Written by Quinn Delamater
A peculiar round building sits off Hillsdale Street, between the dorms and across from the treeway leading to the Grewcock Student Union. It has a cheery air about it, and playful screams can be heard coming from afar. Often, small children dart this way and that behind and around the building, engaging in make-believe games with one another. This special spot is none other than Mary Randall Preschool (MRP), Hillsdale College’s own early childhood educational center in the heart of the campus.
Since 1929, Mary Randall Preschool has served the Hillsdale community by providing a unique preschool for countless children, rooted in the same classical education that Hillsdale College is known for. Over the years, the preschool students have benefited from the Hillsdale College student volunteers who donate their time to serve at Mary Randall.
Some of these students volunteer for “fun,” while others who are education minors practice an apprenticeship through which they learn from the faculty at Mary Randall for their own future careers.
This year at Mary Randall, the male student volunteers have brought a new element to the program.
“They bring excitement and fun that the children love,” said Director Micha Moore. “A lot of times, it’s a ‘physical’ kind of fun, like playing a game. The male college students are nurturing as well. They give the preschool boys someone to look up to—a positive male role model, which is fantastic. And they love it. They [the preschoolers] love having young males to play Legos with, to play outside and run around with. Things like that are so important for child development.”
Noah Schmidt, ’25, has spent part of his college years volunteering at Mary Randall.
“I love volunteering at the preschool. It reminds me that life at Hillsdale is about much more than just academics,” he said. “Every week when I go, the kids brighten my day through their energy, joy, and curiosity. Every day is an adventure as I spend it with different kids and hear different stories, and I always look forward to seeing what they will do or say.”
Schmidt has also enjoyed the vibrant atmosphere of Mary Randall that has brought liveliness to his regular weekday routine.
“There is never a dull moment [at Mary Randall]! I leave each time filled with the contagious energy and excitement from the preschoolers. Volunteering at the preschool has been one of the most fulfilling ways I have spent my time at Hillsdale.”
Nathan Stanish, ’25, also volunteers at Mary Randall for two hours every Friday.
“I began volunteering at MRP for an education class, doing either one-off activities like puppet shows, or playing with kids outside and corralling them inside,” Stanish said.
Stanish wants to impact and inspire the children for the better, and he set specific goals in order to do so.
“My goal with these preschoolers is to help them develop their ability to interact with the world,” said Stanish. “I get to encourage them as they’re playing with blocks and exercising their creativity, and it’s rewarding to see how quickly they gain confidence in what they do.”
Aside from playing outdoor games, Stanish loves to lead more mellow activities with the children as well.
“I love reading books to preschoolers,” Stanish said. “One of them will ask me, very shyly, if I’ll read a book, and then several more kids will snuggle up on the couch because they all want to hear, too. They’re very sweet and impressionable, and it’s beautiful to see a love of books begin at such a young age.”
Stanish feels that volunteering at Mary Randall has prepared him well for having a future in youth ministry, something he hopes to pursue.
“One benefit of being a male volunteer with kids in general is the opportunity to give the boys a male role model,” Stanish added. “So often, the vast majority of teachers or other staff are women, and younger boys may not have as many male role models to identify with in the classroom or in preschool. It makes a difference to have compassionate, caring men to play with these kids and guide them in their early development.”
Lead afternoon teacher Darcy Affholter is appreciative of the valuable dynamic preschoolers have with the male volunteers.
“Our preschoolers are discovering how roles and relationships work every day in the world around them,” Affholter said. “With male volunteers, our little boys are getting such good role models to emulate as they are developing and growing in body and character. Our girls learn how to appropriately interact and how to appreciate boys through their relationships with our male volunteers. Our kids light up when many of the ‘big boys’ come into the building.”
The presence of male volunteers contributes to the all-around atmosphere at Mary Randall, fostering positive interactions and underscoring the importance of healthy relationships in the preschoolers’ lives, for which Affholter and the rest of the faculty at MPR are eternally grateful.
Quinn Delamater, ’26, is a rhetoric and media major and a journalism minor. In her free time, Quinn is an active member of Kappa Kappa Gamma as well as the chapter event director, the secretary of Hillsdale College Republicans, and a contributor to the Radio Free Hillsdale Network. Quinn enjoys fashion, spending time with friends and family, trying new coffee shops, and skiing.
Published in October 2024
