Learning is important, and teaching is tough. It is at that educational intersection where the work of Volunteers in Action (VIA) becomes essential.

VIA exists to cooperate with and support the faculty, administrators and staff members of the Conestoga Valley School District. It doesn't teach students directly, but VIA plays a huge role in the learning process.

"If we don't learn, we can't grow," said Lisa Smith, who's been CV's VIA district coordinator for three years. "I don't think we can care deeply about things if we don't learn about them. I was never a teacher, but teaching is hard. It's tough, and with everything going on in the world, it's gotten harder. We save teachers a few minutes each day. We're not helping to teach. We're helping to free them up to teach. We try to take some of the burden off their plates."

VIA provides educational support in the form of chaperoning for school trips and helping at events, like health screening days, picture days and teacher appreciation days; assisting with special projects; publishing, binding, laminating and photocopying; preparing classroom materials; and offering classroom assistance and library support.

"We want to make a difference in kids' lives and empower students," said Smith. "We're so happy to help. We provide extra hands. We cooperate with teachers to get the job done. I tell the faculty, 'If you have something we can help you with, just ask.' We have things we always do for them, and then things will come up, and we'll say, 'Yes, we can help with that.'"

Smith oversees 13 VIA coordinators deployed across the Conestoga Valley School District's seven buildings. Last year, volunteers in the program donated 6,172 hours to the school district.

All VIA participants must undergo background checks and are required to obtain the proper clearances through the state.

"Mostly they're parents," said Smith. "My building coordinators are all moms. They have children of their own in the buildings. Grandparents can volunteer, just like any member of the community who gets their clearances. We can always use more people with clearances who are willing to come in."

"We have a fabulous district, we have great kids, and we have wonderful educators," Smith continued. "Volunteers are welcome, they're needed, and they're greatly appreciated by the people they are helping and the whole district. We're happy we have people who are willing to come in and do these things."

Nearly 4,000 students from prekindergarten through 12th grade are enrolled in the Conestoga Valley School District during the 2024-25 school year. CV maintains a student-to-teacher ratio of about 16-to-1.

"We are very different from (Parent Teacher Organizations)," said Smith. "PTOs raise money; VIA has no money."

VIA was established by a Conestoga Valley mom, Jane Eastman, who saw a need and followed through on an idea. Next year, VIA will celebrate its 50th year of support in the Conestoga Valley School District.

"It started with one mom," said Smith. "She wanted to get parents, grandparents and community members involved with the school district. I think it's grown in ways we can't really imagine. When she started it, they were doing minor things. But as time went on, there were needs for some other things."

For additional information about Volunteers in Action, go to http://www.conestogavalley.org/district/volunteer-at-cv/volunteers-in-action