Organized Women Boston GLOW
For the past two years, 14 volunteer young professional women in Boston have gathered weekly in order to raise money for scholarships, provide leadership workshops and mentor 10 young women in Boston's struggling school systems – resulting in more than 1,000 hours of service. In addition, they organized the annual IGNITE the NITE gala for Boston GLOW. More than 280 members of the Boston community came to the event to raise money for 10 scholarships for high school girls.
Their mentoring and support programs combat issues like teen pregnancy and high school drop outs, while providing financial and career guidance. They want to help young women realize their immense potential. The group also provides tangible funding and academic counseling in order for these young female leaders to make it through college.
In only one year, seven young women have received scholarships and mentors. In their second year, 10 young women will receive these same resources. These young women are back in school, attending college and beating homelessness. The women of Boston GLOW each spend approximately 15 hours a week making a difference in these young womens’ lives. This is what makes them Daily Points of Light.
Juliana Vanni-2
Mary Keller
Joyce Raezer
Nicole Farrell
FCCLA
Family, Career and Community Leaders of America is a national student organization with over a quarter-million members, who strive to develop leadership skills and address important personal, family, work, and societal issues through family and consumer sciences education. FCCLA’s mission is to promote personal growth and leadership development through family and consumer sciences education. Focusing on the multiple roles of family member, wage earner, and community leader, members develop skills for life through character development, creative and critical thinking, interpersonal communication, practical knowledge, and vocational preparation.
The FCCLA Community Service program is executed at the local, state, and national levels. This program guides students to develop, plan, carry out, and evaluate projects to improve the quality of life in their communities. Members, advisers, and national staff are continually looking for partners with common goals, and Points of Light has been beneficial in creating these ties with a diverse body of partners.
The Community Service Action Guide is a resource for advisers to guide students to develop, plan, carry out, and evaluate community service projects. Advisers are given project planning instructions and templates, in-depth project ideas from simple to very in-depth, information on how to follow-up after a project, and partner contact information. On the state level, State Advisers are encouraged to participate in the National Outreach Project at the State Advisers Management Meeting, held each February. Roundtables are held on a variety of topics, and updates are given as to new developments in the program, and with partners. Chapter projects are publicized in Teen Times to give participating youth a sense of accomplishment and recognition, and to promote the program, through example to all other members. The National Executive Council comprised of ten elected youth officers, also challenges members to get involved through updates posted on the national FCCLA website.
FCCLA is an organization for and about the members. The national staff, state advisers, and chapter advisers work to guide projects, however without the dedication and heart of the members, successful completion of any task would be impossible. FCCLA’s reputation and success with partners begins on the local level where members work to create ties with organizations and/or businesses with similar goals. FCCLA’s involvement with various partners has helped the organization continue to achieve its mission and promote growth within the programs and the membership body.
Jim Knotts
Lauren O’Connor
Lauren O’Conner organized and coordinated a day of service on Sept. 11, 2011, uniting local youth and others to beautify a park. The event culminated with the planting of an American Sycamore tree, the same type found between the World Trade centers on Sept. 11 and a plaque honoring those who lost their lives on that day 10 years earlier and the heroes that responded. This was the only event held in the township commemorating this event and was attended by more than 50 volunteers, including speeches from the mayor and other township dignitories.
Thanks to Lauren there is now a peaceful spot to come and honor the ones we lost. The event inspired other youth in the township to think about doing similar projects in the future, and also, as a result the township arborist is trying to implement a program in which she will work with the youth of the township on similar initiatives.
Lauren’s initiative to create positive action in her community on such a powerful and emotional day is what makes her a Daily Point of Light.