Mildred Ledwell

Mildred Ledwell, Experience Corps tutor at Adlai Stevenson Elementary School, has spent about six hours a day, five days a week for the past eight years helping kindergarteners and other at-risk children to learn to read.

She is tireless in her efforts, beginning her school year in September when the children return from summer vacation, although the Experience Corps program tutors don’t officially start until October. She has mentored more than 25 children each year, even giving up her lunch hour to help a fifth grade girl whom she tutored previously and with whom she formed a close bond. To stimulate her students’ interests, she decorates the room and provides interesting materials for them to since many of the students don’t have any books of their own at home. She dismisses these contributions with a smile, saying, “So much is needed and the children appreciate it.”

She says that, while she is helping students learn to read, she is also getting an education. “It’s something you can’t believe or explain until you experience it,” Mildred says, “It’s such a joy to see these children go on.”

A Licensed Practical Nurse at Cleveland’s University Hospital until her retirement in 1997, Mildred joined RSVP as a tutor at Alfred Benesch Elementary School with the STARS program and continued until the program was absorbed by Experience Corps. She has accumulated more than 6,200 volunteer hours and received the President’s Volunteer Service Award in 2004 and the David F. Leahy Award for Volunteer Excellence from RSVP in 2005.

Her youth mentoring experience hasn’t been limited to RSVP and the Experience Corps, however. Mildred has been active in the youth council, Sunday school and Girl Scout programs at her church, Olivet Institutional Baptist, for many years. She also volunteered at Marymount Hospital as a surgical room hostess and a patient advocate, interviewing and making patients feel at home in the hospital setting.

Katherine Cosby

Katie Cosby’s project “Looking At The Future For Future Generations,” focused on the environment and the reasons why we should protect it. To get the point across, she, with the help of her troop, planned an environmental health fair. The idea was to remind children to recycle and why it is important. She wanted children to think about such things as, “Could I recycle or reuse this instead of throwing it away,” or perhaps, “Maybe I should think twice before I throw that plastic cup on the ground.” The turnout for the fair was not what Katie expected, but that didn’t stop her. If they would not come to her, she would go to them. Katie took her event to a group of 20 Girl Scouts and then presented her information to the entire third grade at F. E. Burleson Elementary in Hartselle. In addition to recycling she addressed pollution and hazardous substances. She believes that her talent working with children and the help she received from her advisor, her troop, and her family made this project successful.

As an American Red Cross volunteer Katie is an all-around volunteer. Katie is a board member who brings a youth insight into the Board of Directors; she does the youth orientation for the new youth volunteers; volunteers in the office 1 day a week; and she has attended 2 youth leadership training institutes. Katie also does Preparedness Presentations when needed and she continues to mail-out Red Cross information to all new comers in Decatur.

Katie has brought new ideas to the board about how to get youth involved in the chapter and she began a volunteer wall that displays volunteer’s picture and a brief summary about them. She has worked with the Volunteer committee in helping honor Red Cross Volunteers. Katie assisted with poster for the upcoming, “shu the flu” campaign with the Alabama Department of Health and the Red Cross.

Katie has taught children about being prepared for disasters, worked with the summer youth and teaching youth orientation, worked with the public relation for our Alabama & Auburn Blood Drive. Katie has also been involved with bring the Girl Scouts to partner with the American Red Cross.

Katie has accomplished getting youth involved, being a role model and bringing a youth’s point of view to the Morgan-Lawrence County Chapter and American Red Cross Chapter.

Phil Martin

Phil Martin was one of the most active coaches certified in athletics when he was forced to retire from his job as Director of the Adaptive Recreation at Macon-Bib Parks and Recreation in 2003 because he has Multiple Sclerosis. But Phil loved his work so he found a way to stay involved by strictly volunteering and limiting the sport that he coached to sailing. Before being diagnosed with MS, Phil taught adaptive water skiing with the U. S. Disabled Water Ski Team—he was a pioneer in the sport. Concentrating on sailing, Phil has remained very active—he was chosen by Special Olympics Incorporated to go to Ireland as the Chief Safety Officer for the 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Dublin. The sailing program in Macon, the first in the state, recruited athletes from Fayetteville, McDonough and other cities to training with Phil on Lake Tobesofkee.

