Published: March 06, 2006 05:06 pm            

Sharp enjoys tutoring with Steve Sheik program

A mother of two girls, Brandi Sharp hopes to lead by example and she hopes her children see the importance of giving back to the community.

“It doesn’t take very much time to make a difference if you just do it,” Sharp said. “You certainly reap the rewards from it.”

Sharp, an operations manager of 125 employees at StarTek, is one of eight employees who volunteer for the Steve Sheik Memorial Tutoring Program in Enid Public Schools.

Sharp tutors a second grader at Monroe Elementary School twice each week. She said it offers her a “fantastic opportunity to give children that extra shove” toward achieving educational goals.

Sharp said it has been a great experience for her. Taking time out of her work day to help a students make improvements and reach goals is very rewarding.

“It’s absolutely amazing,” Sharp said.

Tutors with the Steve Sheik program undergo training and Sharp admits it was demanding at first.

“We get so busy every day in our lives,” Sharp said. “In the beginning it was kind of stressful. But, I’ll tell you, it’s helped me have a new outlook on things. I enjoy it so much, I look forward to it.”

And Enid Public Schools students also are reaping the rewards of the employees’ generosity with their time.

“We have students across the district benefiting from their support,” said Amber Graham Fitzgerald, school and community relations director and volunteer coordinator for Enid Public Schools.

Sharp said her student already has reached six goals set earlier this school year. She said that is reward enough for her.

“I enjoy it more than he does,” she said. “It just really brightens my day.”

The StarTek employees who are tutoring are just a few of the current employees who are working in the community to make a difference through a number of different projects. The volunteerism isn’t a requirement and employees aren’t compensated in any way for it, Sharp said. It is just another way for employees to get out in the community and help others.

Fitzgerald said StarTek employees also helped raise one of the largest school supply donations ever received. She said the district was able to use a portion of the money to help a number of Gulf Coast hurricane evacuees who came to Enid to attend school. Other supplies were used in classrooms for students across the district, she said. Community Development Support Association matched about $3,000 of the StarTek employee donations and presented it to the school, Sharp said.

StarTek Call Center Director Chris Melton has said it’s important for the community to work together. Melton is a member of the Youth & Family Services board of directors, and other employees are concentrating on community service as a way to get involved.

“We’re trying really hard to improve our image in the community,” Sharp said.