10 Volunteer Tutors Impacting Lives

10 Volunteer Tutors Impacting Lives

The 2026 spring one-on-one session has officially begun at GiGi’s Playhouse Quad Cities with 10 tutors ready to impact lives, and the timing couldn’t feel more perfect. As winter finally loosens its grip, there’s something refreshing about watching the Playhouse come alive again with new energy, warmer days, and plenty of sunshine on the horizon.

Welcoming participants back each spring feels a little like watching the first signs of the season emerge. Many arrive with bright smiles and contagious giggles, especially those returning for another session who now walk through the doors with confidence and familiarity. Their excitement sets the tone for everything that follows.

Our volunteer tutors feel it too. Whether they’re reconnecting with a student they’ve worked with before or meeting someone new for the first time, there’s a shared sense of anticipation. Returning pairs greet each other like old friends, picking up right where they left off, while new matches bring a spark of discovery and possibility. It’s a beautiful reminder that learning here is not just about progress…it’s about relationships, joy, and growth for everyone involved.

This session, we have 4 returning tutors and 6 new tutors!

Returning Tutors:

• Margaret Mcdoniel – began volunteering in 2022
• Heather Matzen – began volunteering in 2023
• Isabella Hart – began volunteering as an intern in 2025
• Jane Samec – began volunteering in 2023

We asked a few of the returning tutors what they like about tutoring, and wanted to share their amazing responses below.

“I love tutoring at GiGi’s Playhouse because it allows me to be part of something truly meaningful. Every session reminds me that learning is so much more than letters and words—it’s about connection, confidence, and celebration. Each time I walk in, I look forward to working with my friends while sharing laughter, stories, and moments that stay with me long after the session ends.

What I treasure most are my friends’ ‘best of all’ moments—the ones where effort turns into something wonderful. I feel honored to witness those sparks of accomplishment. When their faces light up, when they laugh freely, and when they feel proud of themselves –those are my best of all moments. 

Tutoring at GiGi’s fills my heart because I get to contribute to a place where every step is celebrated. GiGi’s Playhouse has given me the opportunity to make a difference. Being part of that fills me with joy and purpose.”

Heather Matzen

“I would say that I became a tutor because, after retiring, I missed the daily interactions with students and families.  I continue to tutor because I enjoy the challenge of finding different ways to present the lessons for each student, and I have learned something from each student with whom I have worked.” Margaret Mcdoniel

Thank you to Heather & Margaret for sharing their stories and for volunteering your time and talents with us and our participants here at GiGi’s.

New Tutors:

• Viki Diachyshyn
• Tenzin Choedon
• Lauren Sikes
• Emma Hartman
• Sydney Westendorf
• Isabel Seamer

We didn’t want to overwhelm the new tutors with one more thing, so we didn’t ask them any hard questions, but we do want to give them all a shout-out! For those who are not aware, volunteer tutors must go through the typical volunteer onboarding process and complete several hours of additional tutor-specific training. This is anywhere between 2 – 4 hours of training time. The assigned training depends on what subject they are tutoring, as well as if they are tutoring at level 1, 2, or 3. 

There is a lot to learn when you become a tutor, but there’s also a lot of support given by our staff and other tutors during Tutor Talk meetings. All tutors (previous, current, and potential) are invited to join us for those. The next one will be on Thursday, February 26^th, at 5:30 pm. You can learn more at this link.

We would also like to share that one of the new tutors is a GiGi’s parent, and we are so excited to have her join this session. Hopefully, she will enjoy it so much that she continues for a while. She is not the first parent to take on tutoring, and we know that each one has made an impact in another participant’s life, but they have also learned something new from their participant too!

Each week, this team will be hard at work creating meaningful, individualized learning experiences for people with Down syndrome. With the dedication of 10 volunteer tutors and the expertise of our on‑staff speech‑language pathologist, we’re proud to provide a total of 22 one‑on‑one sessions that make a real difference. These sessions will support 19 individuals, each receiving personalized instruction tailored to their goals, strengths, and learning styles.

Weekly Session Breakdown

• 10 speech therapy sessions
• 8 literacy tutoring sessions
• 4 math tutoring sessions

Did we forget to mention that these programs are all done at no cost to families? That’s right! They are FREE for individuals with Down syndrome, and that is made possible by the volunteer tutor, generous donors, special event fundraisers, and grants! A special thank you to the Amina Grace Memorial Fund for their continued support of the speech program. They’ve been supporting this program since it was launched locally 8 years ago.  Additional thanks to United Way of the Quad Cities for the 2025-2026 funding for our one-on-one programs, specifically literacy and math.

If you’d like to learn more about these programs, please visit the following pages:

• One-on-One Math Tutoring
• One-on-One Literacy Tutoring
• One-on-One Speech and Language

While we are currently in the spring session and applications for that session have closed, a new session will take place this summer, and applications for volunteer tutors and participants over 3 years of age will open in early April.

If you have any questions about the one-on-one programs, please contact our Education Coordinator, Ann Cobb, by calling the playhouse at 309-762-7529 or emailing [email protected].