David Matustik, deputy communications director for the city of Austin, has been a Austin Partners in Education Classroom Coach for the past seven years. 

Each week, he spends 45 minutes reading with second-graders at St. Elmo Elementary School.

He said he has made a deep connection with his kids.

“We become, in a sense, another family to the children,” Matustik said as he talked about his experiences.

Matustik said he has learned as much as the students each week and enjoys the stories and laughs they share. 

He said that one of his proudest moments was when his most timid student volunteered first to read aloud to his classmates in English.

“I love to see the smiles of the children; that really brings me back every year,” he said.