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Showing Up, Together: Our Year with Adopt-a-Class 

Over this past school year, my colleagues and I had the privilege of spending time once a month in a third-grade classroom at Silverton Elementary School. On the surface, our commitment seemed simple. We made seven visits, completed crafts, led small‑group conversations about health and philanthropy, and spent time getting to know students. What unfolded over those months, however, was something much deeper. We experienced the power of consistency, connection, and showing up for young people in the ways we promised we would.

Through our partnership with Adopt A Class, we weren’t just volunteers stopping by a classroom. We were mentors. Adopt A Class envisions a region where every child gains access to career exposure, life experiences, and meaningful relationships with caring adults. Their question, “How do you dream about something you don’t know?” stayed with me throughout the year as we listened to students share their thoughts, hopes, and questions about the world around them.

By the third or fourth visit, students greeted us by name. They remembered our conversations and asked when we would be back. When one of our core team members missed a visit, the students noticed immediately. They asked where that person was and why they were not there. Those moments were quiet but powerful reminders that consistency builds belonging, and that predictable, safe adults truly matter.

One Monday morning, that truth became especially clear. A student I had built a relationship with pulled me aside and shared that his grandma had passed away. I was the first person he told at school. His teacher did not yet know. The counselors did not yet know. He told me. In that moment, I fully understood the responsibility of mentorship. Showing up consistently had created enough trust for a child to share his grief during one of the hardest moments of his life. It was the most impactful moment of the school year for me and one I will carry with me for a long time.

PHOTO (above): Students from Silverton Elementary visited Interact for Health's offices

Learning Philanthropy by Being Seen

One of the most meaningful parts of our time together was talking with students about philanthropy. When we introduced the word, many of them had never heard it before. At first, it felt big and abstract. Over time, through conversations, activities, and creative projects, it became personal.

For third graders, philanthropy does not look like writing a check or organizing a fundraiser. It looks like helping a friend, taking turns, noticing when someone is left out, and caring about the people around them. As we talked about giving, leadership, and kindness, students began to see that they already had the ability to make a difference. They did not have to wait until they were older. They were already givers.

PHOTO (below): Interact staff leading craft about different activities to have a healthy summer

We also spent time doing activities focused on health and imagining a healthier world. Students shared what health meant to them, not just physically, but emotionally and socially. For many, health meant feeling safe, having friends, being listened to, and knowing there was an adult they could trust. Their responses were reminders that children understand wellness as something deeply connected to relationships.

This is where mentorship plays an important role. When a child has a safe and trusted adult in their life, especially at school, they gain more than support. They gain confidence to speak up, space to process emotions, and reassurance that their experiences matter. A trusted adult can help a child navigate grief, uncertainty, curiosity, and joy while reinforcing that they belong.
Our conversations about philanthropy were grounded in these relationships. Because students trusted us, they shared ideas freely and saw themselves as leaders in their classroom and community. They were not learning about giving in theory. They were experiencing it through presence, listening, and care.

In addition to relational investment, our team was proud to support Silverton Elementary in tangible ways. We provided $1,000 to the Silverton Elementary PTA and $1,000 directly to the school for supplies and gym equipment. Just as important as the dollars was how those decisions were made. Students helped generate ideas, discussed what their school needed most, and voted as a class on how the funds would be used.

Inviting students into that process helped turn philanthropy into something real. It reinforced that their voices matter and that they can help shape their community. Rather than being passive recipients, they became thoughtful decision makers who understood that giving means listening, prioritizing, and caring for others.

We also had the opportunity to welcome the students to our office for a field trip. For many of them, this was an environment they had not yet been exposed to. Walking through our space, meeting staff, and seeing what a professional workplace looks like helped make new possibilities feel more real. It was a tangible extension of the mentorship experience and a reminder of how exposure can expand what students believe is possible for their own futures.

PHOTO: Students from Silverton Elementary visited Interact for Health's offices

A Call to Show Up

Experiences like this are only possible because adults choose to show up consistently for young people. Whether you are an individual, a team, or an organization, mentorship is a meaningful way to invest in the future of our community. Programs like Adopt A Class make it possible to build relationships that help students feel seen, supported, and inspired to dream bigger.

If you are looking for a way to make a lasting impact, consider how you or your organization might get involved. Take a look at our partner, We Mentor Cincy, which is a network of local organizations dedicated to highlighting the transformative power of mentoring in Greater Cincinnati. Showing up, even once a month, can make a difference.

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