Mr. Z

It was in between third and fourth grade when my mom signed me up to do a summer program at school.  It was called Jump Start.  I was a little hesitant because I didn’t know anyone else doing it.  The first day I remember walking in nervous and anxious at the same time.  I was met by a man named Mr. Zamzo.  He had a huge smile on his face as we were introduced.  Instantly I felt welcomed into this new program.

In this program we practiced our math and reading skills.  I wasn’t really behind in any of them.  My mom just wanted me to keep it up over the summer.  It was a two week program for about three hours a day.  Most of us in the class were third or fourth graders.

Mr. Zamzo was a great teacher to do the summer program.  He kept us all motivated during the three hours we were with him.  He took interest in every student.  He didn’t have favorites which some teachers do.  He was supportive.  We would have worksheets for math and he would push us to finish them and get them all right. 

I think the interest and compassion Mr. Zamzo had for me during this program made me want to try harder in school.  He made learning so fun.  He would be there if you needed help on anything.  He kept us all on our toes.  I’m pretty sure he helped me get organized because when I was younger I had a problem with that.  I know I improved my math skills so much from what he taught us in the summer program.  He taught us a game called cribbage.  This game was a great tool for all the kids.  I still play cribbage with my family sometimes.

The program flew by.   I was disappointed when it ended.  I was going to miss the program.  Once school started back up in the fall, I saw Mr. Zamzo around even though he wasn’t my fourth grade teacher.  He would say “Hey kiddo how’s it going?” It would always bring a smile to my face to see that he still cared for me.  I felt like we still had a connection through the rest of elementary school. 

It is nice to see that teachers care so much for their students.  It really brightens up the students.  They feel welcomed in the classroom and excited to learn.  This summer program was an excellent start to my success in school.