CITIZEN JOURNALISM:
After logging more than 700 hours of community service, 14-year-old Jonece M. Layne of Beltsville received the Daily Point of Light Award.
Former President George H.W. Bush and the Points of Light Institute will host a community-service forum in conjunction with President Obama on Friday as they honor more than 4,500 Daily Point of Light Award winners.
The event, to be held at the George Bush Presidential Library Center at Texas A&M University, “builds upon President Obama’s ’United We Serve’ call to service,” challenging Americans to engage in “sustained and meaningful” community service, according to a statement.
Mr. Bush developed the Daily Point of Light Award in 1989. Since then, awards have been given to individuals and volunteer groups across the country who help their communities. Friday’s celebration also will honor Mr. Bush’s legacy of service and civic engagement.
In January, Jonece was recognized by the Points of Light Institute at a White House event for three separate community-service projects.
In 2007, she started the SLATE program, Students Learning and Teaching Every Subject, at Glenarden Woods Elementary School, which she once attended. The active program holds tutoring sessions for elementary students in primarily math and reading.
“It’s definitely a rewarding experience,” Jonece said about helping younger students. “I wanted to give back to my elementary school, and helping the kids was fantastic. The smiles on their faces were so rewarding.”
The Point of Light Award also reflects Jonece’s community-service project with Riderwood Retirement Communities. Since the age of 6, she has been playing the piano and bingo with the residents of the retirement community and has logged hundreds of hours of volunteer work.
“By going [to the retirement community] I’m bringing some of the outside world to them,” Jonece said. “I’ve established strong relationships with both the older and younger people I’ve worked with.”
Jonece also traveled to Guyana, where she lived with family members during the summers of 2006 and 2008 and helped local teachers in the South American country grade papers and work with students.
Although she won’t be attending tomorrow’s ceremony in Texas, Jonece said she had a wonderful experience receiving her award last winter.
During the Jan. 7 ceremony at the White House, Jonece was able to meet with Mr. Bush and former President George W. Bush. Her mother, Faye Marguerite Layne, also attended the ceremony.
United We Serve is asking Americans to participate in the nation’s recovery and renewal by volunteering to serve in their communities, according to its Web site. Mr. Obama signed the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act in April, which marked the next phase of America’s “call to service.”
The Serve America Act expanded the opportunity for Americans “to serve, to focus on critical national issues, to be a catalyst for social innovation, and to support the nonprofit sector,” according to the national service Web site.
The act will triple the size of AmeriCorps, a program for adults of all ages to take part in community service through local and national nonprofit groups, and strengthen community service opportunities for all Americans.
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