Bend volunteer honored by state for work with kids

Summer is a long time to be away from a favorite teacher — or in the case of Ponderosa Elementary, a beloved volunteer.

“He’s really amazing,” fourth-grader Laina Majcen said Wednesday of long-time volunteer Bill Ruiter.

“I call him our cheerleader,” said teacher Nicole Ricketts. “He’s the one that encourages us, because it get so crazy and busy in education.”

Around the school, he’s known as ‘Mr. Bill.’ Five days a week he can be spotted helping students and teachers alike.

“He’s taught us a lot,” fourth-grader Katelyn Samuel said.

Ruiter started volunteering at Poderosa four years ago after a neighborhood child told him she needed help with reading.

“So I told her I’d come to her school and see what we could do,” Ruiter said.

Ruiter started with reading and then moved onto math.

“I hadn’t done algebra for almost 50 years,” he laughed.

Teacher Maddie Swan considers Ruiter a partner in education.

“Our test scores and math scores have gone up and the kids love learning,” Swan said. “They’re excited about going out with him.”

Ruiter still helps with math, but he’s added another specialty that he definitely did not learn when he was in school 60 years ago.

“He teaches you coding,” Majcen said.

Usual for his generation and a surprise to many who meet him. In order to teach computer programing, Ruiter first had to learn it himself.

“I’m preparing at home at night watching videos so I can explain it to the kiddos the next day,” Ruiter said.

Principal Steve Austin said, “Most people his age would be intimidated by technology, but he’s embraced it and he’s learning it, and trying to pass it on to others.”

Austin and other staff were so impressed they wrote to the state government, nominating Ruiter for the governor’s elder volunteer of the year award.

“He should get that award,” Samuel said.

The man who ended up winning was no shock.

“I wasn’t surprised at all,” Swan said.

And the teachers are also not surprised that Ruiter doesn’t take any credit for the award.

“If you’re old enough and have a good leader you can become volunteer of the year,” he said. “The really good leader is Mr. Austin.”

Oregon’s Housing and Community Service department announced the winners last week. Only eight people, including Ruiter, won state-level awards from Gov. Kate Brown.

For the retired insurance agent, it’s the reward reminding him what he was meant to do.

“My degree is in speech and hearing therapy — If I could do a do-over, I would have stayed in public education,” Ruiter said.

It’s an attitude inspiring even those already achieving.

“I hope when I’m 72 that I’m finding something that I can give my life back to, Austin said. “Instead of just serving himself, he’s serving the community, and that’s really admirable.”

The only real lesson here is you’re never too old to find your passion.

“The kids don’t need me, I need the kids,” Ruiter said.

Ruiter also leads a homework club at Ponderosa Elementary where he helps students with their work at lunch.

In the summer, he and other teachers have started a program where they volunteer their time to open up the library for a few hours a week and read to students.