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May 4, 2009: Virginia Wesleyan Receives 2009 Model Partnership Award

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Norfolk/Virginia Beach, Va. – Virginia Wesleyan College received the 2009 Model Partnership Award from the Virginia Beach City Public Schools on Wednesday, April 29, during an appreciation reception held at the Virginia Beach Convention Center.

The award recognizes the partnerships between businesses/community organizations, which are actively involved in creating and maintaining collaborative relationships designed to benefit students. Virginia Wesleyan was one of 15 organizations to receive the award.

During the event, Virginia Wesleyan students Antwanna Baker '12 from Spring Valley, N.Y., and Leon Spinner '11 from Bedford, Va., accepted the award on behalf of the College community. Both Baker and Spinner have been actively involved in Virginia Wesleyan's Office of Community Service and have led community service programs at local schools.

Baker partnered with Bettie F. Williams Elementary School as the Student Outreach Coordinator for Youth (SOC), helping with a grant-funded program that unites children and their parents during their evening meal once every week for over eight weeks. Baker and her team of volunteers went to the school each week to spend time with the families and work with the children while the parents attended classes.

In the fall of 2008, Spinner began partnering with Diamond Springs Elementary School in a self-designed program called Marlins Read. The program, which evolved from a book donation organization that was sponsored by the Black Student Union and the Education Department, pairs Virginia Wesleyan students with kindergartners in reading partnerships that meet for 30 minutes once every other week. Spinner continues to recruit and motivate volunteers to help with the program.

"We strive to not only read to and teach these children, but also to be a role model and show them that success is within their reach," said Spinner, who hopes to expand the program to other schools.

Virginia Wesleyan College has been a dedicated partner to Bettie F. Williams Elementary School since 1986. Today, the College supports all three Tri-Campus schools with volunteers from a variety of campus organizations working with students in class and during after-school programs every week. Virginia Wesleyan students serve as tutors and mentors who assist with reading activities and class projects. They also assist with the Triple-E (Eagles Excel in Education) parental involvement program, the Galaxy after-school program and planned a college tour for third graders, providing tickets to basketball games on campus.

For more information, contact Virginia Wesleyan's Office of Community Service at 757.455.3216 or dhotaling@vwc.edu.

Or, for more news at Virginia Wesleyan College, visit the News and Events Web site.

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