Phil’s charisma and success in recruiting hobie cats for the athletes to sail on, is matched by his dedication to helping those with disabilities. The sailing program has about 12-15 boats that the athletes practice on every Friday. He has been quite successful in fundraising purchasing equipment such as: life vest, lines, securing money for the athletes to travel to Biloxi, MS, and Alabama for the SE Regional Sailing competition. In September he organized the first multi-state competition in Georgia and with its great success the State office decided to turn it into a yearly event. Athletes came from Mississippi, North and South Carolina to compete at the event. The individuals with intellectual disabilities compete with a Unified Partner which is an athlete without a disability in pairs. Phil now serves as Local Coordinator for the Sailing Program of Macon, he serves on the Sports Council, and as a clinician, the term given to individuals who teach coaches clinics so other volunteers can learn how to work with disabled athletes in a sport and grow their program by adding new sports.

Phil’s work with individuals with intellectual disabilities brings together members of the community to volunteer at the competitions and practices. This keeps this group from being isolated and helps bridge connections between the community and the disabled.

Micah’s Place

Micah’s Place, Inc. is a 501© (3) nonprofit and the only certified domestic violence center serving the residents of Nassau County, FL. Micah’s Place offers safe emergency shelter for victims of domestic violence. Micah’s Place also offers outreach programs, including legal advocacy, and community education and awareness programs.

Micah’s Place began in 1999, with a group of concerned volunteers who knew that survivors of domestic violence needed a safe place to go. In June of 2003, Micah’s Place began offering outreach services, counseling, information and referrals via a 24-hour toll-free hotline. In December of 2003 the organization opened a 16-bed emergency shelter for survivors of domestic violence. Since opening, Micah’s Place has provided more than 6,600 nights in its emergency shelter for victims.

In the past year, Micah’s Place has created a Rural Outreach program, designed and implemented a Dating Violence Education and Prevention Program, conducted a Corporate Education Summit, developed an internship program, earned the distinction of becoming Florida’s 41st Certified Domestic Violence Center, and maintained a volunteer base of almost 400 people.

Domestic violence victims in rural areas in Nassau County are among the most isolated in the state. According to the Florida Rural Development Council, Nassau County is considered a rural community with fewer than 100 persons per square mile and the last census of 2000 notes a total of 57,663 people. Before the existence of Micah’s Place and the services it offers, many victims had to travel 40-50 miles to reach shelter, advocacy, and counseling services. Many victims of domestic violence in Nassau County do not have the ability to summon emergency assistance, identify and access supportive services or resources. The isolation is also a barrier to actual resources, such as training and education. Micah’s Place has designed a special Rural Outreach program to meet the needs of these survivors. This program addresses the special needs and concerns that rural population face, such as isolation.

With the growing awareness of the services, volunteers help meet victims’ needs. As a certified shelter, all volunteers must complete intensive 30 hour training before serving in the hotline call center and as advocates for victims. Both services must be available 24/7. Volunteers ensure this availability and that when victims are in crisis or rely on a comforting hand while becoming self-reliant.

Judy Howell

After volunteering at Warner Christian Academy for 10 years, it is somewhat impossible to assess the number of hours Judy Howell devotes to every aspect of the school. She is a the school every morning and spends many lunch and after work hours there, also.

An officer of the school’s PTO, Judy coordinates at least two fundraisers every year to supply materials needed to enhance the school’s education, athletic and fine arts programs. She serves on school improvement planning groups each year, has been a part of school accreditation and technology committee and servers on the School Board. This year she has spearheaded an effort to revive the school athletic booster club and servers as the president.

On Monday afternoon Judy helped institute an after-school kid’s club presenting character and moral lessons in a safe and caring environment at South Daytona Elementary. Judy has had an impact on almost every facet of the Warner Campus, never asking others to do anything she does not do herself. Though she mentors others to take leadership roles, Judy models the involvement for them.

Judy Howell was nominated by Warner Christian Academy for the Outstanding Volunteer of the Year award presented by United Way’s Volunteer Center of Volusia-Flagler counties, FL, and Bright House Networks. Because of her work with and for the students and parents at Warner Christian Academy, Judy was chosen as the Runner-up in the Education Category.

Jessica Headley

School violence, addiction to drugs and alcohol, loss of self-esteem from casual sex, and the breakdown of the family are issues Jessica has been concerned about since middle school. She saw the devastating effects to students from the negative behaviors rampant in society today including one of her own classmates being stabbed to death outside her classroom.

Beginning in high school, Jessica chose to make a difference by volunteering with character and literacy organizations such as Camp Fire USA and Better Basics. Her most innovative work is the creation and implementation of her own non-profit corporation, P.R.A.I.S.E., Inc., dedicated to character education. Through these efforts and dedication to her P.R.A.I.S.E. program (Promoting Responsibility, Awareness, Integrity, Service, and Education as well as “praising” students learning positive character attributes) Jessica has donated well over 2,000 hours of service.

