THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, May 11, 1995 TAG: 9505100178
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 16 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY SHIRLEY BRINKLEY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SUFFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 89 lines
EVERY SCHOOLDAY, Eartha Cornelius drives her son, Terrence, 9, and daughter, Ashley, 7, to Florence Bowser Elementary School. Instead of waving goodbye, however, she parks her car and goes to work there.
Simultaneously, Kristi Hickson begins her duties at Driver Elementary. Her daughters, Kaitlyn and Holly, attend the first and third grades there.
From September to June, five days a week, both mothers leave school when their children do. They fill the roles of room mother, tutor, sometime-nurse, care-giver, and in Cornelius's case, occasional office assistant.
Although both women have been gainfully employed in the past - Cornelius as a school cafeteria worker in Jackson, Miss., and Hickson as secretary for a local corporation - their present, full-time jobs are voluntary. Both believe that the satisfaction gained from helping others is its own reward.
In appreciation for their volunteer service, Cornelius and Hickson will be honored at a Volunteer Appreciation Reception at 3 p.m. May 21, at Lakeland High School. Those who volunteer their services in all Suffolk public schools will be recognized.
``Sometimes I'm paid to substitute as a teacher's assistant, but I'd still go even if I wasn't paid,'' Cornelius said. ``I love working around kids.''
As a room mother, Cornelius delights in decorating a second- and fourth-grade classroom at Florence Bowser. This month, she has assembled colorful, paper cut-outs of May flowers to brighten the rooms.
Each month, Cornelius uses her own money to buy small gifts and cards for the students who have birthdays, and at the end of the month, she brings in a cake for all the children to enjoy. She also plans a party for every holiday and buys gifts at Christmastime.
``Some can't get love at home and I try to share my love at school,'' said Cornelius, who eats lunch with the children in the cafeteria.
When needed, Cornelius helps in the office by answering the phone, typing, running copies, and taking care of a sick child when a nurse is not available.
For the past four years, Hickson has been a room mother who organizes parties and is on hand for special events and field trips. The first year, she took pictures of her eldest daughter's kindergarten class, bought frames for them, and presented them to the children during the last week of school.
``Every child should have a kindergarten picture,'' Hickson said. ``I love to do for people. The reason I volunteer is not for recognition but because I want to. There are so many kids who don't have somebody in their life who cares.''
PTA secretary and editor of the PTA newsletter, Hickson now works with a class for mentally disabled children.
``There are 13 children and I float around from desk to desk and give whatever help they need,'' she said. ``One child has autistic characteristics and he has really come out of his shell. When I subbed at another school, I worried about him.''
When the class was studying hygiene, Hickson bought a toothbrush and toothpaste for each child in the class.
``One little boy wanted to take his home,'' she said. ``Some don't have them at home.''
A native of Northampton County, N.C., Cornelius graduated from Northampton County High School. In 1982, she followed the example of an aunt and uncle and enlisted in the Air Force.
After her discharge from the service, she and her husband, Gary, lived in Jackson, where Cornelius worked as a teacher's assistant and cashier in a school cafeteria.
When the family moved to Suffolk a year ago, Gary Cornelius found employment as a bus mechanic with the Suffolk School System and Eartha decided to volunteer her services at her children's school. She is also treasurer for the Parent-Teachers Association.
A native of Williamsport, Ind., Hickson lived ``from New York to California'' while her father was in the Navy. The family finally settled in Virginia Beach, where Hickson graduated from Kellam High School.
``The day after graduation, I went to work as a secretary for the Coca-Cola Bottling Co.,'' she said. ``Later, I worked for Cox Cable, but quit work before my oldest daughter entered kindergarten.''
For the past three years, Hickson has been a Scout leader for Brownie Troop 117, a consultant for other Scout leaders, and a nursery volunteer at the Emmaus Four Square Gospel Church on Portsmouth Boulevard.
``My husband, John, keeps asking me when I'm going to slow down,'' she said. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by MICHAEL KESTNER
Eartha Cornelius, left, a volunteer at Bowser Elementary School, and
Kristi Hickson, a volunteer at Driver Elementary, will be recognized
for their service on May 21 at Lakeland High.
by CNB