THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, February 9, 1997 TAG: 9702070228
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 36 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BARBARA J. WOERNER, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: 83 lines
Racheal Henline, a seventh-grader at Bayside Middle School, started a recent Wednesday morning - a typical school day for most students - with breakfast at the Duck-In Restaurant. Then she left for ``work.''
After a breakfast meeting with members of the Cape Henry Rotary Club, Racheal and fellow student, Tiffani Broderick, were whisked away by club President William Van Hoy to his office at American Express Financial Advisors Inc.
Their assignment was to shadow Van Hoy, a certified financial planner, as he went about his work.
It was all part of the Rotary Peer Program, a unique opportunity extended to the 25 Bayside Middle School students who are members of the Peer Friends Club, a service-oriented group where membership is based on teacher recommendation, academic performance and other achievements.
Club members serve the school by tutoring other students, conducting orientation for new students every Friday, and hosting tours of the school. They also produced a video for the school orientation sessions. Through tutoring, members have helped fellow students bring their grades up as much as two levels higher.
Currently, the Cape Henry Rotary Club hosts four members of the Peer Friends Club every month for a complete day of job shadowing.
``This is kind of a payment back to them for their service to the school,'' said Kathy Lassetter, guidance director at Bayside Middle and Rotary member. ``The Rotarians take our students with them for a day and they see how adults give back to their community.''
Lassetter and her husband, Cal, initiated the Rotary Peer Program shortly after becoming Rotary members. While Kathy Lassetter thumbed through The Rotarian, the organization's national magazine, she took note of all the activities supported by Rotary members.
``She said, `Why don't we get Cape Henry Rotary involved with our kids?' '' said Cal Lassetter. ``We thought that the kids needed to see things beyond their daily routine, so we brought the idea before the president.''
Lilian Marchbank, Bayside Middle guidance counselor, said, ``Most of these kids have given serious thought to career exploration and this program directly impacts them. They see every aspect of the job they shadow and get a sampling of careers.''
Judy Cocherell, managing broker for GSH Real Estate and member of the Cape Henry club, said that she had been looking forward to hosting the students from Peer Friends.
``I've got a couple of daughters in college and our kids just don't realize what we do at work,'' she said. ``I enjoy doing this and experiences like these can help with career choices.''
Cocherell made sure Dannielle Peters and Brandon Weldon, eighth-graders from the Peer Friends Club, were included in the sales meeting. At its conclusion, they were off to tour three properties listed with the company. Before the day ended, Dannielle and Brandon were at work on the computer, checking out properties.
``I learned how they get their listings and clients,'' said Dannielle. ``They also showed us how to pull up the listings on the computer. You learn more this way than by just asking parents or guidance counselors.''
Across town at the office of American Express Financial Advisors, Racheal and Tiffani worked sorting documents with Jennifer Kirol, senior planning assistant, as she talked about her job.
``At every job you're going to do a little bit of everything, so it's important to enjoy what you do,'' she said to them. ``Trust is important on this job. I've got to let our clients know that they are very important.''
Van Hoy said Racheal and Tiffani would get a good sampling of what financial planning is all about before returning to school.
``We'll show them some basic fundamentals about goal-setting, and how to save and invest money,'' he said. ``For us as Rotarians, this is a way of giving back.''
Racheal said, ``Being there was a good experience and it was nice of him to allow us to be there. He explained ways that I can save money and how there is a downfall and a rising up in stock prices.
``With the profits you set aside, you purchase more stock,'' she added.
Plans are in the works for the Cape Henry Rotary Club to become a Partner In Education with Bayside Middle School.
``I realize that there is hope in the next generation,'' said Van Hoy. ``These kids have high expectations and they love to give back.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo by BARBARA WOERNER
Brandon Weldon and Dannielle Peters, eighth-graders from Peer
Friends Club, spent a day shadowing Judy Cocherell, GSH Real Estate
broker.