Bruce Buckelew

Bruce Buckelew, is the retired IBM systems engineer who founded the Oakland Technology Exchange. With a volunteer and student based work force, this computer recycling center provides donated, recycled computers to the Oakland Unified School District. The program is designed to provide mass computer access to urban, disadvantaged students, who otherwise would have no access to computers. The objective is to improve educational and technological skills and keep students involved and interested in school, while reducing inequality in education.

Mr. Buckelew started the program in 1992, by soliciting donations from local companies, friends and former colleagues. He was given space in the basement of Oakland Technical High School to work on donated computers. Since then, the program has expanded to about 10 volunteer retired professionals and several paid part-time students, who repair old computers and distribute them to schools across the district. By working on the computers, students can earn credits toward a computer of their own, as well as technical experience. Mr. Buckelew volunteers 40 hours a week to supervise and train students.

The program is funded by the Oakland Unified School District and the Marcus Foster Education Foundation. The district pays for one employee and basic expenses. The foundation funds the part-time student employee program. A local non-profit organization, funded by the Private Industry Council, provides free payroll services and worker’s compensation.

Each recycled computer is used an average of five hours a day; more than 100 students have earned computers for home or college use. The program has provided jobs for students, and kept old computers out of landfills. The school district benefits by saving over $1,500 per computer, by recycling donated machines, instead of purchasing new ones. 1,000 computers are placed in schools each year. The district has since developed the Oakland Tech Computer Academy, to further the efforts of the program’s objective of increasing technological skills of students.

Mr. Buckelew still volunteers 40 hours a week and also serves on several technical advisory boards, while training other school districts on how to establish a program similar to his model.

Joe Young, Jr.

Joseph Young, Jr. is the founder and executive director of the Picture This Show, a nonprofit arts agency that provides a vehicle for young people to express themselves through the arts. Mr. Young provides alternatives to drugs, violence and gang involvement for children ages 8 to 14 through art, drama and entrepreneurial workshops. The Picture This Show provides transportation to and from the Trinity Episcopal Church for the Trinity Arts Project every Tuesday through Thursday. From 3:00pm to 5:30pm the children learn about theater. Each year children put on two productions.

In addition to his work with the Picture This Show, Mr. Young created the World’s Largest Comic Strip Project. The project, which began during the summer of 1996, gives thousands of children the opportunity to help create a piece of art. The comic strip at last count was 100 yards long and eight feet tall. The children attend The Picture This Summer Camp where they spend more than a month writing copy, designing layout, drawing sketches and helping paint panels detailing the adventures of Dr. Joe and Bubblegum from “Scruples”, Young’s comic strip. Young is hoping that this project will help get kids interested in reading and art. Once the strip is completed he hopes take it on a national tour of 12 U.S. cities, where it will show and be expanded.

Mr. Young has recruited volunteers from every aspect of life to assist him in his work with the youth of Hartford. Volunteers include community residents, business owners, AmeriCorps members, politicians, and celebrities like Marcus Camby, formerly of the Toronto Raptors, who worked with the program during one summer as a child.

Mr. Young has given more than just art to the Hartford Community; in 1988 he conducted a youth voting workshop where he uses cartoon characters to illustrate the voting process. The Workshop, which was conducted during the Hartford Presidential debates, was broadcast to kids throughout the nation.

Mr. Young also created the Annual Hartford Pro-literacy Basketball Classic where citizens come from all over New England and assemble teams to play five-on-five basketball. Each team pays an entrance fee to participate. During the event, local libraries set up booths informing people about the importance of literacy, handing out literature about illiteracy programs, and recruiting volunteers. Each year, the turnout ranges from 2,000 to 3,000 people. All proceeds raised during the event go toward The Trinity Arts Project

Mr. Young has received many honors for his volunteer service including the First Place Award from the National Arts Program, for his ‘Apartheid’ comic strip, the opportunity to be an Olympic Torchbearer and a day in his honor.

