WQOW.com: They say age is meant to bring us wisdom, but students at Osseo-Fairchild Elementary School are growing wise with a little help.
Millie “Grandma Millie” Polinske might not look like a typical first grader, but what she lacks in youth, her spirit surpasses.
“I always thought if I could help with one student it would be worth it,” said Polinske.
Polinske has volunteered as a Foster Grandparent for 24 years, all spent at Osseo-Fairchld Elementary.
“It does just as much for me as it does for the student,” Polinske said.
The program partners grandparents and pupils as they help students over learning hurdles, after already gone over their own.
“The one on one relationship that develops with the older adult is so important to them, someone who notices when they have a haircut or new shoes,” said Mary Jo Hanson, Director of the Foster Grandparents Program.