Neighborhood Advocate

by Anna Gettles
serving at Hands On Asheville-Buncombe in North Carolina

 

When I think of a community member that has made a significant impact to our Enka Middle Community School program, Terry School comes immediately to mind. She is passionate about Enka Middle School as it is the only public middle school option for youth in her neighborhood. The school is currently overcrowded with over 1000 students and 60% of these students qualify for free and reduced lunch. She sees the need for more community involvement and believes that it can make a difference in the lives of the students and families of Enka Middle.

(Terry using a hedge trimmer on an overgrown bush

 for our Make a Difference Day event.)

She lives just 5 minutes away from the school in Biltmore Lake, a neighborhood with over 500 families. Terry is such an asset to this program, and has emerged as a compassionate and devoted volunteer leader. She serves as a vital link between Enka Middle Community School and the Biltmore Lake neighborhood.



Here are a few ways she has served this year:

·          Member of Community School Advisory Committee (which meets monthly)

·          Volunteered for Make a Difference Day school beautification project

·          Organized a neighborhood meeting about Enka Middle Community School in order to recruit more volunteers  and spread the word about our program

·         Recruited over 15 volunteers  from her neighborhood so far

·         Volunteered for Enka Family Fun Night, helping to serve food to over 90 attendees

·         Provided outreach by emailing her entire neighborhood volunteer opportunities

·         Coordinated a clothing drive in her neighborhood for the Enka Middle School Clothing Closet (which provides clothing for students in need)

·         Assisted us in securing over $500 in donations to go towards student and family programming

·         Organized a volunteer event to assist Enka Middle’s AIG teacher in a class mosaic project

·         Committed to volunteering for our Healthy Cooking on a Budget classes this spring AND to becoming a volunteer Literacy Tutor, giving 1-2 hours of her time each week to work with a student in need of assistance in literacy skills

 Terry is an invaluable resource to the Enka Middle Community School. I believe that Terry is very important to the sustainability of our program and through her volunteer efforts she is helping to promote a positive image of the school within the Enka-Candler community. It is our hope to continue developing our relationship with Terry and her neighborhood to ensure many more years of community involvement for the Enka Middle Community School program.