(BALTIMORE, MD - April 4, 2014) - The Baltimore Curriculum Project and Business Volunteers Maryland have announced the winners of the First Annual BCP Outstanding Business Volunteer Awards.
This year's honorees -- Carolyn Dorsey of CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, Mohannad Jishi of M&T Bank, and Trent Zivkovich of Whiteford, Taylor & Preston -- will be recognized at the Baltimore Curriculum Project's annual fundraising gala, Are You Smarter than a BCP 5th Grader? on Friday, April 25th at The Reginald F. Lewis Museum.
The Baltimore Curriculum Project and Business Volunteers created The BCP Outstanding Business Volunteer Awards to honor individuals from local businesses who have dedicated their time and talent to supporting City Schools.
"We are very grateful for the wonderful volunteers whom Business Volunteers has connected with our schools," said Laura Doherty.
"Their work has made a real difference in the lives of our students."
Carolyn Dorsey, CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield
Carolyn serves as a mentor with the Big Brothers Big Sisters Program at City Springs Elementary/Middle School. She also serves on Business Volunteers' INSPIRE team at City Springs, which implements strategies to "inspire" students to attend school every day.
"Carolyn has been an amazing volunteer at City Springs this year. She has gone above and beyond as both a mentor and INSPIRE attendance team member. Carolyn has remained dedicated, motivated, and excited throughout the entire school year," said Simone Garrison, Child First Community School Coordinator at City Springs.
"She has taken on personal responsibility to make sure that our students have incentives that make them excited to come to school everyday. I am so thankful to have her on our team, and hope that she will continue to volunteer with us in the years to come!"
The Big Brothers Big Sisters program at City Springs is made possible through the generous support of CareFirst. Business Volunteers brokered the partnership between CareFirst and City Springs in 2013.
Business Volunteers' INSPIRE Program partners with schools to incentivize and educate students on the importance of attendance. The City Springs team of volunteers is led by Tom Caron, Business Volunteers' Manager of Business Engagement.
Mohannad Jishi, M&T Bank
Mo was matched with Hampstead Hill Academy Principal Matt Hornbeck through Business Volunteers' PENCIL Affiliate Program. Mo helped Principal Hornbeck develop a school finance "dashboard," allowing him to assess the school's financial health on a regular basis. This improved system laid the groundwork for the school to begin long-range planning activities.
"It's really useful when you have a thought partner of Mo's caliber," said Principal Hornbeck.
"He was a really good listener and he took some of the strategies that work in his field and helped apply them to the context we have here in a neighborhood public school."
Business Volunteers' PENCIL Affiliate Program inspires innovation and improves student achievement by partnering business leaders with public schools.
Trent Zivkovich, Whiteford, Taylor & Preston
Trent led a Business Volunteers GIVE team, which supported career and college readiness at Wolfe Street Academy.
"Mr. Zivkovich was thorough and enthusiastic in his leadership of a team of business volunteers, which brought the world of college and work to our students and families," said Connie Phelps, SWCOS Community School Coordinator at Wolfe Street Academy.
"They arranged a career day for our fourth and fifth graders, and raised funds for the kids and their parents to spend a day at Towson University learning about all that universities have to offer and how to access it. "
Business Volunteers' GIVE Program is a 10-month program designed to raise awareness among the next generation of civic leaders about the growing need for volunteerism in Greater Maryland. Trent's team also included: Carolyn Funsch of Legg Mason, Mallory McDonald of Legg Mason, Aaron Nodar of M&T Bank, and Joseph Rabinowicz of Rosenberg Martin Greenberg, LLP.
Are You Smarter than a BCP 5th Grader?
The BCP Outstanding Business Volunteer Awards ceremony will be one element of BCP's annual Are You Smarter than a BCP 5th Grader? fundraising gala, which features a fun-filled quiz show, dinner, drinks, live music and a silent auction.
This year, Actor Megan Anderson, City Schools Interim CEO Tisha Edwards, WBAL-TV Co-Anchor Jason Newton and City Councilman Brandon Scott will compete in the quiz show with fifth graders from City Springs Elementary/Middle School, Hampstead Hill Academy and Wolfe Street Academy. Actor and Comedian Robert Heck will serve as Master of Ceremonies.
Reserved tables of 10 are $1,000 and individual tickets are $100. Sponsorship opportunities are available. Tickets may be purchased by visiting http://bitly.com/smarter2014.
About Business Volunteers Maryland
Business Volunteers Maryland is a 501c3 nonprofit organization with a focus on connecting companies and individuals to results-focused volunteerism while fulfilling the needs of nonprofit organizations for talented, mission-driven volunteers. Specifically, Business Volunteers trains and places business professionals on nonprofit boards, develops civic leaders, matches individuals to meaningful volunteer opportunities, creates partnerships between companies, local nonprofits and schools, and provides volunteer management training to nonprofits. Since 2003, we have connected more than 155,000 individuals from local businesses and the community at large to volunteer and board opportunities. This has resulted in more than $20 million of time and talent being infused into Central Maryland. To learn more, visit www.BusinessVolunteersMD.org or call 410-366-6030.
About the Baltimore Curriculum Project
Founded in 1996, the Baltimore Curriculum Project (BCP) is a nonprofit that operates a network of neighborhood charter schools in East Baltimore: City Springs Elementary/Middle School, Hampstead Hill Academy, and Wolfe Street Academy. BCP's mission is to develop, implement, and advocate for an innovative, sustainable, and replicable education model that improves student outcomes. In so doing, the Baltimore Curriculum Project will help to raise educational standards and opportunities for disadvantaged youth and Baltimore City schools. www.baltimorecp.org
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONTACT
Larry Schugam, Executive Vice President
Baltimore Curriculum Project
410-675-7000 x17
bcpinfo@baltimorecp.org