Mr. Young often receives funding for his programs from private and corporate donations.

Volunteer Emergency Families for Children

Since 1979, Volunteer Emergency Families for Children (VEFC) has reached out to children who are in crisis situations. Founded by the Virginia Council of Churches, in cooperation with Virginia’s Department of Social Services and Juvenile Court System, VEFC extends its services to children who are abused, neglected, have run away and/or are non-violent delinquents. VEFC recruits, trains and maintains a network of volunteers, known as host families, who provide quality short-term shelter and mentoring services to children and youth throughout Virginia.

One of the major components of VEFC is their temporary shelter for runaways, homeless and in-crisis young people. The program involves host families that extend the love and hospitality of their own homes to children and youth, ages birth to 17, who need a safe, nurturing place to stay. Participants in the temporary shelter typically stay with a family anywhere from one to 21 days. Since its inception, more than 8,000 young people have received assistance.

In 1992, VEFC developed partners in Learning and Understanding Students (PLUS). Volunteers in this program serve as mentors for students in four schools. They work with the students to teach them how to manage difficult behavior, strengthen their academic performance and to encourage their personal growth. Volunteers also offer guidance, in order to promote responsible behavior, staying in school, and establishing life goals to prevent recidivism and further juvenile crime.

While 30.6% of their funding is governmental, the program also receives funding from foundations, the United Way, individuals, businesses/corporations, local churches and civic organizations.

VEFC started in Richmond, Virginia, and has expanded to 47 communities within the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Upper Arlington City School District

In April 1995, the Upper Arlington City School District (UA) announced its commitment to build a home for a low-income family in partnership with Greater Columbus Habitat for Humanity. Since that time, more than 1,000 volunteers have helped this school-initiated effort, the first of its kind in the nation, to succeed.

Students, staff members, parents and interested community members were invited to assist in raising funds and building the “UA School House,” a 1,100 square foot, three bedroom structure. Habitat families agree to pay “sweat equity” before moving into their new dwellings. The family selected for the UA School House donated more than 375 hours of volunteer time toward their home.

Fundraising and publicity activities were initiated to raise the $36,000 needed to purchase land, supplies and materials. One district-wide event, a walk-a-thon, coincided with the groundbreaking ceremony. Students, staff and community members secured sponsors and donations went to building the home. Local businesses also assisted with the fundraising efforts. Barnes & Noble customers who presented a customized “coupon” had a percentage of their purchased donated to the UA School House project. In another endeavor, holiday shoppers of Cheryl’s & Co. were invited to decorate their own cookies. 15% of the profits were donated to the UA School House project.

The UA School – Habitat for Humanity project has had a number of positive effects: the students’ and community’s awareness of housing needs in Columbus and around the world has been heightened; the project has enabled people of different backgrounds to learn from and respect one another by working side by side toward a common goal and participants have gained a sense of pride and gratification from making a contribution to the project and one family’s future.

The Upper Arlington City School District recently decided to work on a second Habitat House.

The CREEK Kids

In the northeast Georgia foothills, there is an abundance of creeks, streams and rivers. One community problem concerns the quality of the water found in the local creek, Eastanolle Creek, which has been plagued with a pollution problem for many years. While some attempts have been made to correct the problem, none have provided a long-range solution.

In November of 1996, 18 seventh grade students began to investigate various community problems as part of a class project. After much research and discussion, the students chose to work on a solution to the pollution problem at Eastanolle Creek through the Georgia Adopt-a-Stream Program. This program allowed the students to be involved in clean-up efforts while educating the community through public service announcements.

The students also decided to name themselves. Around their school, they are known as “The CREEK (Challenged to Recreate an Endangered Environmental Keepsake) Kids”. The group’s mission is to develop and maintain a water monitoring program and to educate the public about the value of wildlife, clean water and the protection of the Eastanolle Creek watershed.

