Meet George Dawson.
A retired Lubbock ISD math teacher who now uses his math skills to help others through Literacy Lubbock.
Every Thursday from 10-12 you’ll find him at the Dream Center volunteering his time by teaching math to people in our community working on their GED.
“A lot of them have trouble with fractions, multiplication and division,” Dawson explains. “We’ve had a number who come in because they had children and they wanted to show their children that education was important to them and they wanted to get their GED. Matter of pride I’d guess you’d say.”
He doesn’t know who will show or if the class will be empty or full, but he’s always there with his wipeboard and marker in hand ready to teach.
“It’s encouraging in a way but frustrating in another because some of them aren’t able to finish or complete,” says Dawson.
But even with those frustrations, he still shows up.
“If you’re here and they know you’ll be here, they have more incentive to come,” Dawson says. I feel like it’s loyalty and if they know you’re helping them they’ll come on back.”
He’s been volunteering with the program for 15 years and says he’ll keep helping as long as he can.
“Sometimes we do meet them out in public and it’s always good to see them if I can remember their names,” Dawson laughs.
Dawson and his wife also volunteer around the community with Meals on Wheels and at the American Cancer Society.
Contact the Volunteer Center of Lubbock at (806) 747-0551 to find out more about the organizations that need your help.