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<\/a>Each year, the Virginia Beach Council of PTAs recognizes the tremendous contributions of two exemplary School Volunteers of the Year. One volunteer from the elementary level and one from the secondary level were selected as citywide award winners.<\/p>\nJennifer Sessoms is the treasurer, team captain and Destination Imagination director at John B. Dey Elementary, where she has volunteered for the past three years.<\/p>\n
\u201cJenny has a passion for helping to make things better,\u201d wrote Dey PTA president Lauren Kirkpatrick in Sessom\u2019s nomination packet. \u201cShe is also forever seeking out ways to help others and further new initiatives and missions. She’s continuously researching what other schools are doing, how it’s working for them and how we can implement it at our school. She does her job correctly and efficiently and wears many other hats based on the needs of the day, event or situation.\u201d<\/p>\n
In addition to Dey\u2019s PTA, Sessom\u2019s also participates in Old Donation School\u2019s PTA, teaches early childhood classes at her church and coaches youth soccer through the YMCA.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe is dependable and responsible and you know when Jenny is behind the reins, the task will be done correctly, on time and with the utmost attention to detail,\u201d said Kirkpatrick. \u201cI cannot fully put into words what she means to me and how her dedication to voluntarism is so greatly appreciated.\u201d<\/p>\n
For the past two years, Nancy Thackrah has volunteered in Plaza Middle School English and math classrooms three times a week.<\/p>\n
\u201cNancy is willing to work with every student,\u201d said Plaza Middle teacher Kelly Day in Thackrah\u2019s nomination packet. \u201cShe builds positive relationships with all students, which allows them to look at her as another trusted adult in the classroom. Nancy easily adapts to every classroom and works harmoniously with teachers and students to effectively increase student learning.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Thackrah communicates with teachers in advance to familiarizes herself with the daily lesson content and instruction so she can serve as a resource in the classroom.<\/p>\n
\u201cMs. Thackrah is a role model for students and staff and has quickly become part of the Plaza family,\u201d stated Principal Deborah Price. \u201cShe is without a doubt, worthy of the honor of Volunteer of the Year.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sessoms and Thackrah were selected as the 2020 VBCPS Citywide Volunteers of the Year from an initial pool of 87 Volunteers of the Year. The Virginia Beach Council of PTAs reviewed and determined the citywide winners.<\/p>\n