family in this room to decide how and when to give back, but please know that no matter how you choose to invest in this school, you are making an important impact on the future for your grandchildren and the school as a whole. 

As a retired grandfather who likes to keep busy, I found that volunteering here was a perfect fit for me, and it has been such a rewarding experience. Whether it’s helping out with lunch in the dining hall, doing afternoon carpool duty, playing in the Kindergarten Big Centers or being a mystery reader, it’s given me a chance to connect with my grandkids and to stay involved in their day-to-day lives. 

Giving my time is a way for me to show them that learning isn’t just something you do in the classroom, but something that involves all of us — teachers, parents and, yes, even grandparents. Seeing the kids’ faces light up when they see me volunteering reminds me how important it is for us to stay connected to their learning journey.

One thing that stands out the most to me is the way this school creates a sense of community. It’s not just about the students — it’s about all of us coming together to support one another. And as a grandparent, I love being part of that. 

So, if you ever get the chance to come volunteer with your grandchild’s class … come say hi! I’ll probably be on campus somewhere!