Auburn Council of PTAs

Golden Acorn Award 2006-2007

Jean Vandenberg

The Auburn Council of PTAs is proud to present a Golden Acorn award to Jean Vandenberg for her many, many years of service and extraordinary dedication to the students in the Auburn School District.

At Chinook she has spent many days volunteering at book fair after book fair and many other interesting activities. She has taught art classes, read and worked with students one on one, dressed up as Mrs. Claus and read to classes, brought her ducklings for show and tell, and had full-class Norwegian tea parties complete with her being dressed for the part and bringing from her home all of the fine china, silverware, cloth table cloths, cloth napkins, hot chocolate, and fine treats. She is a gracious volunteer, always wanting to help and participate. As long as the kids are happy, she’s happy. Now that doesn’t happen every day.

With her talents of sewing, Jean has donated many, many, many hours constructing quilt after quilt, day after day, on behalf of fifth grade students at Chinook and Terminal Park to help with raising money for fifth grade camp. And the drama clubs, well, I’m sure they have appreciated Jean’s sewing talent.  One of the advisors said, every morning right before their drama production she would find several more costumes hanging in the room, sewn by Jean, delivered to the school for their drama production.  She is definitely the costume fairy! Many students in drama productions over the years have benefitted because of Jean. Day after day, year after year, Jean has shared her time and talents with those lucky enough to cross her path. She could be equaled to a winding river slowly carving beautiful mountains and canyons, just doing what she enjoys day after day and year after year. The result is always beautiful and breathtaking.

At Olympic Middle School PTA she has continued her hard work.  This year she has been our Reflections chair person and has brought the Reflections back to Olympic through her hard work.  She talked with the students, encouraged them, and got them to participate.  She also volunteered to fill the job of PTA Secretary and Jean was the primary cook for our first ever Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser where we got many compliments on the delicious spaghetti.  She has been supportive from the beginning of our Watch D.O.G.S. Program and through her persistence found us the perfect program coordinator—her son!  Together they have been getting the program started and we can’t wait to see it in full swing. 

Again I would like to refer to Jean’s accomplishments achieved over days and weeks and months and years of selfless service to students, her grandchildren and others, in the Auburn School District. I am so glad that she has shared her time, her talents and her wonderful, cheerful personality and the beautiful, beautiful scenery she has created for us along her journey. Thank you Jean! You deserve this!