Courtesy of Suffolk University News, read full article here

BOSTON – Service learning projects have become more complicated to facilitate during the pandemic, but the impact those projects have on the community has become even more necessary. 

Men's tennis' Davis Altimonte has risen to the challenge.

Service-learning effort goes on with new initiatives that will outlast the pandemic 

Suffolk students' face-to-face tutoring of schoolchildren ended when learning went virtual due to the pandemic, but the undergraduates' innovations for maintaining contact with their young students have created lasting lessons.

Davis Altimonte records his own readings of short stories so his young writing students can listen to his voice and read along.

Adapting to change

Monday afternoons were a highlight of Altimonte's week before the coronavirus changed everything.

That's when he would leave campus and head to 826 Boston, a youth writing and publishing nonprofit organization, where he supported elementary school children as they tackled their homework and helped them improve their creative writing skills.

"It was such an eye-opening experience," said Altimonte, Class of 2022, of the opportunity made possible through the Community Tutoring Project course.

Altimonte, a Sociology major, enjoyed working with the diverse student group so much that he decided to select Education Studies as a minor field of study. 

His spring semester was running on all cylinders until the COVID-19 pandemic forced students to stop any in-person contact. 

Yet Altimonte continues to make an impact despite not being able to see his students. He now reads and uploads short stories to the 826 Boston website where his pupils can listen to his voice as they read along with him. He posts a few follow-up questions about each story.

"I really miss the kids, but it feels good to know that I'm still helping them to succeed," said Altimonte. "Having them hear my voice is a way I can still be there for them and they can be there for me."