School Zone
2008-2009 Outstanding School Volunteers Honored during Board Meeting
Each year, the Florida Department of Education honors three individuals with the Outstanding School Volunteer Award. This award, administered by the Community and Family Engagement Office’s volunteer services coordinator, recognizes volunteers who have shown outstanding dedication and commitment to quality education.
In recognition of February being
Florida School Volunteer Month, the 2008-2009 Outstanding School Volunteers were honored during the presentation portion of the February 3rd meeting of the Duval County School Board.
Awards are given in three categories: youth, adult and senior.
Alejandro Castaņeda was named the 2009 Youth Volunteer of the Year. Alejandro attends Paxon School for Advanced Studies, and has volunteered at Abess Park Elementary for the past six years. On average, he volunteers five hours a week, helping both teachers and students at the school.
Alejandro reads to the kindergarten and first-grade students, helping them reach their 25 book goal, and he assists the older students with sports during extended day programs. Alejandro is a positive role model to his peers and the young students he works with during his volunteer efforts.
The 2009 Adult Volunteer of the Year is Don Bartle. Over the past year and a half, Don has volunteered approximately 1,500 hours of service at Sandalwood High School. Don is also the current president of the school’s PTSA. Since joining the school’s PTSA, Mr. Bartle has played a key role in increasing the school’s membership from nearly 100 to more than 800 members.
In addition to his PTSA work, Don has been a member of the School Advisory Council for 11 years, he has served on the Full Service School Steering committee and he finds time to mentor/tutor some of the school’s underachieving students twice a week.
Clay Bailey was named the 2009 Senior Volunteer of the Year. Over the past 18 months, Mr. Bailey has provided LaVilla School of the Arts with more than 2,000 hours of his precious time.
Mr. Bailey, a full-time volunteer, arrives each day at 7:30 a.m. to help with buses and does not leave until the afternoon buses depart. Throughout the day, he assists the students and staff with many tasks. Whether monitoring the halls between classes, answering phones or helping students patch up cuts and scrapes, Mr. Bailey is willing to help wherever needed.
To learn more about school volunteers and how you can become one, visit the Community and Family Engagement Office's "Volunteer Information" Web site or call their office at 904.390.2960.
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