Members of the board and advisory council met with student leaders for a Top Leaders Meeting on September 14th, thanks to a grant from the Community Foundation of Collier County.
L-R: Pat Clawson, Director; Karen Clawson, Chairman; Patrick Clawson, Gulf Coast High; Nicholas Nolan, Barron Collier High; Nedgie Paul, Palmetto Ridge High; Gene Landrum, Director; Chuck Ardezzone, Director; Mario Chang, Gulf Coast High; and Vin Izzi, Board member. Participants not shown, Jeffrey Buschmann, Director; Candace Rotolo, Michael Winder, John Maloney – Advisory Council members; and Tiffany Weeks, Golden Terrace Elementary Intermediate Media Specialist.
Many thanks go to ITZ Media Group for hosting the event. ITZ’ vast warehouse provided the perfect setting for creative stimulation – a vast TV production studio, film screening area, Hollywood memorabilia and hi-tech equipment piqued participants’ senses every which way they turned.
Karen Clawson (l) and Susan Suarez. Following the successful top leaders meeting, Karen signed up for an AFP seminar Susan was teaching on September 26th.
Great people, great ideas…
made for an exciting day of exchanges, ending ultimately in effective resolutions to strengthen the Foundation’s mission and community outreach. The morning began with Board members engaging in lively brainstorming sessions with breaks in between to hear from those representing both the giving and receiving ends of K is for Kids’ mission. Director Jeffrey Buschmann, who lives in Nashville, Tennessee, joined the group via WebEx.
DOSA launches student-led intiatives for 2013-14
DOSA members Mario Chang, a senior at Gulf Coast High School, and Nicholas Nolan, a senior at Barron Collier High School, look on as the slide appears for their student-led Operation : Outreach for high school students.
Patrick Clawson, Gulf Coast High School, and Nedgie Paul, Palmetto Ridge High School, present DOSA’s “Ladder for Leaders” program. Nedgie is currently the only junior serving on the student advisory council. Nominations are being accepted for representatives from other high schools.
“Ladder of Leaders”
The student leaders, all shown below in ITZ Media Group’s reception area (alongside the cutout of Marilyn Monroe), have been working on restructuring the student advisory council, (formerly known as the Teen Advisory Council), renaming it DOSA (the Directorate of Student Agenda) and creating a plan for student club at their schools. They presented proposals to the board members for this school year’s goals and objectives, launching a student club Operation : Outreach. The teens also developed the “Ladder for Leaders” program. Both initiatives were developed to offer more opportunities for high school students to advance in leadership roles within the Foundation.
DOSA members Patrick Clawson, Gulf Coast High; Nicholas Nolan, Barron Collier High; Nedgie Paul, Palmetto Ridge High and Mario Chang, Gulf Coast High stand alongside a cut-out of Marilyn Monroe at ITZ Media Group.
DOSA is responsible for shaping the mission, activities and events of all teen volunteers, especially during the Foundation’s “fun’raising season” and “Bring a Bring, Bring a Friend” for Children’s Literacy Month. Nominations are being taken for representatives from other Collier County high school as well. High school students – especially those nearing graduation – are K is for Kids’ primary volunteers, earning community service hours while applying their skills to their major or career. After the students’ presentation, everyone relaxed over lunch, compliments of Board director Pat Clawson. Discussions were ignited again with heartfelt talks by Tiffany “TJ” Weeks, media specialist at K is for Kids’ focus school Golden Terrace Elementary Intermediate, and John Maloney, one of the Foundation’s 2013 interns. Advisory council member Michael Winder and Candace Rotolo (by telephone) also joined in the sessions.
Tiffany “TJ” Weeks, Media Specialist at K is for Kids’ focus school Golden Terrace Elementary Intermediate, spoke about the needs of students to have more books of their own to take home and keep; and how the Foundation is helping to provide them.
TJ also described the special end-of-the-year “Top Readers Recognition” field trip to the Waterside Shops sponsored by the Foundation and what an impression in made on the kids. The field trip was made possible through the Foundation’s Rising Readers program and included stops at California Pizza Kitchen, the Apple Store, and Barnes & Noble Booksellers – where Naples Mayor John Sorrey III was on hand with Public Information Officer Tamika Seaton to congratulate them.
Link to see more photos of the trip at https://kisforkids.org/uncategorized/top-readers-enjoy-unique-field-trip-to-apple-store-more/
John followed TJ’s story about students on the receiving end of K is for Kids’ mission with his own personal testimonial about students on the giving end.
John, a recent graduate of Florida Gulf Coast University, was at the lead of a growing number of FGCU students helping to promote the Foundation’s cause. He shared experiences from his internship and how it helped him through an injury during his challenging last semester at the University. John was the co-creator of K is for Kids’ first student “executive” business management team, serving under Karen Clawson and as advisors to teen leaders in communications and event planning.
L-R: Wild Bill, popular Fox 4 Morning Blend TV host, with John Maloney and Brigitte Papica. The FGCU students were 2013 interns for K is for Kids and co-founded the Foundation’s first student “executive” business management team; advising teen leaders in communications and event planning.
K is for Kids founder and executive director Karen Clawson would like to thank:
The Community Foundation of Collier County for the grant that made the Board retreat possible and Susan Suarez for her patient expert guidance throughout the day.
Chuck Ardezzone and ITZ Media for hosting the Top Leaders Meeting and Board Retreat,
and John Blanke for giving K is for Kids the idea for the “blue sky” brainstorming sessions!
About the Community Foundation of Collier County grant:
Thanks to the Community Foundation grant, our “reading and leading” (literacy and leadership) programs for students were placed beneath the broader umbrella of educational enrichment and youth development partnerships; creating the opportunity for deeper and more meaningful engagement with educators and students alike.
Susan facilitated the meeting for key leaders of the young powerhouse, with members of the board, advisory council, student representatives (student leadership/teen advisory council (high school), program partners and grantees participating.
The Top Leaders Meeting and Board Retreat covered much ground and successfully achieved its objectives:
Identifying/discuss key strategic/critical issues
Setting goals and priorities;
Developing implementation timetable and responsibilities; and
Clarifying vision and strategies for board and leader engagement/development, program priorities, and fundraising.
About K is for Kids Programs
Literacy/Reading Programs:
The Foundation’s programs help build the stepping-stones for strong readers from toddlers to teens – books, encouragement and recognition. The foundation places more books into children’s hands by enriching their libraries at school and at home. The programs include Rising Readers (including end-of-year Top Reader and Book Awards), Book Nooks for Kids, and Friends of the School Library.
Youth Leadership Programs:
The Foundation’s teen leaders launched a new initiative Operation:Outreach for high school students at the start of the 2013-14 school year, beginning with Gulf Coast High and Barron Collier. Operation:Outreach provides a “Ladder for Leaders”, that identifies community service and leadership opportunities for juniors and seniors nearing graduation. To read more about the “power options” available to students, click here https://kisforkids.org/programs/youth-leadership/