Bonner profile: Adetokunbo Adeshile
by Julia Berner-Tobin
Senior Adetokunbo Adeshile is a Bonner scholar at Earlham. This semester, Adeshile is working at the Westwood Tutoring program. Twice a week he tutors children, usually from the ages four to six.
“Watching children catch onto language is very exciting,” said Adeshile. “Children invigorate me and bring me joy.”
The Westwood Tutoring program is a student-run program in Richmond at a local public housing complex. Adeshile takes the Earlham van to the Westwood Tutoring program.
“Children start running up with their smiles, backpacks and craziness,” said Adeshile.
If the students don’t have any homework, the tutors try to make them read something. For children with special needs, they pay particular attention.
“Due to whatever reason, some children need more care. Every child needs a certain amount of attention to thrive,” said Adeshile.
Adeshile has also volunteered with Amigos, which was his favorite place to work.
“I liked it because it brings in the service learning cycle. The Bonner program helps us get our education while being able to do the amazing exciting things we can do,” said Adeshile.
Through the Amigos program, Adeshile taught adults in the area English as a second language. The program helped him with his Spanish classes at Earlham, just as his Spanish classes helped him to become a better volunteer with Amigos.
“It’s a push,” said Adeshile. “The better I got at Spanish, the more I was able to teach. Learning all the intricate parts of the Spanish language while volunteering for Amigos also made me want to study more Spanish in class.”
Adeshile also taught Spanish over the summer.
“The more I taught, the more I needed to study,” said Adeshile. “I was making lesson plans, so I had to try to learn the uniqueness of each student.”
While the Amigos was Adeshile favorite program, he is thoroughly enjoying his work at Westwood Tutoring.
“One day, due to my stealthy ways and long name, I was referred to as the Ninja. I decided to take on this view as a Ninja; lethal and dangerous,” said Adeshile.
Adeshile realized that this brought the idea of violence to the children, so instead presented himself as a peaceful Ninja based on “cooperation, respect and unity to the teacher, along with overall stealthiness.”
On Oct. 12, Adeshile spoke at the renaming of the Service-Learning Center. The Center was renamed the Bonner Center for Service and Vocation to recognize the support of the Bonner Foundation. In his speech, Adeshile acknowledged the selfless donation of the Bonner scholars, as well as outlining what being a Bonner scholar meant to him.
“It allows the Bonner’s deepest joy to connect with the world’s deepest hungers,” said Adeshile.
He went on to talk about how the service program allows for the scholars to find new discoveries, not only in the world around them, but within themselves. He spoke about his role as the children’s “Ninja”, and how he used the identity to promote quietness, respect and the need to put forth good effort.
“I became for them a superhero, but the truth is, they are my heroes,” he added to the ending of his speech.
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