The Junior League of Oakland-East Bay, Inc. Receives $10,000 for 'Super Stars Literacy Project Training'
Association of Junior Leagues International(AJLI) and Crest Whitestrips Give Junior Leagues a Reason to Smile at 83rd Annual Conference in New Orleans
Lafayette, CA (PRWEB) May 31, 2005 -- As part of an Awards Dinner Celebration
recognizing innovation in leadership development, the Junior League of
Oakland-East Bay, Inc. (JLOEB) received the AJLI/Crest Whitestrips Community
Smile Award at the Association of Junior Leagues International Inc. (AJLI) 83rd
Annual Conference held on May 11-14, during National Volunteer Week at the New
Orleans Marriott.
“As a leading women’s volunteer organization, the
Junior League of Oakland-East Bay is committed to developing the potential of
women as community leaders,” said Sabrina Benjamin, JLOEB President, 2004-2005.
“We are thrilled that AJLI and Crest Whitestrips have recognized the invaluable
hands-on training our members receive as a result of participating in our Super
Stars Literacy Project. We are extremely proud of this program which not only
focuses on reading as the cornerstone for future academic success, but which
also develops and expands the skills of our members who can later take their
practical experiences out into the community.”
The JLOEB received the
AJLI/Crest Whitestrips Community Smile Award for its ‘Super Stars Literacy
Project Training’ which creates a comprehensive reading program for “at risk”
children from kindergarten to second grade through a partnership with Hoover
Elementary School (West Oakland). The program provides a breadth and depth of
training opportunities and experiences. Combining a unique mix of grant-writing,
fund development, advocacy and hands-on community outreach, the program
leverages League members’ skills and provides a practical leadership development
opportunity. Students who participate in the program are moving from the bottom
of their class to standing shoulder to shoulder with their peers.
“I am
thrilled with the success of the Super Stars Literacy Project and with the
growth of the participants both academically and socially,” remarked Hoover
Elementary School Principal Barbara Mims. “I can cite numerous examples of
children who began the program with poor academic skills, behavior problems and
low self-confidence, who are now entering third grade not only after testing at
the higher end of their peers, but also filled with confidence and acting as
leaders among their peers and in their families. In my more than 25 years in the
Oakland Unified School District, I have seen many after-school programs but very
few as successful as Super Stars.”
Something to Smile About
This is
the fourth year that AJLI and Crest Whitestrips, an innovative at-home tooth
whitening system, have teamed up to recognize and reward those Junior Leagues
that show exceptional talent for developing programs that build effective
leadership skills and behaviors.
“The Junior League of Oakland-East Bay
Inc.’s ‘Super Stars Literacy Project Training’ represents the dedication to
community service and education that is a key element of the Crest Whitestrips
brand,” explained Jamal Muashsher, Assistant Brand Manager for Crest
Whitestrips. “We are proud to support the AJLI/Crest Whitestrips Community Smile
Awards because they recognize the value and benefits of investing in tomorrow’s
leaders.”
The Junior League of Oakland-East Bay, Inc. will use the
$10,000 AJLI/Crest Whitestrips Community Smile Award to further train, improve
and emphasize volunteer community leadership across their membership base. Five
Junior Leagues including Miami, FL; Ann Arbor, MI; Roanoke Valley, VA; and New
Orleans, LA each received $10,000 AJLI/Crest Whitestrips Community Smile Awards.
Women Building Better Communities
Founded in 1935, the Junior League
of Oakland-East Bay, Inc. (JLOEB) is an organization of women committed to
promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and improving
communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers.
Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable. JLOEB is part of the
Association of Junior Leagues International, which is made up of 294 Junior
Leagues in four countries. For more information, visit our web site at www.jloeb.org.
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Source : http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/5/prweb245203.htm