An outing with his senior community led James Martin to a new passion as a volunteer.
Now Mr. Jim, as the students know him, is at Salina Elementary school a few days a week helping in a Young 5s classroom where most students cannot even count up to his 85 years of age.
His visits to the school started when a retired teacher at Allegria Village organized an outing for senior volunteers to go read to students at Salina Elementary once a month.
“I did it a couple of times, and said I want to do more,” said Mr. Jim, who has been retired for 23 years.
These days he is in Ms. Kandi-Kay Mehrhof’s classroom a few days a week helping students learn to write letters and roll out playdough or helping organize supplies and clean off dry-erase sheets. He also spends time reading and playing games with students. He was recognized at the Oct. 13, 2025 Board of Education meeting for his dedication to the school and its students.
“Three days a week, rain or shine, he walks through the doors of Salina Elementary School with a kind word, a smile and an open heart,” said Salina Elementary Principal Sue Stanley during the board recognition.
“Mr. Jim, you are the spark that reminds us that kindness, consistency and love are truly what makes a difference. Because of you the halls of Salina shine a little brighter and our children believe a little more deeply in themselves,” she said.
He, in turn, praised Ms. Mehrhof and Principal Stanley.
“They do a very good job, and you should be very proud of what goes on at Salina.”
Mr. Jim volunteers in a Young 5s classroom. Young 5s is a transitional program for students who may be technically old enough to start kindergarten, but could use another year to grow and learn before starting kindergarten.
“Watching Mr. Jim interact with the kids and the joy I see on their faces is such a blessing!” Ms. Mehrhof said.
Mr. Jim enjoys seeing the students progress and grow over the year.
In his younger days, he worked for the City of Detroit helping administer programs for low-income residents, including about a decade overseeing the city’s Head Start grant. He worked with the groups that ran the free preschool program, but did not interact much with the students themselves.
Now, he beams as he notes that his birthday was Sept. 17 and 400 students sang him happy birthday in English and Arabic.
“I get a lot of love from them, and I give a lot of love to them,” Mr. Jim said.
