NRTA s 18th Annual With Our Youth Awards
NRTA's 18th Annual With Our Youth Awards
Joanne is the first prize winner, receiving the $250.00 grant for the Kids Cancer Alliance. Winner Betty Hill Betty Hill of the Kentucky Retired Teachers Association. Betty is a long-time volunteer with Family Promise of Northern Kentucky, an organization that shelters homeless families with the help of local churches. For the past ten years, Betty has worked to ensure children have a safe, warm home. She shops for groceries to ensure the children have healthy meals, delivers a cake and organizes a celebration for every child's birthday, helps facility maintenance ensuring access to the building and cleaning, and serves as an overnight host to help with middle-of-the-night emergencies for the children and family members. Betty uses her 31 years classroom experience to work directly with the children to make them feel comfortable, safe and empowered.
Louise Parker of the Portsmouth Retired Educators Association. Louise works with the after-school program (Project HELP) to provide a clean and safe environment where students are able to receive assistance with homework, special projects and one-on-one support in any weak subject area. Project HELP transports the children from their homes or assigned school to the designated location from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. each Tuesday and Thursday from October to May. The students are provided school supplies and snacks during each session. As a result of the program, the students make significant academic and social progress while their parents are encouraged to participate to celebrate progress. As a result, students are more successful in passing standardized and others tests appropriate for their grade level. Project HELP also helps to build character and self-esteem in each student. For the past five years, 750 families have been involved in the program. For the families that stayed with the program, no student dropped out of school or was imprisoned. Four students graduated high school in May 2017, and many more will further their education and skills training or enter the military.
NRTA' s 18th Annual With Our Youth Awards
Spotlighting the remarkable nationwide community service of retired educators
NRTA: AARP’s Educator Community creates real possibilities to strengthen America’s working and retired education community by protecting its financial security and fostering collaboration and volunteerism. The NRTA was established to provide opportunities for retired educators and youth to work together to address the needs of youth and the broader community. State and local retired educators association (REA) volunteers use the resources provided by NRTA to organize local self-sustaining service projects. In 1997, NRTA made a three-year pledge at the President’s Summit for America’s Future to serve 1.5 million youth in 2,000 communities, with a total of 45 million service hours through the REAs. That goal was exceeded, and the program continues today. Each year, the organization provides national NRTA With Our Youth! volunteer awards to recognize the outstanding work of chapter units and local REAs as well as individual volunteers. More information is available . The recipients of NRTA’s 18th Annual With Our Youth! awards were chosen by an independent selection panel for their outstanding service to youth in the state, local and individual categories. Alfred Campos, Director for NRTA: AARP's Educator Community, said about the award winners "NRTA salutes the 2018 NRTA With Our Youth! winners". They have made an invaluable contribution to the lives they have touched and the communities where they live. We celebrate their years of service to their students, families, and the education community. Retired educators nationwide look to them for inspiration." 2018 Excellence Award recipients include:Individual Category
Winner Joanne Ashby (center) Joanne Ashbyand aandJoanne is the first prize winner, receiving the $250.00 grant for the Kids Cancer Alliance. Winner Betty Hill Betty Hill of the Kentucky Retired Teachers Association. Betty is a long-time volunteer with Family Promise of Northern Kentucky, an organization that shelters homeless families with the help of local churches. For the past ten years, Betty has worked to ensure children have a safe, warm home. She shops for groceries to ensure the children have healthy meals, delivers a cake and organizes a celebration for every child's birthday, helps facility maintenance ensuring access to the building and cleaning, and serves as an overnight host to help with middle-of-the-night emergencies for the children and family members. Betty uses her 31 years classroom experience to work directly with the children to make them feel comfortable, safe and empowered.
Louise Parker of the Portsmouth Retired Educators Association. Louise works with the after-school program (Project HELP) to provide a clean and safe environment where students are able to receive assistance with homework, special projects and one-on-one support in any weak subject area. Project HELP transports the children from their homes or assigned school to the designated location from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. each Tuesday and Thursday from October to May. The students are provided school supplies and snacks during each session. As a result of the program, the students make significant academic and social progress while their parents are encouraged to participate to celebrate progress. As a result, students are more successful in passing standardized and others tests appropriate for their grade level. Project HELP also helps to build character and self-esteem in each student. For the past five years, 750 families have been involved in the program. For the families that stayed with the program, no student dropped out of school or was imprisoned. Four students graduated high school in May 2017, and many more will further their education and skills training or enter the military.