Alabama has an unfunded mandate for ten minutes of character education per day. There are serious needs to effectively teach positive character traits and for funding to train teachers for this purpose. Jessica raised funding and awarded scholarships to teachers to attend the Josephson Institute of Ethics through CHARACTER COUNTS! a seminar on how to add character education into existing curriculums. Additionally, Jessica has tutored and spoken with students of all ages, in groups large and small, promoting the pillars of character for positive life choices.

Jessica met with legislators to promote awareness for the need of effective character education. She spoke to corporations, civic groups, the Department of Education, and created a DVD to assist in promoting funding and awareness. Jessica has connected various leaders and administrators in the community to work together for better character education.

The impact of Jessica’s work is demonstrated in the words of one teacher after attending a training seminar. “This was an amazing experience which I feel will be extremely beneficial to my students. I am so grateful to P.R.A.I.S.E., Inc. for providing this opportunity. Without this scholarship, I could not have attended this training.” Typical comments heard from students are exemplified by a high school student who approached Jessica saying how much it meant to her and her fellow students to hear Jessica speak to the entire student body about respecting their fellow students and about the positive rewards for not allowing peer pressure to force them into unwanted sex.

The impact of Jessica’s work can also be demonstrated by formal recognition she has received. She received the Finley Character Award. The United Way – Camp Fire USA recognized Jessica as their outstanding mentor. She is an official mentor for the State of Alabama, and the Legislature passed a resolution commending Jessica and P.R.A.I.S.E., Inc. for community service. The City of Center Point passed a proclamation in May 2006 for “Jessica Headley Day” thanking her for service to their community. Jessica’s work is ongoing and will continue to make a positive difference in the lives of youth, the integrity of future workers, and society as a whole.

Adrianna Sgarlata

Adrianna developed a service platform in 2004 entitled: “Behaving Respectfully and Valuing Others” and began researching bullying protection measures in Virginia schools, since she herself was severely bullied as a child. Virtually nothing existed. After Columbine, we now are acutely aware that bullying leads to violence. One in every four students will be a victim of violence this year.

Every student deserves to attend a school that is safe and secure, free of fear, and conducive to learning. Yet about 6% of students report not going to school due to feeling unsafe at school or on their way to and from school. Half of all parents surveyed feared for their children’s safety when sending them off to school. One out of every 10 students who drops out of school does so because of repeated bullying.

Of the nearly 1.2 million K-12 Virginia students, nearly 117,000 are estimated to be affected by bullying. Nationally over 5 million victims suffer at the hands of bullies.

Bullying leads to increased vandalism, shoplifting, truancy, and drug use. Bullies are four times more likely than non-bullies to be convicted of crimes by age 24 and 60% of bullies have at least one criminal conviction.

Bully victims suffer also, exhibiting more health and emotional problems than their non-bullied peers well into adulthood.

Adrianna became an advocate for children’s rights to a bully free school experience, and was asked eventually to serve as the Virginia Director of Bully Police, USA, a nationwide volunteer organization composed primarily of mothers and fathers whose children had sadly ended their lives (“bullycide”) to escape the torment of their bullies. Adrianna has addressed students, parents, and community leaders, encouraging adoption of school-wide bully prevention efforts while educating youth on ways to handle conflict.

Adrianna initiated a State-wide drive for the passage of a law to protect victims from bullies. She had been cautioned by some of Virginia’s legislators and experts in the field of bullying prevention and told her efforts were doomed to failure, since during the past 10 years of efforts legislation had never made it out of the Virginia Delegates sub-committee on education. This was due to the strong lobbying efforts of various groups intent on maintaining school district autonomy without government “interference”. Adrianna marshaled individual support and media attention, lobbied relentlessly, and even testified on behalf of legislation.

Articles included in this nomination attest to Adrianna’s eventual success, culminating after hundreds of hours of successful lobbying, in receiving the pen used by Governor Warner to sign two different bully prevention bills into law. Children in Virginia schools are now safer than those in 25 other States without such laws.

Adrianna developed a novel program where high school students worked to create bullying awareness and prevention “skits” to teach elementary school student leaders who in turn taught their fellow classmates.

