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(Rockville, MD - June 1, 2007) This month will mark the end of great volunteer story in Montgomery County.
Once a week, for the past ten years more than 20 staff mentors from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) in Rockville have participated in a "Lunch Buddy" mentoring program at neighboring Garrett Park Elementary School.
The program allows the students to talk openly with caring adults in a warm, confidential setting. Students and mentors work together on homework, projects, read stories, or play games as they talk.
Back in 1996, ASHA employees formed the partnership with Garrett Park Elementary with the dual goals of helping the educational development of young children and encouraging community relations between schools and businesses.
ASHA is moving to a new location in Montgomery County at the end of this year, so the program is coming to an end. However, a lot of good has been achieved, something that was recognized recently when ASHA received the prestigious Partnership in Education Award from the Montgomery County Council of PTAs (MCCPTA) for its decade-long alliance with Garrett Park Elementary School.
The award, which recognizes outstanding partnerships between schools and the community, was presented to ASHA at the yearly MCCPTA Presidents and Principals Dinner on May 25, 2007.
"It is an honor to receive recognition from the MCCPTA and Garrett Park Elementary School for participating in a program that has been personally rewarding for so many ASHA employees, past and present," according to ASHA Executive Director Arlene Pietranton.
"ASHA staff mentors have been committed to the partnership because they believe deeply in social responsibility, are personally dedicated to the program and are loyal to their students. Many mentors have been with the same student for several years and some have remained close friends long after the student leaves Garrett Park."
By the end of this year, ASHA's new address will be 2200 Research Boulevard. "Currently, the organization is busy making plans for its move. Once it is settled in, ASHA expects to consider a variety of opportunities for continuing its community involvement." Pietranton says.
ASHA is the national professional, scientific, and credentialing association for more than 127,000 audiologists, speech-language pathologists, and speech, language, and hearing scientists.
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