We’re excited to introduce you to our March Volunteer of the Month, Emmet Hennessy! Emmet joined 826NYC in 2022 and jumped right into supporting our newest program, Dungeons & Dragons & Writers! Find out more about Emmet from his interview below:
826NYC: How did you first get involved with 826NYC and why did you decide to volunteer?
Emmet: I started off with Dungeons & Dragons & Writers with Varud! I wanted to volunteer with 826NYC because it checked 3 boxes for me: it was a great organization I could volunteer with, I got to work with students again (I was an assistant teacher in a past life), and I got to embrace my newfound love of storytelling through Dungeons & Dragons!
826NYC: What’s your favorite part of 826NYC?
Emmet: I love the energy and dedication of all the volunteers I’ve met. Everyone seems to be extremely passionate about doing everything they can to provide an awesome experience to the students.
826NYC: What do you do when you’re not at 826NYC?
Emmet: I love reading and exploring New York! I also am currently DM-ing a Dungeons & Dragons campaign with some friends (they haven’t figured it out yet, but all of the other characters + villains are based on the Mario universe!). For work, I’m a Product Manager for a tech startup.
826NYC: What advice would you give a new volunteer?
Emmet: Don’t hesitate to jump right in! For the first couple sessions of D&D&W, I held back a little, trying to “read the room” a bit. Eventually I decided to just roll the dice (that’s a pun for all my D&D fans out there) and dive into the game with the students. And it was fantastic! I think my own excitement helped bring out similar energy in the students, which made for a much better overall experience.
826NYC: What are your superpowers?
Emmet: Hm good question. I’ve got a pretty good knack at “connecting dots”. As in I can be listening to a podcast, and I’ll notice a theme or pattern that’s similar to something I read in a book years ago, even though they’re extremely different topics on the surface. It’s not an incredibly useful superpower, but it’s fun to explore the connections of supposedly disparate ideas!
Want to support our students? Sign up for a volunteer orientation today!