None of Adrianna’s activities, prior to being crowned Miss Virginia 2006 in June of 2006 were ever paid for by a sponsoring organization. So far as Miss Virginia, her fees received are funded by individuals or organizations wishing to contract her services through the Miss Virginia Organization for parades, ceremonial, educational or singing engagements. Adrianna funds activities personally, including those such as lobbying efforts, speaking to Chambers of Commerce, civic organizations and various clubs.

Joy Groover

Joy Sue Groover has worked for many years assisting individuals throughout Hartselle and the surrounding areas with making sure their needs are met to the best of her ability. These items may range from financial assistance with prescription medicines, to finding out information about starting up a small business. She works diligently as one of the founders and directors of the First United Methodist Church of Hartselle’s Faith House which was previously known as the Good Samaritan Fund. This is strictly a volunteer position.

Each year she assists with providing Thanksgiving and Christmas making sure that no one is left out. On several occasions she has worked after hours or on weekends to make sure one of the elderly residents, who may not have filled out the request form but that she is familiar with, receives food or items that are being given out.

There have been countless times that our residents have contacted Joy Sue to ask for assistance with utility bills, clothing, food, furniture, advice and transportation.

Through all of the demands from working with the Faith House, Joe Sue also takes care of her elderly mother, helps with her grandchildren and never complains or seems put out by any request.

Frank Massolini

For over six years, Frank Massolini has served as a full-time volunteer with The Salvation Army in Chicago. Often putting 40 or more hours weekly, Frank has secured funding and directed programming to address issues related to youth criminal activity or victimization. PROMISE: Partnership to Rescue Our Minors from Sexual Exploitation, was begun by Frank in January 2005. As a local task force, PROMISE has grown to a program that The Salvation Army is sponsoring nationally to raise awareness and stimulate response to a form of abuse that often goes unrecognized.

Frank working with Salvation Army leadership in the Chicago area, created PROMISE to identify ways in which society has failed to protect exploited children, to raise awareness of the causes and extent of the problem, and to promote a collaborative response on the part of private citizens, government agencies, social service organizations, and social institutions.

In 2005, Frank initiated contact with the first partners in the cause, enlisting their support and their participation in recruiting others. By early 2006, PROMISE comprised over 20 member groups under the leadership of The Salvation Army, including the Circuit Court of Cook County Juvenile Justice and Child Protection Divisions, the Chicago Crime Commission, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Dominican University, the American Bar Association/ Latin American Law Initiative Council, city and county law enforcement, Chicago Coalition for the Homeless, the Offices of the Cook County State’s Attorney and Public Defender, Riveredge Hospital, The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the Pan-African Association, and the Office of Illinois Attorney General.

In April 2006, Frank led other PROMISE partners in offering a symposium that drew over 200 people. Participants learned about all facets of child sex trafficking, and about responses in terms of four categories: Prevention, Intervention, Services and Public Awareness. The symposium will be repeated in 2006.

In mid-2006 PROMISE received a grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to expand its model of education and response nationally. Frank continues to provide local leadership, while working with sponsoring groups nationwide to create a coordinated, structured response to child sex trafficking.

The Allyn Family

For more than 5 years, the Allyns have been involved with The Children’s Village, a multi-service childcare agency dedicated to healing children and their families. Each member of the family is devoted to alleviating problems at-risk youth face, offering above and beyond what has been asked of them and contributing significant amounts of time to the program. Pam, mother of Charlotte and Katie, founded the Books for Boys program 5 years ago. It has grown from what were initially a few small reading groups into a comprehensive, campus-wide literacy program which includes a dedicated group of volunteers, a visiting author series, and a fully operating campus library.

Charlotte and Katie visit Green Cottage, developing friendships with the boys and leading reading groups every week. Both girls visit Hebrew Home for the Aged with CV residents, helping the boys read to and connect with the elderly who live there.

Jim, Pam’s husband, takes part in Books for Boys events. However, he primarily dedicates his time each week to mentoring Corey, reading books with him, talking about life, or helping him study for exams. Jim mentored Corey through this transition from residential living to independence, and he continues to offer guidance, support, and friendship.

The Allyn Family’s passion for service to CV’s children reflects their commitment to strengthening the community, as well as their relationships with each other. Pam, as the director of the program, is actively involved with Books for Boys and visits campus 2-3 times a week. Charlotte and Katie visit campus weekly. Jim sees his mentee Corey for a few hours every week. There are often events on campus that bring together the family as a whole, such as poetry workshops and author visits.

The Children’s Village serves 270 highly at-risk boys ages 6-18 at our residential treatment campus in Dobbs Ferry, NY. The children come from violent, dysfunctional, and fractured households in the region’s most impoverished neighborhoods.