Megan Compton
As a lover of animals, Megan Compton has worked to improve and extend the lives of animals by bridging the gap between animal control and the Humane Society in her community.
Described as kind, patient, and driven, Megan has worked tirelessly to improve the ways to delay and in some cases prevent euthanizing animals that once would have faced it much sooner. Euthanasia is an ongoing dilemma that is faced all over the country due to the over population of domesticated animals.
Megan is very hands-on when it comes to improving the service at the Humane Society. She works to improve all aspects of the shelter as well as to help recruit community members to volunteer their time. She also works to raise awareness around the community and attract people to adopt a pet and give it a loving home. Her devotion to animals and her community is why Megan is a Daily Point of Light.
Agnes Lynch
In an effort to alleviate the struggles of families burdened with job loss, reduced hours, and tight financial situations, Agnes Lynch founded, oversees and continues to develop the Braintree Community Food Pantry.
As someone who has struggled through difficult economic times of her own life, Agnes can identify with those who continue to struggle to provide for their families. For the past 17 years, Agnes has overseen the food pantry and in one month’s time, is able to meet the needs of 150 individuals who are struggling. The pantry provides not only food, but gifts during the holiday season. She is determined to help those struggling to meet the needs of their families not only by providing them with food and basic needs, but also by offering them encouragement through their times of struggle.
Agnes is dedicated to helping those in her community overcome hard economic times as she and other community members have done in the past. Her faith and enthusiasm has motivated other community members to rally around her to help meet the goals of the Braintree Community Food Pantry. This is why Agnes is a Daily Point of Light.
Lillian Collins
“I started working with kids in the neighborhood because I realized that they are our future, and like Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, ‘We are not alright if they are not alright.’ What kind of civilization can we call ourselves if we overlook our most valuable commodity?”
With a few donated books, a dingy old building, little help and her own resolve, Lillian Collins established Eastside Academy, an after-school program aiming to reach at-risk youth in need of additional instruction in math and reading. With many of its students living in a drug-ravaged part of Clinton, Okla., Lillian founded the school to provide a safe haven for its students. Much more than just a tutoring program, Eastside Academy offers students meals, transportation, field trips and incentives for attendance and effort, along with love, guidance and discipline when needed.
Knowing that the key to keeping students from falling into the wrong crowd is in keeping them busy with positive activities. Students can also gain exposure to the arts through a partnership with a local ballet school.
Although Eastside Academy is still an unfunded program, Lillian is able to meet the staffing needs of the program by being creative. Lillian calls upon junior teachers to teach younger children under Lillian’s supervision. The benefit is two-fold – the children have new mentors closer to their own age, and the junior teachers gain leadership skills and confidence.
Four years ago, after seeing the positive impact of Eastside Academy, Clinton residents voted to build a better facility to house the school. With Lillian’s leadership Eastside Academy is having a deep educational and behavioral effect on Clinton. Prior to Lillian’s founding of Eastside Academy, test scores for African American children in the local elementary school were lower than the 30 percentile. With more than 100 students enrolled at Eastside Academy, the students’ scores are now in the 80th to 90th percentile, and school administrators and parents have seen an improvement in overall student behavior and attitudes.
