Outstanding Adult Volunteer of the Year:
Kaullis Marshall, Oriole Elementary

For more than 16 years, Kaullis Marshall has been involved in the social, emotional, and academic development of many North and South Florida youth. Her dedication is evident in her role as a mother, sister, mentor, counselor and role model to all.

As a strong supporter of the overall safety and well-being of all children, Kaullis now finds a new passion in the process of curriculum development in the content areas of reading and mathematics. During this school year alone, she has logged over 300 service hours at Oriole, where her congenial demeanor and unconditional assistance make her a highly respected and cherished team member.

As a parent of her own three children and big sister to her younger siblings, she not only supports her family, but also the school and community where she resides. She notes that it is her goal to be a positive reflection wherever she goes. When asked why she volunteers, Ms. Marshall responds, “I want to see each young person’s potential become an actuality. My goal is to make a positive impact on our youth today in order to help make their future brighter!”

Ms. Marshall is compelled to continue to volunteer and impact all she encounters. She has demonstrated this passion in both Leon and Broward Counties by holding positions such as: HeadStart Policy Council, PTA/PTO member, School Advisory Forum member, School Advisory Committee member, and Church of God Girls Ministry Counselor.

I always remain true to the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: what are you doing for others?”

Outstanding Student Volunteer of the Year:
Melissa Bowman, Cresthaven Elementary

Dedication, commitment and a heart of gold are the things that make this young lady such a special student volunteer at Cresthaven Elementary. Melissa Bowman is a busy eleventh-grader at Pompano Beach High School. However, in addition to getting good grades, she makes sure to share her positivity with those who need it most.

At Cresthaven, the boys and girls respond to her kindness with enthusiasm and do better in class because they really want to impress Ms. Melissa. When she is not tutoring math and English, she is working with small groups of advanced students. This allows the teachers to have more time to focus on those students who are particularly struggling, bringing the whole classroom to higher performance levels. She also shares her true passion for art by conducting hands-on activities and helping the students express themselves and feel good about everything they can accomplish.

It is easy to see why Melissa is a cherished part of the Cresthaven Elementary team and why the students love her so much. We congratulate the District’s Outstanding Student Volunteer for her unconditional dedication to others.

Outstanding Program Organizer Volunteer:
Nancy Juin and Kimberly Lang, Silver Trail Middle

Nancy Juin and her colleague Kimberly Lang teamed to develop the STARS (Students, Teachers And Resource Support) Volunteer Program at Silver Trail Middle in response to needs identified by the School Advisory Council. The focus is to support programs and functions within the school that directly impact the educational process, and to assist the teachers and staff by filling in some of the gaps created by recent budget cuts.

Collaborating with the PTSA about the areas of needed focus, and with the help of faculty Liaison Mrs. Liz Logan, they developed a process that allows teachers to request needed assistance and then forward it us then forwarded to the STARS program. The STARS program then matches the best volunteer for the activity, bringing optimal results to the task. It is a win-win situation for both the school and the volunteers.

Though some volunteers opt for a regular schedule, many are trained and organized into special activity teams, always available to jump into duty when a request for assistance arrives. In order to empower as many volunteers as possible, work is even delivered to volunteers at their homes and then picked up when completed for return to school. This means that volunteers who would not be able to participate due to personal circumstances can now contribute. Some STARS activities include: Reading Buddies/Caught Reading, Dad’s Club, Science Lab/Workshop Assistance, Secretarial Support, Lunch Bunch, Student Club Support, Zone Facilitation and Special Projects/Events. The latest endeavor is the Saturday Enrichment Program. By creating a partnership with the FEA Organization at West Broward High, its students provide a biography outlining their academic strengths and then that information is used to match them with a Silver Trail student who needs academic improvement in that area. This program is a good example of “filling” the gap of much needed assistance. The high school students receive community service hours, the FEA club earns points for the service project while the middle school students receive peer encouragement and improved grades through the program.

Through the combined creativity and superb organizational skills of both Ms. Juin and Ms. Lang Silver Trails Middle is receiving the help it needs and volunteers are getting to do what they love best. We congratulate the District’s Outstanding Program Organizer Volunteers of the Year.

Outstanding Senior Volunteer of the Year:
Fred Nadelman, Banyan Elementary

Mr. Fred, also known as FLASH for his speed and dedication to the work he does everyday, is an outstanding role model for the students of Banyan Elementary. Rushing into the classrooms every morning with a big smile and enthusiastic HELLO to everyone that passes him, it is easy to see why many have grown to love Mr. Fred during the ten years he has served as a Banyan volunteer.

Each day he collects homework and grades the assignments to make sure that all the students understand their lessons. If he finds that some students are struggling, Mr. Fred takes the time to sit with them and explain any questions they may have. He is ncouraging and boosts their confidence when they succeed. Mr. Fred also regularly pulls children for vocabulary tests and proctors testing to ensure the students are calm, comfortable and on task, and he does it all in a FLASH!

Former students often return to see Mr. Fred and current students respect and look forward to seeing him everyday. His presence is certainly a positive impact for Banyan Elementary. We would like to congratulate the Outstanding Senior Volunteer, Mr. Fred Nadelman.