Auburn School District No. 408
915 4th Street Northeast, Auburn, WA  98002

 12/09/03

NEWS RELEASE
Michele Brennan Recognized with
Gold Star Volunteer Award

On Monday, December 8, the Auburn School Board of Directors honored Michele Brennan, community member, with the Gold Star Volunteer Recognition award for her outstanding service to Auburn students.  Mrs. Brennan was nominated by Auburn High School Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) teacher, Jim Burton, for her tremendous assistance in the school’s DECA program.  She has been instrumental at the classroom, regional, and state level.  “Michele has been very active in judging and training DECA students for participation in regional, state, and national marketing competitions.  She has also judged for the DECA organization for over six years,” says Mr. Burton.  Mrs. Brennan has also served on vocational advisory committees, even serving as chair, and was a member of the district’s advisory committee.  Last year, when Mr. Burton was unable to attend the state DECA competition in Bellevue, Mrs. Brennan volunteered her time and energy in supervising and guiding the AHS DECA students in this important competition.

“Michele is a wonderful person, someone you can count on who really cares about students,” says Mr. Burton.  Her other volunteer efforts include fundraising for the Make a Wish Foundation of Washington State; public speaking on behalf of Children's Hospital Uncompensated Care program; and chairing the Kent branch of the Windermere Foundation which assists the homeless and less fortunate in the community.  “I choose to volunteer for the DECA program because I have seen what an impact it has on the students in the district.  They enter the program young and naive, but leave confident, knowledgeable, and excited to become successful individuals,” said Mrs. Brennan.  Michele Brennan is very deserving of this award for her exceptional volunteerism.

For more information, contact Superintendent Linda Cowan at (253) 931-4914.