In a move that exemplifies community service and hands-on learning, El Paso ISD students are rolling up their sleeves to assist locals with tax preparation through the GECU Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. This initiative, which runs until mid-April, not only provides students with practical financial literacy skills but also serves the El Paso community by helping individuals to easily file their taxes free of charge.
For Irvin High School junior Odey Marquez, participating in the VITA program is an opportunity "to learn and actually see how all this stuff works," he said, as per El Paso ISD News. Marquez is not alone in this sentiment. His classmate, Luis Alamo, also a junior, expressed that working with the program allows him to "meet with people," explaining his interactions have been with individuals who are "sweet and kind." This sentiment echoes the program's broader goal, to connect and serve.
The students' efforts are not without guidance; they work under the watchful eye of instructors like Jesse Alvarez, who sees his role as fostering a sense of responsibility and commitment in the young volunteers. Alvarez, unfunded for his contribution, reflects on his motivation: "I’ve always liked giving back to the community. I give because I want to give and help people," he conveyed, as obtained by El Paso ISD News.
Volunteers typically give their time generously, with some students staying as late as 8 p.m., especially on Thursdays, evidencing real dedication. "These kids are sometimes here from 4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., and they’re here every Thursday, and they don’t mind," Alvarez said, according to El Paso ISD News. Moreover, Alvarez suggested that his stepping down from the program would let his students down, such is their eagerness "to get involved."
