- December 17, 2025
Carlotta Irvin has worked with Volunteers for Community Impact’s Foster Grandparent Program for five years.
The students of Ormond Beach Elementary never want to disappoint Grandma.
Whether she’s tutoring them in math, or giving them a place to just chill, Carlotta Irvin has become a necessary presence in the 4th grade classroom. As a part of the Volunteers for Community Impact’s Foster Grandparent Program, Irvin has been tutoring and mentoring children at OBE for five years.
“She works magic,” Academic Coach Ruth Bethea said. “There’s no judgement from her. The students really enjoy her, and they respect her. She earns that. She doesn’t try to boss them around, or tell them they’re wrong. She just has a way of getting them where they need to be.”
Irvin works at the school four days a week, tutoring students in all subjects — even math. Now known as the “math whiz,” Irvin almost quit her first day because of the subject difficulty.
“When I first came into the program, it was really hard for me,” Irvin said. “I’m good at it and I like math now. This program helps me to serve the children where I need to. It’s something that I really wanted to do all of my life.”
The Foster Grandparent Program is targeted for adults ages 55 and older to keep them engaged in their communities.
"When they retire or get close to retirement, they can stay connected to their communities,” Director of Programs Charlotte Merritt said. “We joke a lot and say ‘nobody wants to disappoint Grandma.' No one wants to upset her or make her mad. Carlotta has those sweet qualities you want in a Grandma.”
“They love her,” Bethea said. “When they move to fifth grade, they make special trips back to see her. Even some of the older kids who are in middle school will ask me if she’s still with us. She’s a gem in the classroom.”
Still, no matter how much praise she gets, Irvin insist that the students helped her more than she’s helped them.
“I felt like I was going into a shell,” Irvin said. “I wasn’t doing anything. I was just at home. It helps build myself esteem while I’m helping children build their self esteem. My children went to school here. It really makes me feel like this is where I need to be. There’s just a bonding and I don’t want to let go.”
Call 407-298-4180 for more information on the Foster Grandparent Program.
