Cincinnat Hills Christian Academy
Volunteer Experience Review: Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy (CHCA)
My three-month volunteer experience at CHCA was deeply disappointing. Despite my efforts to support the students, I encountered a lack of professional oversight, safety concerns regarding volunteer protocols, and an "unchristian" environment that lacked transparency and charity.
I was appalled by the lack of onboarding and off-boarding policies for volunteers.
Security Gaps: Having volunteered elsewhere, I know that fingerprinting and background checks are standard. I proactively asked the teacher coordinator, Graham Bowling, about this several times, but no action was ever taken.
Lack of Supervision: I explicitly requested never to be left alone with students. Despite this, Mr. Bowling, the student school coordinator in charge, once left me alone with the class so he could leave early for a haircut.
Throughout my time there, Mr. Bowling was largely disengaged from the program's success:
Student Interaction: I witnessed him gossiping with students about other teachers. Furthermore, he engaged in behavior, such as correcting a studentthat referred to him as girl, to refer to him as "Queen."
Lack of Feedback: I constantly asked for feedback to ensure I was meeting expectations. I was never given a single complaint or area for improvement during my three months there.
The end of my volunteer tenure was handled with a complete lack of transparency:
After seeing Mr. Bowling at a school play on a Friday ( I attended to support three students that were in our club,) with no issues, and after attending a Saturday practice, where he comment was, we have a long way to go, he texted me Sunday to meet with him and the Principal, Terrell Thomas
I had been previously, a week earlier, told Principal terrell Thomas wanted to meet with us. When I expressed to Graham if there was a concern he assured me there was not.
Even though I was told the meeting was a "formality" to check-in, Instead, I was abruptly told I was no longer needed.
Mr. Bowling claimed among other things a student "felt stupid" under my tutelage. This was shocking, as that specific student had just a few days earlier, done great and was highly praised by me and received a round of applause from her peers for her confidence and success in her presentation of her part with me.
What followed in front of Mr Thomas was"hatchet job" dismissal rather than honest, Christian communication.
While the security guards and the Director of Clubs were wonderful, the leadership, including Terrel Thomas within this specific program was disingenuous and unprofessional to me.