Volunteer Appreciation

Volunteer Appreciation

Thank a Volunteer

Volunteers do so much at Cherry Crest 🍒– from organizing Events, Clubs, helping drive Fundraising, showing up at the Library, in the Classroom, and so much more! THANK YOU for everything you do to help build a great Comm(UNITY)!

Here are a few volunteer highlights for the first half of the school year:

  • 🦸Everyday Heroes: those who do so much for Cherry Crest, everyday. Capes not required.
    • Christina Nemeth
    • Faranak Sorooshian
    • Kathy Hotchkies
  • 👏New Kids on the Block: volunteers who have stepped up in a new capacity this year.
    • Abhishek Sinha
    • Camille Brockett-Lanier
    • Robert Schaudt
  • 🪨Steadfast Rocks: those who consistently have been helping at Cherry Crest, year after year
    • Emily Crahan
    • Lauren Helmers
    • Tsahhirov Family (Ilja and Ksenia)
  • 🍎Teacher & School Shoutouts: volunteers who our teachers & school staff appreciate 😍
    • Arija Young
    • Eddie Cortez
    • Ms. Hayfield
    • Hooi Fong Teoh
    • Jia Yan
    • Karen Ng
    • Katie McClintock & Daniel O’Sullivan
    • Lin Li
    • Mallory Anderson-Macy
    • Mira Margo and Khyati Shah
    • Sandra Durst & Marina Lanz
    • Sonali Bhargava

Thank you to those who submitted shoutouts and took time to recognize the volunteers who help make Cherry Crest a great school and Comm(UNITY)! Please send in your shout-outs for the second half of the school year here. And look for new volunteer opportunities here.

Everyday Heroes

Faranak Sorooshian

Ariana (G3)

🌟Thank you so much for managing the library volunteer schedule and coming each week to volunteer! ~Ms. Lux

🌟Faranak is always eager to help and does it with a smile on her face. She is diligent and caring. I appreciate her so much! ~Lauren Helmers

🌟Thank you so much for all of your work on planning and organizing field trips for 3rd grade! It is a lot of work and takes a lot of coordinating. We appreciate you! ~Ms. Gilbert

Kathy Hochkies

Graham (G5)

🌟Thank you, Kathy Hotchkies, for being the voice for all of our students and families. For all your years of dedication and endless hours of organizing fun events and helping other parents with everything A-Z! ~Kathy Bessler

🌟Kathy is great to work with on any project. She is thoughtful, kind, smart, and aware of multiple perspectives. Each single student and staff benefit from her time and effort in making our school wonderful. I am so thankful for her! ~Ms.Sung 

🌟The go to person for everything PTSA related. Appreciate her brutal honesty and transparency on topics. I’m always amazed how she juggles so many commitments and delivers above and beyond. Especially appreciate her contributions to the auction. ~Shilpa Makineni

Christina Nemeth

Graham (G2), Vivienne (G4)

🌟She’s done a phenomenal job in making sure we are managing our budget effectively as a Board Member and actually helped find new ways to save money! ~Grateful Parent

🌟Christina co-leads and volunteers in many community events like Movie nights, the School Dance, Variety Show, and the Used Book fair. We love her energy and her commitment to our community and the school! ~Grateful Parent

🌟What doesn’t she do?? She is PTSA treasurer, yet also jumps into other roles with ease and eagerness. I appreciate her vision for fun community building times! ~Lauren Helmers

New Kids on the Block

Camille Brockett-Lanier

Leila (G3)

🌟Camille brought back the Passport Club this year, which has reached over 70 students. As an activity where students get to learn on their own and have a monthly check-in to verify their geography knowledge, it’s a fun way to engage students and supplement their learning.~Grateful Parent

🌟Thanks Camille for bringing such a fun club back to our students! ~Grateful Parent

Robert Schaudt

Parker (G4)

🌟It shows a lot of commitment when the co-president of the PTSA is also the one directing traffic every morning. Robert brings a lot of energy to the meetings but I want to give a special shoutout to the energy he brings to the drop offs. ~Shilpa Makineni

Abhishek Sinha

Naina (G4)

🌟Abhishek has done an amazing job with organizing the Spelling Bee for over 120 students at Cherry Crest. Not only that but he helped step up to lead a Robotics group, the BrickHeads and organize all the expenses for the entire Robotics team. He’s been such a great addition to the PTSA and works so efficiently and professionally to make programs that students appreciate come to life. ~Grateful Parent