After completing research, the students found the pollution problem could be attributed to the local municipality’s wastewater treatment plant. To effectively work through the political issues, The CREEK Kids enlisted the city as a partner. In addition, The CREEK Kids project mobilized quite a few community partners. Each community partner has helped the group immensely by lending their own individual expertise. Among this elite group are: The Stephens County Soil and Water Conservation District, The Georgia Adopt-A-Stream Program, local and regional newspaper and television, The University of Georgia’s Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department and the Stephens County Public School System.

The group has received more than $40,000 in grant monies to fund their efforts. With this money they have purchased equipment needed to conduct chemical water analysis and biological testing as part of the club’s monthly water monitoring program. In addition, through speaking engagements and presentations to various community organizations, these service-learning students have educated the public concerning water pollution.

Springfield School Volunteers

The Springfield School Volunteers (SSV) is a network of more than 3,000 volunteers who provide numerous services to the Springfield Public Schools. The volunteers include parents, retirees, college and high school students, and professionals. They serve as tutors, mentors, Community Service Learning volunteers, and School-to-Work volunteers to help ensure that each child attains a high level of academic achievement in a safe and supportive environment. The program was started by the school district in 1968 out of the need for an organized structure of community service volunteers and has been expanding ever since, developing new and innovative programs.

Different activities the SSV volunteers serve in are programs making math fun, reading aloud, tutoring homeless children, summer work and learn partnerships, mentoring, a living history program in which senior citizens speak to classes, and the nationally recognized Community Service Learning and School-to-Work programs.

The SSV also has several corporate partnerships that participate in several different activities, including a Read Aloud Program, book donations, and the Fun with Math Program, sponsored by MassMutual Insurance.

According to a survey of teachers, test scores have consistently gone up, school violence has gone down, enrollment has gone up in after-school and weekend programs, overall attendance has gone up, and drop-out rates have decreased.

The Springfield School Volunteers program receives 72% of its funding from the school district, 17% from corporate and business donations, and 11% from federal and foundation grants. The Community Service Learning program receives half of its funding from Learn and Serve America and half from in-kind contributions from the school district. Administrators of the program do training for other community school districts setting up similar programs.

Family Pathfinders Program

Family Pathfinders recruits and trains teams of volunteers from religious and civic organizations to help welfare families overcome hurdles as they fight to become self-sufficient. The program was created by Texas Comptroller John Sharp in response to federal legislation placing a five-year limit on welfare benefits. Since its inception in September 1996, Family Pathfinders has helped welfare recipients make a successful transition to gainful employment with services such as job training and placement, medical help, and child care.

Businesses, civic groups, and religious congregations make a one-year commitment to help families on public assistance become independent. Pathfinders volunteers negotiate with landlords, arrange for child care, hold birthday parties for families’ children, obtain donations of furniture, clothing, and dental services, provide job interview tips, prepare family budgets, and help with shopping. They provide the problem-solving, planning, and encouragement needed to make each family’s exit from the welfare system permanent.

Sharp has spread Pathfinders to 89 rural and urban communities throughout Texas. Volunteer teams, which are typically of three to eight people, are matched with welfare families identified by the Texas Workforce Commission. The teams offer a variety of talents, connections, and resources. Volunteers include everyone from teachers and doctors to carpenters and car mechanics.

Pathfinders received a federal VISTA grant to place 20 full-time workers throughout the state. These workers are housed in various non-profit organizations and are working to establish a broad array of local support. Since its inception, Family Pathfinders has matched 250 families with teams from various groups. More than 2,000 volunteers have participated in the program and 109 household heads have become gainfully employed.

Marilyn Morris

In 1981, Marilyn Morris started Youth Crime Watch in Broward County, Florida to challenge students to get involved to reverse peer pressure and instill a spirit of pride in their school.

Due to Mrs. Morris’ efforts, the program, which started with four pilot schools, has expanded to over 100 schools in Broward County with 10,000 student volunteers. In a recent survey ninety-six percent of the students involved reported that the program was making a difference in their schools.

