Our KNX Heroes of the Week, Steve and Patty Tiso, are two volunteer tutors who are going above and beyond to motivate their students!
Courtesy of Steve and Patty Tiso
The couple from Irvine helps out with the non-profit School on Wheels, volunteering as tutors for kids who need some educational help.
Steve and Patty get emotional thinking about the bonds that they have created with the young people they have worked with and the joy that comes out of it.
Courtesy of Steve and Patty Tiso
“It brings tears to my eyes to think about it because, you know, getting to know how somebody lives so differently than what you know,” Patty told Heroes host Heather Jordan. “Sure, it's what you're giving to them, what you help them with, but wow, do you get a lot back on what you learned that you didn't know, and it makes you just a whole different person. “
“The goal isn't so much to help them with their homework,” Steve said. “Well, that's part of it. So, you know, you do try and see if you can get them through high school or elementary school. We've had kids from second grade up through high school. But also just seeing them grow as a person…right now, I feel like I'm mentoring more than anything.”
Courtesy of Steve and Patty Tiso
For the past two years or so, Steve and Patty have had the unique opportunity to help out two siblings, Emmanuel and Xhillary.
“We sit at the same table sometimes, and she's got Xhillary, and I have Emmanuel, and it's so it's funny,” Steve said. “We drive together and we talk. We set up our check-in together, you know, because you're asking both of them the same question. But then pretty much, you know, we're kind of separate for that hour and then, you know, go home and we'll talk about it after a little bit.”
“It really adds something,” Patty said. “If one of us [goes]..’Oh, I'm tired, I don't feel like going,’ hey, you can't because your husband's going, your wife's going. So, you build the other one up.”
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