Gratitude Awards Digest
2016-2017
PublicServiceNV is proud to celebrate the recipients of the 2016-2017 Gratitude Awards.
Cheyenne High School
Category: Education
“Peer Mentoring Program”
Awards Event: May 5, 2017
Small Team:
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- Artesia Graham, Team Leader
- Esmeralda Cabera, Team Member
- Jiselle Mendoza, Team Member
- Dianara Zaragoza, Team Member
- Noah Zepeda, Team Member
- Maria Vega, Faculty Champion
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Project Description (as described by the Team):
The Cheyenne High School Peer Mentoring Program is designed to provide additional support to our freshmen students as they navigate through the often difficult transition into high school. The primary goal of the Peer Mentoring Program is to improve student achievement by providing academic, behavioral, and social support to our freshmen.
Each freshman student is paired up with a pre-selected senior, who will serve as a helping hand, a resource, and a friend throughout their freshman year. All program participants—freshmen and seniors—will be invited to lunch twice a month and participate in various program activities.
Inspiration for This Project (as described by Team Leader, Artesia Graham):
My freshman year was very tough because my mother was a single parent and was busy working while my father was incarcerated. My mom wasn’t able to attend my extracurricular activities but managed to attend what she could. I wanted to fit in but didn’t know how to make good friends. Instead, I surrounded myself with negative people. I participated in the 2016 Summer Business Institute while working at the Las Vegas Metro Chamber of Commerce. The employees gave me the lesson of leaving a powerful legacy. Therefore, they encouraged me to initiate a club at Cheyenne High School that would interpret the importance of success.
Last year, Ms. Harenberg helped me develop a Peer Mentoring Program for our freshmen and senior students. Then, I proposed it to our principal and administration. Upon acceptance, I began to select seniors who expressed interest, and I planned meetings. We meet twice a month, and the program has been functioning very well.
Impact of This Service on the Community and the Team (as described by Team Leader, Artesia Graham):
My service, as the Team Leader of this program, has helped me apply my scholarly philosophy to the committed aspirations of my life. I have developed a growth mindset and willpower to take new challenges beyond the norm and surround myself with more positive people. I have improved my communication and motivation skills. By initiating, I realize that I must be thankful for what I have accomplished throughout my high school career.
One freshman participant said that the program taught her more about academic achievement and helped her with having anxiety to become more social. In addition, it helps with building self-confidence, improving life skills, and adapting to entering high school.
Donations (as determined by the Team)*:
- Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth
- Shannon West Homeless Youth Center
- The Shade Tree
- Cheyenne High School
*PublicServiceNV donated money in the individual names of each member of the team to each of the nonprofits and Cheyenne High School. In addition, books were donated in the names of each team member to the Cheyenne High School Library.
What’s Next?
As a follow-up to the Gratitude Awards event at Cheyenne High School on May 5, 2017, Team Leader Artesia Graham explained that she is already working with feeder middle schools to ensure that incoming freshmen can be connected with mentors as they enter Cheyenne High School. She also has been encouraging the expansion of the mentors to include juniors to ensure the continuity of the program.
Las Vegas High School
Category: Human Kindness
“PAL Pantry Drive”
Awards Event: April 28, 2017
Small Team:
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- Joseph Gomez, Team Co-Leader
- Alondra Grajeda-Rodriguez, Team Co-Leader
- Lisa Peltz, Faculty Champion
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Project Description (as described by the Team):
We created this project to assist our fellow peers who attend our high school but are in need of essential supplies, such as hygiene products, school supplies, food/water, and other items. We offered our help to create the PAL Pantry Drive project and collected items throughout the course of one week. In order to give motivation to the PAL students, we made a contest between the English classes. With the help of Mrs. Peltz and the other PAL teachers, we were able to collect over 200 items. The items ranged from feminine hygiene products to school supplies, such as pencils, binders, rulers, paper, and much more!
Inspiration for This Project (as described by Team):
We wanted to help those in need. We put ourselves in the shoes of students who come to school every day but their families/parents can’t afford basic supplies for their son or daughter to succeed in school. Creating a project that would help our fellow peers, which could be one of our very own friends, brings satisfaction to us knowing that we could help our school and community.
Impact of This Service on the Community and the Team (as described by Team):
Our project affected our community by helping those students who are in need to strive for success in school by not having to worry if they haven’t eaten or if they can’t get a school supply or any necessity that a teacher asked…. Hopefully, we helped them through the various donations of our drive. Not only did our project demonstrate Human Kindness but also Health and Wellness to the students in our community, who attend LVHS, to make sure that they are physically and mentally well by providing items that they need to continue throughout their weeks. *
*NOTE: An estimated 50 students benefitted from the PAL Pantry Drive from November 14 to 18, 2016.
Donations (as determined by the Team)*:
- Las Vegas Rescue Mission
- Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth
- The Shade Tree
- Las Vegas High School
*PublicServiceNV donated money in the individual names of each member of the team to each of the nonprofits and Las Vegas High School. In addition, books were donated in the names of each team member to the Las Vegas High School Library.
What’s Next?
During the Gratitude Awards event at Las Vegas High School on April 28, 2017, Team Co- Leader Joseph Gomez explained the importance of continuing the Food Pantry Drive and expressed the Team’s request that the money being donated in their names to Las Vegas High School be dedicated to this purpose. And it was!