Rahiel Bernard, who has served 6,856 hours at Martin Luther King, Jr. K-8 School in Dorchester, received the President’s Volunteer Service Lifetime Achievement Award at the Experience Corps National Meeting on June 25, 2024 (Washington, DC) | Photo credit and copyrights: Literations | (Original file here)A group of Boston residents were recognized for their longstanding commitment to service at Dorchester’s Trotter Innovation School and Martin Luther King, Jr. K-8 School, as well as other schools throughout the city of Boston.
In the last week of June, at the 2024 Experience Corps National Meeting in Washington, DC, six local volunteers aged 50 and above received the President’s Volunteer Service Lifetime Achievement Award. These individuals were honored for contributing more than 4,000 hours of service over 20 years as volunteers with the Boston-based nonprofit, Literations, a program partner of the AARP Foundation Experience Corps.
Experience Corps is described as an evidence-based literacy program that pairs children with older adult tutors in communities across the country. The program aims to help children become proficient readers by the end of third grade while enriching the lives of the participating older adults.
“We are proud to be the only organization within the AARP Foundation Experience Corps network to have Lifetime Achievement award recipients this year, making this accomplishment truly exceptional,” stated Literations in a press release.
Patricia Larts, who has served 5,725 hours at Trotter Innovation School in Dorchester, received the President’s Volunteer Service Lifetime Achievement Award at the Experience Corps National Meeting on June 25, 2024 (Washington, DC) | Photo credit and copyrights: Literations | (Original file here)“The President’s Volunteer Service Award is a testament to the incredible impact volunteers can have on their communities. Literations’ six Lifetime Achievement Award recipients have set an inspiring example, demonstrating that dedicated volunteerism can create lasting, positive change,” the organization added.
Wes Enicks, Executive Director of Literations, emphasized the significance of volunteers to the organization. “Our volunteers are the core of our organization. Their selfless service and relentless passion for helping students succeed are what make Literations a beacon of hope and learning. We are incredibly proud of our Lifetime Achievement Award recipients and all they have accomplished.”
Bill Wolff, one of the Lifetime Achievement recipients with more than 10,000 hours served at the William Blackstone Innovation School in the South End, highlighted the importance of volunteers and mentors. “Volunteers and mentors at Literations provide trusted support, helping to change mindsets and build confidence in these children. The more supportive relationships a child has, the more likely they are to believe in their ability to learn and succeed,” he said.
The Presidential Volunteer Service Award Lifetime Achievement recipients include:
- Patricia Larts: 5,725 hours served, Trotter Innovation School, Dorchester
- Rahiel Bernard: 6,856 hours served, Martin Luther King, Jr. K-8 School, Dorchester
- Josephine Watson: 5,057 hours served, Charles H. Taylor Elementary School, Mattapan
- Shirley Royster: 4,549 hours served, David A. Ellis Elementary School, Roxbury
- Dianne Thompson: 5,812 hours served, Young Achievers K-8 School, Mattapan
- William Wolff: 10,934 hours served, William Blackstone Innovation School, South End, Boston
