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

9/20/06

NEWS RELEASE
Kathy Taylor Receives Auburn School Board of Directors'
Gold Star Volunteer Award

The Auburn School District Board of Directors will present the Gold Star Volunteer Award to Kathy Taylor, in recognition of her volunteer support at Evergreen Heights Elementary School, on Monday, September 25, at 7 p.m. in the board room at the James P. Fugate Administration Building.

Kathy’s giving spirit is contagious when she talks about her recent volunteer stints at Evergreen Heights. Kathy is enthused about what she is doing to help kids learn. “When I come across something that will benefit kids, I get it done.”

And that she has. For six years, Kathy has volunteered at Evergreen Heights. Her resume is a mile high. Kathy is successful because she volunteers on projects and events she is sure she is able to accomplish. “There’s no use on not liking your project or not knowing how to do it,” remarks Kathy. “That’s why I prefer to find things I’m passionate about. Then I’m sure to follow through.

Last year one of Kathy’s favorite projects was starting an after-school robotics club for fourth and fifth graders with her husband Tom. During this once-a-week club, 11 boys and girls explored the history and purpose of robotics, as well as built their own robots. The students attached arms and legs and wheels to their robots, and programmed their robots to make different movements like stop, turn right, speed up and so on. Kathy administered student evaluations at the end of the year and discovered the kids couldn’t get enough of the subject.

Kathy also volunteered for the end-of-the-year sleepover with her husband Tom. They both decided to lead group activities during the evening plus stay overnight in the gym. “It was fun to be able to volunteer at an event for kids who met their AR goals for the entire year,” says Kathy.

This year Kathy will be organizing all school-wide assemblies. She enjoys exploring educational opportunities for kids, so this has been an ideal task. During safety week in October, Kathy has arranged for the Red Cross to come to campus for two days to teach children emergency prep and first aid. Red Cross representatives will work with each homeroom class one-on-one for 45 minutes. Kids will practice putting slings on each other, dialing 911 and so on. They will also get to take home a first aid kit. Kathy’s resourcefulness has proven to be quite cost-effective. This event, like many of her other assemblies, is free.

She has also scheduled the Museum of Flight’s “Flying Gizmos” assembly, which discusses the history of flight and demonstrates the principles and physics of flight. The Pacific Science Center’s “Super School Science” assembly in May will teach students about the different states of matter. One demonstration involves freezing a rubber ball and then shattering it. Kathy has also secured a speaker for the February assembly. Dr. Mark Mariani, a sports medicine doctor and former Auburn School District student, will talk with the kids about health and wellness. He has also indicated that he will be bringing some of his athletes to speak to the students.

Kathy’s volunteer work doesn’t stop at the assemblies. She and her husband Tom volunteer during career day. They even sponsored the adoption of a Puget Sound orca for their younger son’s second grade classroom. “It was great. The students voted on which orca they wanted to adopt. Then they got a photo of their orca and routine updates about what their orca was up to,” states Kathy.

Kathy’s next move is to organize a science fair for Evergreen Heights. “I’d like to get this going for the spring, if possible,” remarks Kathy. “I think what will make it successful is if there is an option for the kids to demonstrate a scientific principle or perform an actual experiment.”

Despite working a full-time job as a program manager and regional liaison with the Puget Sound Action Team, Kathy makes her volunteer tasks a priority. “I firmly believe that volunteering will improve my two boys’ education, as well as the education of their classmates.” Kathy reiterates that it is even more important to be an energetic volunteer: “I volunteer because I find things that are fun and rewarding, not because I feel like I have to.”

For more information contact Amy Spence, public information officer, at (253) 931-4713.