We are an AACPS: Business Partnership | 2020 Business Partner of the Year Nominee

Recognized for their support of AACPS by the Broadneck Elementary School

The St. Margaret’s Helping Hands are dedicated and committed to elevating all students and eliminating all gaps through their volunteer partnership with Broadneck Elementary School. When the group formed at St. Margaret’s Church, their goal was to use their vast background knowledge and experiences to support the students and teachers at a local elementary school; they wanted to make a difference. 

The St. Margaret’s Helping Hands work with students in grades kindergarten through fifth grade on a weekly basis. The volunteers are strategically placed in classrooms to match their strengths with the students’ needs. At the beginning of the school year the teachers excitedly inquired about having a Helping Hands volunteer in their classroom as soon as possible. 

The volunteers are active community members and led successful professional careers. The group consists of women with backgrounds in business, hospital administration, non-profit administration, education, preschool administration, lifetime volunteerism, world travel, and medicine. Broadneck Elementary School partners bring real-world experiences and knowledge to the classrooms. Volunteers strive to incorporate their professional and personal knowledge into their work at Broadneck Elementary School. It is a true community partnership that benefits all stakeholders. 

Jean Clarke, the Helping Hands leader, said, “The volunteers are welcomed in the school and have an overwhelming feeling that they are all working together doing something meaningful for the community.” Jean also reported that she receives compliments about the partnership every Sunday after church service and she is constantly asked if there is space for more volunteers. The volunteers believe the work is rewarding and feel they are making a difference in the children’s lives with whom they work with each week. One volunteer said, “It is the highlight of my week. I always come home with a smile on my face.” 

When the teachers were asked about the St. Margaret’s Helping Hands volunteers, each of them stopped in their tracks, touched their heart, and raved about the partnership with a smile. Mrs. Barb, a kindergarten teacher, said, “Oh my gosh…it gives me chills when I think about Ms. Wubbenhorst (a retired teacher)! Last week she brought in her guitar and sang with the children about Martin Luther King as they marched around the room.” Mrs. Davis, a third-grade teacher, said, “My students look forward to Ms. Becker coming every week! She is helping them master their math facts!” Mrs. Barton, a fifth-grade teacher, became emotional and said, “Ms. Keblish is 

fabulous…she shares her stories with the students and wants to know their stories. Ms. Keblish is the best thing to happen to some of my students!” 

The St. Margaret’s Helping Hands deserve the Business & Community Partner of the Year Award because they are the epitome of effective and successful community partners. They strive to share their stories, experiences, backgrounds, and time for the betterment of Broadneck Elementary School. Students, teachers, and staff feel honored and privileged to be a part of such an amazing partnership that is geared towards elevating all students and eliminating all gaps.