This month, we’re so pleased to be honoring Jayme Brown and Wren Brennan, our wonderful Sunday Drop-in Tutoring point tutor duo. Together they head up our weekly program that promises to help any student who walks through the door. This fast-paced, high-energy Sunday shift is full of variety and adventure. Jayme and Wren are the stalwart constants in the room, creating a welcoming environment that is responsive to each student’s needs.
Over the past year we have watched Jayme and Wren cultivate a community centered around Sunday Drop-in Tutoring. They enthusiastically greet students, tutors, and parents who walk into the Writing Lab, asking them how they are and how their week has been. They expertly pair students and tutors, encouraging quiet students to open up and distracted students to focus. The program is thriving in no small part due to Jayme and Wren’s warmth, humor, and discerning eyes. We are incredibly lucky to them in our Writing Lab every Sunday.
Jayme and Wren first came to 826 (from New York and Seattle respectively) in 2013 as bright-eyed interns assigned to various programs, but found themselves together at our after-school program at Buena Vista Horace Mann. Wren also supported Sunday Drop-in Tutoring while Jayme tackled the 826 Quarterly. The pair couldn’t get enough of their students over at BVHM, so Wren and Jayme managed to convince a few of them to enroll in 826’s other tutoring programs so they’d never miss a story.
When they’re not tag-teaming Sunday tutoring or making unsolicited suggestions for new pirate supplies, Jayme and Wren hone their affinity for writing in other ways. Wren is a writer-strategist at a social impact agency, and Jayme is a community manager and digital marketer at a mission-driven toy company. Throughout their life and work, these two maintain a fierce allegiance to independent bookstores, Mission burritos, and themed dance parties.
We’re so glad that Jayme and Wren have become cornerstones of our 826 community. Sunday tutoring is a wrap for the year, but stop by and give them a high five (and do some tutoring) in the fall!
To read about more of our amazing volunteers, visit the Volunteer of the Month gallery.