NEWS RELEASE

The 2014 Volunteer of the Year Reception was held on Thursday, March 6, in the J. A. Thompson Administative Center to honor the District’s Outstanding School Volunteers.  Forty-eight volunteers were honored, accompanied by family members and school personnel.

Each year, the Florida Department of Education conducts an Outstanding Volunteer of the Year competition.  Each school district may submit one Senior, Adult, and Youth winner for their district.   From those submissions, Florida State Outstanding Volunteers are chosen.  This year, Indian River County School District’s Senior winner was selected as one of fifteen State Outstanding Volunteers!

The School District of Indian River County is extremely fortunate to have over 3,000 volunteers in our schools and classrooms.  On average, our volunteers donate over 85,000 hours in the schools each year.

Berdyne Williams, the District’s Outstanding Senior Volunteer of the Year was selected by the Florida Department of Education as one of Florida’s Outstanding 2013-2014 School Volunteers.

“Miss Berdyne,” as she is affectionately known, has spent the past 18 years volunteering in Teri Dugan’s classroom at Citrus Elementary School doing everything from sharpening pencils to creating scrapbooks for each student in the classroom, as a gift at the end of the year.  She is a “master of all trades” and has provided an incredible amount of support to the teacher with whom she volunteers.  As Ms. Dugan said, “There are not enough words in the English language or enough money on this planet to pay her for all that she has done over the years.”

Michele Murphy was selected by Osceola Magnet School as their Outstanding Adult Volunteer of the Year.  Mrs. Murphy coordinates Osceola Magnet School’s publishing program, in which 5^th grade students leave the school having published six books in six different genres.  In addition, she is a PTA Committee Chairman, a member of the school’s SAC Team, and…holds down a full time job!

Shahaan Shaikh, a St. Edward’s student, was selected by Wabasso School as their Outstanding Youth Volunteer of the Year.  Shahaan assisted students with academic and pre-vocational assignments, and raised the skill level of some of the students he tutored.

Dr. Gollery, Principal, said, “Shayhaan handled the challenge of working with students with special needs with compassion, poise, maturity, and efficacy.  His performance was extraordinary and inspirational.”

Dr. Fran Adams, Superintendent, thanked the volunteers for their commitment to our schools and students.  She said, “The work you do affects the lives of our students and teachers…your work is invaluable.”