For immediate release - March 27, 2006
(DALLAS) – A special group of students knows what it means to be motivated. They study, learn and succeed every day both in the classroom and in the community. Those seven students from the Dallas County Community College District – each representing the seven colleges of DCCCD – will be recognized for their efforts when they receive the Max and Rosa Goldblatt Endowment Awards in Community Service on Friday, March 31, 2006.
The students’ efforts reflect Max and Rosa Goldblatt’s dedication to community service, and their scholarships will be awarded during a ceremony and luncheon for invited guests from noon to 2 p.m. at the Dallas Athletic Club in Mesquite. The seven scholarship recipients, their hometowns and colleges are: Kyle Barron of Richardson, Richland College; Sara Lynn Hayes of Rockwall, Eastfield College; Terry Price of Grand Prairie, Mountain View College; Vicki Riley of Irving, North Lake College; Yamika Robinson of Dallas, El Centro College; Vernon B. Washington II of Ovilla, Cedar Valley College; and Lauri Wiss of Dallas, Brookhaven College.
The scholarship is given annually to DCCCD students who show leadership in volunteer and community service work. Each awardee receives a $600 scholarship ($300 per semester) from the DCCCD Foundation, which administers the Goldblatt scholarship endowment. The seven DCCCD students receiving Goldblatt scholarships have been involved in community service projects, such as mentoring young schoolchildren; writing a social services brochure for counselors helping victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita; reading to and caring for children with disabilities; serving as volunteers for Adopt An Angel, AIDS Awareness and Girl Scouts of America; and more.
The scholarship was established in 1986 to honor Max and Rosa Goldblatt, who both served as former Dallas leaders and longtime supporters of DCCCD. Max Goldblatt served three terms as a Dallas city councilman and played a major role in the creation of DCCCD (then the Dallas County Junior College District). Rosa Goldblatt was involved in many community service projects, and together, the couple inspired their children to continue that tradition of service to others.
For more information, call Kathye Hammontree in the DCCCD Foundation office at (214) 860-2455.
Dallas County Community College District
Max and Rosa Goldblatt Award Recipients
March 2006
Kyle Barron, Richardson - Richland College - Kyle spends time as a coach for a six-and-under T-ball team in the Rowlett Girls Softball Association. He also is involved with several community service activities, including Camp Summit (for people who are physically and mentally challenged) and Las Llaves del Exito, a DCCCD program that helps high school juniors and seniors, plus their parents, learn more about going to college and applying for financial aid. Kyle promotes community service to other college students each day, especially to members of the Student Association for Spanish Heritage, Richland College’s Student Government Association and the Salsa Club.
Sara Lynn Hays, Rockwall - Eastfield College - Sara volunteers at the Mission East Dallas medical clinic. She also is involved with four major volunteer projects at Eastfield College: a dating seminar for Domestic Violence Awareness; the Pancreas Parade, which supported America’s Walk for Diabetes; a shoe drive for Shoes for Orphan Souls; and Saving a Lid to Save Lives, a Yoplait yogurt lid drive which supports the fight against breast cancer. Sara was selected as Eastfield’s Student Leader of the Year in 2006.
Terry Price, Grand Prairie - Mountain View College - Terry is involved with Student Government at Mountain View. She also participated in the yearly faculty appreciation breakfast, where she is involved in service learning and SPAR programs, including Adopt an Angel and AIDS Awareness. She is most dedicated to social services programs.
Vicki Riley, Irving - North Lake College - Vicki, who has logged more than 1,400 hours in volunteer service to her community, has shared her time and talent with organizations that include the Lions Club, Phi Theta Kappa, Supporters of Seniors and the American Cancer Society. She has applied knowledge from her college courses to volunteer Hospice efforts; she was inspired by another Hospice volunteer who spent days and nights with Vicki's family when her mother died of cancer. Life and death experiences have influenced Vicki to help others through Hospice and the American Cancer Society.
Yamika Robinson, Dallas - El Centro College - Yamika volunteers at El Centro College in the Health Occupations Admissions office. She is also a volunteer at Shaun’s Daycare, which specializes in caring for disabled children. Yamika especially enjoys reading to and caring for these children. As a member of the New Unity Baptist church, Yamika participates in its program to feed the homeless, and she visits nursing home residents.
Vernon B. Washington II, Ovilla - Cedar Valley College - Vernon volunteers at Pleasant Run Elementary School in Lancaster as a math teacher’s aide working with first and third graders. His technique, using jelly beans to convey certain math concepts, was a popular learning tool. Other volunteer projects include singing at nursing homes and participating in local canned food drives. Vernon is involved with the Student Leader Institute, where he helps with the coordination and publicity for this program.
Lauri Wiss, Dallas - Brookhaven College - Lauri is committed to civic volunteering. For more than 20 years, she has assisted with political campaigns and voter registration. Lauri is involved with her church and community organizations such as Multiple Sclerosis Society, Girl Scouts of America and her homeowner's association. She also wrote a social service brochure for counselors serving Hurricane Katrina and Rita victims.