FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE        CONTACT:     Contact, Dana Young, Junior League of

Oakland-East Bay, Inc.

                                                                                    510.601.7998; danayoung@yahoo.com

Kate Keeley, DeVries Public Relations

                                                            212.891.0419; kkeeley@devries-pr.com

 

THE JUNIOR LEAGUE OF OAKLAND-EAST BAY, INC.  RECEIVES $10,000 FOR ‘SUPER STARS LITERACY PROJECT TRAINING’

 

Association of Junior Leagues International (AJLI) and Crest Whitestrips

Give Junior Leagues a Reason to Smile at 83rd Annual Conference in New Orleans

 

LAFAYETTE, CA. – May 26, 2005 – As part of an Awards Dinner Celebration recognizing innovation in leadership development, the Junior League of Oakland-East Bay, Inc. (JLOEB) received the AJLI/Crest Whitestrips Community Smile Award at the Association of Junior Leagues International Inc. (AJLI) 83rd Annual Conference held on May 11-14, during National Volunteer Week at the New Orleans Marriott.

 

“As a leading women’s volunteer organization, the Junior League of Oakland-East Bay is committed to developing the potential of women as community leaders,” said Sabrina Benjamin, JLOEB President, 2004-2005. “We are thrilled that AJLI and Crest Whitestrips have recognized the invaluable hands-on training our members receive as a result of participating in our Super Stars Literacy Project.  We are extremely proud of this program which not only focuses on reading as the cornerstone for future academic success, but which also develops and expands the skills of our members who can later take their practical experiences out into the community.”

 

The JLOEB received the AJLI/Crest Whitestrips Community Smile Award for its ‘Super Stars Literacy Project Training’ which creates a comprehensive reading program for “at risk” children from kindergarten to second grade through a partnership with Hoover Elementary School (West Oakland).  The program provides a breadth and depth of training opportunities and experiences.  Combining a unique mix of grant-writing, fund development, advocacy and hands-on community outreach, the program leverages League members’ skills and provides a practical leadership development opportunity.  Students who participate in the program are moving from the bottom of their class to standing shoulder to shoulder with their peers. 

 

“I am thrilled with the success of the Super Stars Literacy Project and with the growth of the participants both academically and socially,” remarked Hoover Elementary School Principal Barbara Mims. “I can cite numerous examples of children who began the program with poor academic skills, behavior problems and low self-confidence, who are now entering third grade not only after testing at the higher end of their peers, but also filled with confidence and acting as leaders among their peers and in their families. In my more than 25 years in the Oakland Unified School District, I have seen many after-school programs but very few as successful as Super Stars.”

 

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Something to SMILE About

This is the fourth year that AJLI and Crest Whitestrips, an innovative at-home tooth whitening system, have teamed up to recognize and reward those Junior Leagues that show exceptional talent for developing programs that build effective leadership skills and behaviors.

“The Junior League of Oakland-East Bay Inc.’s ‘Super Stars Literacy Project Training’ represents the dedication to community service and education that is a key element of the Crest Whitestrips brand,” explained Jamal Muashsher, Assistant Brand Manager for Crest Whitestrips. “We are proud to support the AJLI/Crest Whitestrips Community Smile Awards because they recognize the value and benefits of investing in tomorrow’s leaders.”

 

The Junior League of Oakland-East Bay, Inc. will use the $10,000 AJLI/Crest Whitestrips Community Smile Award to further train, improve and emphasize volunteer community leadership across their membership base.  Five Junior Leagues including Miami, FL; Ann Arbor, MI; Roanoke Valley, VA; and New Orleans, LA each received $10,000 AJLI/Crest Whitestrips Community Smile Awards.

 

Women Building Better Communities

Founded in 1935, the Junior League of Oakland-East Bay, Inc(JLOEB) is an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers.  Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable. JLOEB is part of the Association of Junior Leagues International, which is made up of 294 Junior Leagues in four countries. For more information, visit our web site at www.jloeb.org.

 

Editor’s Note:  For digital images featuring the Super Stars Literacy Project’s first graduating class (May 2005), please contact Dana Young at danay@yahoo-inc.com. 

 

 

 

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