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Virginia Beach volunteer helps students ‘step’ in the right direction

Posted at 9:07 PM, May 23, 2017
and last updated 2017-05-23 21:07:35-04

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - News 3 tried to surprise a special volunteer at Virginia Beach's Parkway Elementary.

As we got closer to the school cafeteria, we were spotted by our nominee Khadijah Kelly who took off running!

Khadijah eventually made an appearance and knew something was up.

"This was a set up.....it was a set up," Khadijah said.

She was set up alright, by Marica Mills, the head step team coach for the students at Parkway.

Khadijah has been a volunteer for four years---but it's more than working with them on dance routines. Khadijah also helps these students with their homework even though she already has a lot on her plate.

Khadijah is a sophomore at Tidewater Community College, works full time and still finds time to help out with the girls during weekly practices.

She also lends a hand in all of the community service projects that the team is involved with.

For example Khadijah joined the girls for the National Kidney Walk at the oceanfront and volunteered feeding the homeless at a local shelter.

Why does she do this? "Because I love the kids; they mean a lot to me," Khadijah said.

And for those reasons, News 3 presented Khadijah with a People Taking Action award along with a $300 Visa gift card from our community partner Southern Bank.

As the school principal Krista Barton-Arnold point outs, Khadijah has roots at the school.

"She gives back continually and the coolest part is that Khadijah was a student here and she's coming back and she remembers Parkway and she's coming back and she's giving back to Parkway."