Steadfast Rock Stars

Emily Crahan

Jupiter (G2), Mackenzie (G4)

🌟Emily stepped into the role of Read-A-Thon chair seamlessly. She is a great leader and by her actions, LOVES our students & school. I am so glad that she is a parent volunteer at Cherry Crest!! ~Jolyn Danielson

🌟Emily is always willing to lend a hand at any event or lead one – from Readathon to Walkathon and Running Club, she steps up when no one else does and helps our school in so many ways. She always makes things fun and light-hearted too! ~Grateful Parent

Lauren Helmers

Libby (G1), Tyler (G3)

🌟We appreciate you organizing fun events for all of our students! ~Kathy Bessler

🌟Lauren is an awesome volunteer who manages the Teacher Appreciation committee in the best way possible. ~Faranak Sorooshian

🌟Lauren makes every event from the School Dance to Variety Show and Teacher appreciation better. Her organizational and design skills paired with her amazing ideas, energy, and passion to make things happen, makes her an unstoppable force. ~Grateful Parent

Tsahhirov (Ilja and Ksenia)

Damir (G4), Keira (G5)

🌟The Tsahhirov Family has been so helpful to the Cherry Crest Community, time and time again. Ksenia has been on the PTSA Board for many years, her company Popcorn Play consistently sponsors the Auction and Walkathon, and her husband, Ilja led the Robotics Club this year, bringing it back to Cherry Crest after a long hiatus. Thank you for all your continued contributions! ~Grateful Parent

🌟When the Robotics Club couldn’t get room at the school, Ilja and Ksenia volunteered space at their business. They are such a positive, welcoming presence at Cherry Crest – thank you! ~Grateful Parent

School Appreciation for our Volunteers & Teachers

To: Mallory Anderson-Macy

Thank you so much for coming every Tuesday to help run small groups in literacy! Your help puts a smile on my face AND the kiddos’ faces! 🍎~Ms. Sin

To: Sonali Bhargava

Thank you so much for all of your work planning and coordinating field trips for 3rd grade! We appreciate all of the work that you put into these fun events for our students. 🍎~Ms. Gilbert

To: Eddie Cortez

I am so thankful for Eddie. He volunteers in my kindergarten classroom every Friday and has come to every class party. He is so positive with the students and willing to do anything to help out. Thanks Eddie!  🍎~Ms. Lawlor

To: Sandra Durst & Marina Lanz

Library helpers are always appreciated. Sandra D led our art auction project! 🍎~Grateful Staff

To: Hooi Fong Teoh

Hooi has helped coordinate our G5 curriculum enhancement events. For this, we are very thankful. Your efforts will benefit all fifth graders at Cherry Crest. Thank you for your support!! ~ 🍎~Ms. Sung

To: Friday Library Volunteers

Thank you for helping shelve the books, check in and out great Library books to our students, and also helping me keep order in the Library. You all are so deserving of a SHOUT OUT!!!!! 🍎~Ms. Danielson

To: Ms. Hayfield

She answers all the questions we have. She is very kind to students and my kid loves being in her class!  🍎~Tahseen Fatima

To: Lin Li & Mallory Anderson-Macy

Thank you so much for all your hard work planning our parties this year. We couldn’t do it without you! 🍎~Ms. Sin

To: Mira Margo and Khyati Shah

Thank you for being such amazing room parents!! I appreciate your enthusiasm, organization, and helpfulness! 🍎~Ms. Gibbs

To: Katie McClintock & Daniel O’Sullivan

Thank you for partnering with me to make Family Engineering Night an amazing event! I appreciate you!!! 🍎~Ms. DePaola

To: Karen Ng

Karen has helped G5 coordinate some wonderful, upcoming field trips. We are so thankful for her efforts and communication. 🍎 ~Ms. Sung

To: Jia Yan

Jia Yan is my room parent and willing to do anything to help the classroom. Jia created our beautiful class art project for the auction. She is also one of our Curriculum Enhancement leaders; she works hard to coordinate our education experiences. Jai has a positive “can do” attitude which I appreciate so much. Thank you Jia! 🍎~Ms. Lawlor

To: Arija Young

Arija is an AMAZING library volunteer who comes multiple times a week, trains new volunteers, goes above and beyond by intuitively figuring out what needs to be done and always has a kind word. 🍎~Ms. Lux