Youth Crime Watch of America, Inc. is a nonprofit organization dedicated to establishing Youth Crime Watch programs in schools across the United States and in other countries. Youth Crime Watch gives youngsters the tools and guidance necessary to actively reduce crime and drug use in their schools.

According to Youth Crime Watch Advisors in Broward County the program has improved student self-esteem and pride in addition to creating a safer school environment.

Eleven years ago, Youth Crime Watch of America presented the first national Crime Prevention Conference. Marilyn Morris has been an integral part of the conference since the beginning and she continues to be involved in its planning.

As a member of the conference planning committee, she has been responsible for selecting speakers and workshop topics and acting as a facilitator and moderator during conference sessions. For the past several years, she has trained and supervised all the moderators, oversaw lunches for 1,500 people and acted as a troubleshooter during conferences.

Serve Houston Youth Corps

The Serve Houston Youth Corps is a classic mentoring program for children of 19 elementary schools in Houston’s inner city. Martin Cominsky, a concerned citizen, started the program in 1993. Mr. Cominsky is the president and CEO of Serve Houston Youth Corps, before that he was the head of the Business Volunteers for the Arts, a national program in New York City, for five years. The inspiration for Serve Houston Youth Corps came from the passing of the National Community Service Trust Act, as well as the National Service Program and AmeriCorps.

About 120 young adults, ages 18-25, are recruited, trained and placed in caring roles as mentors and tutors to these elementary school kids. In addition the mentors also try to inspire and encourage others to volunteer. They address the resources deemed necessary at the Presidents’ Summit for America’s Future. Because of this program, 19 elementary schools in Houston have access to an after-school tutoring and recreation program, through which about 800 children are reached on a daily basis.

The Serve Houston Youth Corps have several goals in mind when they are working with these children. They try to help increase school’s standardized testing achievement; they also provide a safe place for children to play and learn instead of the streets. Their final goal is to provide a role model that a child can look up to.

The Serve Houston Youth Corps are part of the AmeriCorps program. Funding comes from a variety of sources including grants from the state service commission and business sponsorship. 10 to 15 mentors make a team and each team is sponsored by a business, like Exxon or Arthur Andersen LLP and a percentage of the money from the grant is matched by that business.

Lila Bjorklund

Lila Bjorklund helped start the Utah Girls’ Village in 1969 to provide a home for abused and troubled girls. The success of the program and the increasing number of troubled youth led Ms. Bjorklund to include boys in 1989, and the name was changed to the Utah Youth Village. Funded by grants and donations, Utah Youth Village currently shelters and teaches more than 300 children a year in four Group Homes and 40 Therapeutic Family Homes located throughout Utah. The children range from three to 18 years old.

Until her recent decline in health, Ms. Bjorklund spent 40 to 50 hours per week, without compensation, working at Utah Youth Village to change the lives of troubled children. Over this time, thousands of children have been served by Utah Youth Village. Ms. Bjorklund and the Village have taught them simple, yet profound, life skills. Because of their experience at the Village, fewer of the graduates have committed crimes, become addicted to drugs, or abused others as they had been abused.

An average of 86% of the children Utah Youth Village serves finish the program and graduate from high school, compared to the norm of 37% in other programs. Those graduating receive a scholarship for college.

Ms. Bjorklund helped introduce the Teaching Family Model, the treatment philosophy used by the Village in all levels of service. The Village is the only organization in Utah certified to use the Teaching Family Model. She was also instrumental in the Village’s expansion to serve younger children in Treatment Family homes (foster homes) and troubled families through Families First—an in-home intervention aimed at improving parenting skills.

Beyond the Utah Youth Village, Ms. Bjorklund has been deeply involved in her local and State PTA and has served on numerous community advisory committees. Even now in her wheelchair, Ms. Bjorklund still volunteers and attends each graduation from the Village, giving each child a handmade quilt.