Northern Virginia District PTA

2008 Volunteer of the Year Nominees

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CATEGORY - Primary

Nominee: Mimi Carter, Selected as District Primary Winner

School: Mount Vernon Community School PTA, Alexandria City Public Schools

Mimi has served in various capacities at Mount Vernon Community School for three years. Most notably, she has served as past PTA President, VP Fund-raising, VP Advocacy, and developed After-School clubs for students and the Big Flea fund-raiser. With a 77% diversity rate, Mimi recognized the need for after-school programs. The Big Flea fund-raiser was another need that she helped fill by organizing a community-wide flea market. She also helped broaden the Book Fair by involving the Choral groups, Administrators, Classes, and the School Staff. Principal Scott Coleman writes, “Her efforts toward ensuring that all children have the opportunity to participate in extra-curricular activities are unwavering.”

Nominee: Judy Fanucci

School: Colin Powell Elementary School PTA, Fairfax County Public Schools

Judy has served as the Membership chairperson for Colin Powell Elementary and has been involved for two years. Through Judy’s leadership, the membership for the PTA rose 65% in just one year! She filled an unexpected vacancy and even developed new ideas for the committee. She put together a membership packet that included a PTA handbook, Volunteer handbook, School Directory, and the membership card. She also ensured that the members were registered in the OMDR system. PTA President Delia Valentine writes, “Without Judy’s high level of commitment and dedication to her volunteer position, I don’t believe our membership would be where it is today.”

Nominee: Dawn Jacobs

School: Lemon Road Elementary School PTA, Fairfax County Public Schools

Dawn has served as the past PTA President, past Treasurer, and Learning Gardens coordinator. She designed the landscape and coordinated volunteers to make the school grounds and learning gardens a wonderful place for the students to learn about caring for and preserving the natural resources. She even took a Master Naturalist course to enhance her knowledge about nature so that she could share her knowledge with the students. She has been involved with the Lemon Road PTA for eight years. PTA President Cheryl Ryan writes, “When Dawn commits to doing something, she is in it 100%. If she says she will do something, you know it will get done.”

Nominee: Lisa Kenworthy, Presented Outstanding Achievement Award

School: Haycock Elementary School PTA, Fairfax County Public Schools

Lisa has served in a variety of roles for Haycock Elementary – past PTA President, Special Needs Liaison, VP Social, Legislative Liaison, Fun Fair Chairperson, and many others. She has been involved with the PTA for the past 16 years. She also initiated and implemented a first-ever PTA expo. She also helped bring an interactive PTA website to the community and was very involved in the recent boundary study and worked to make sure that the Haycock community was informed of all activities. PTA President Pilar Ruttenberg writes, “Lisa is the voice of experience among PTA leaders and her continued involvement and vision for the future of the PTA ensures that our PTA grows in positive ways each year. Her continued involvement is a magnificent insurance policy for new leaders.”

Nominee: Carolyn Lawson Low

School: Lake Anne Elementary School PTA, Fairfax County Public Schools

Carolyn has served as the Membership co-chair and Newsletter/Email chairperson in recent years. During her two years with the Lake Anne Elementary PTA, she has helped gather information from various sources and distributed it through the email database and the monthly 4-6 page Newsletter. She also helped revive a stagnant Box Tops for Education program. She has been very involved in the promotion of the PTA through the Membership committee. Vice President Jenny Vanier-Walter writes, “Carolyn is always willing to delay her deadline for the electronic newsletter for any late information that may come in from various people. She has worked late into the night many times in order to accommodate late entries and does this cheerfully and willingly.”

CATEGORY - Secondary

Nominee: Sonia Guzman, Selected as District Secondary Winner

School: George C. Marshall High School PTSA, Fairfax County Public Schools

Sonia has been a part of Marshall High School for 8 years and has served as the past PTSA President, past VP, and the current All Night Graduation chairperson. Sonia has been integral in increasing the number of volunteers in the school and striving to make Marshall activities/events a part of everyone’s social life. She also initiated a Beautification Day for the school grounds, a Spa Day for administration professionals, and a fund-raising SAT practice test for the school. George Marshall parent Robin Harris writes, “Sonia was welcoming and possessed such a great deal of knowledge and information about the school and the volunteer opportunities that would be available throughout the years ahead that she truly stood out as an ambassador for George C. Marshall.”

Nominee: Margie Bell

School: Yorktown High School PTSA, Arlington County Public Schools

Margie has been involved for 8 years with Yorktown High School and serves as the Family Network Coordinator. Through this position, she has been very involved in the community and the high school by coordinating many amazing public programs designed to educate the attendee on various topics about adolescents and their habits. The most recent program was about Beach Week and Underage Drinking and Margie brought a number of important individuals together for the presentation – Rehoboth Beach Police Chief, Parents, Arlington County Chief Deputy Commonwealth Attorney, Physician, and others. PTA President Carolyn Marsh writes, “Margie never tires and she is constantly thinking and working on how to publicize or improve her sessions. She is known throughout Arlington County for her dedication to student mental health issues.”

Nominee: Fatima Brown

School: Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology PTSA, Fairfax County Public Schools

Fatima has been involved for two years at Thomas Jefferson High School and has served as the Diversity Committee Coordinator. In this capacity she helps with communication for families hoping to attend TJ and has found TJ students to act as mentors and tutors to future students. She also volunteers to drive students to outside activities, proctors AP tests, and so much more.  PTA President Nassmah Brooks writes, “Mrs. Brown is an asset to our TJ community. Her wisdom and diverse background make her unique and indispensable to our school.”

Nominee: Peggy Gould

School: Chantilly High School PTSA, Fairfax County Public Schools

Peggy has served as the PTSA President and has been involved for four years with the Chantilly High School PTSA. She has initiated programs to enhance education on adolescent issues such as teen driving and drugs and alcohol. She has helped to coordinate fund-raising efforts for All Night Grad, coordinated Academic Programs to help educate parents, and excels in her leadership of the PTSA. Chantilly parent Karen Johnston writes, ”What makes Peggy Gould a unique and special person is her leadership! Peggy is a great communicator and always makes you feel like you are part of her team and you are there to make a difference.”

Nominee: Brooksie Koopman

School: TC Williams High School PTSA, Alexandria City Public Schools

Brooksie has been involved for 11 years with TC Williams and has served as the co-editor for Parent Handbook and co-chair for Committee on Community Programs. She has also worked tirelessly on All Night Grad committee and working with the school system to ensure adequate lighting around the sides and back of the school. She spent numerous hours to help develop the Parent Handbook for students and parents. PTSA President Lynne Lawrence writes, “Brooksie would be shocked to know that she has been nominated for this award. She is a humble person and works for the students, teachers, and parents; not for personal gain.”

Nominee: Ellen Clore’ Patron

School: Gunston Middle School PTA, Arlington County Public Schools

Ellen was new to Gunston Middle School in 2007 and immediately stepped in to take over the Fall Fund-raiser. She met with banks to handle credit card transactions, used a web-based auction inventory and accounting tool, secured 90% of the donations by herself, recruited volunteers, and so much more. Through her efforts, she helped double the gross profits from the prior year. She has helped teachers write grants to receive additional funding for needs – all of this, despite having health issues that limit her volunteer time. Gunston PTA parent Colleen Weiser writes, “She is a good listener and exhibits a sense of patience. She is effective in her PTA presentations and in her communication with everyone from the school principal, the PTA executive committee, as well as the community at large as evidenced by her work with local businesses.”