Bruce Morgenstern may be a retired engineer, but that hardly means he takes it easy. Like Clark Kent in a phone booth, Morganstern can quickly change roles and become a volunteer Superman.
His work is so exemplary that it earned him the Anne Arundel County Public Schools Volunteer of the Year at the school system’s recent Volunteer Appreciation Tea.
Among Morgenstern’s efforts:
- A presentation for exploration classes on project management at Arundel and Broadneck high schools.
- Mock interviews and connections with community business partners at Southern High School.
- Organizing voter registrations and arranging for a speaker to talk about ways students could connect with and support their community through service at North County High School.
- Setting up Community Emergency Response Team Training at Glen Burnie High School.
- Chairing the Homeland Security Signature Strategic Plan Committee at Meade High School.
- Connecting talented community members with students for volunteer efforts at Severna Park High School.
“We have more than 18,000 incredible volunteers in our schools every year, and selecting one as the Volunteer of the Year is very difficult,” said Teresa Tudor, Senior Manager for School and Family Partnerships. “Bruce truly exemplifies the idea that volunteers make the world a brighter place, and he has done that for countless students across our school system.”
Also at the Volunteer Appreciation Tea, Al Middleton received the Brenda Schoener Legacy Award for his work with children at Tyler Heights Elementary School. Middleton serves as a behavioral specialist at the Annapolis school.
The award was created to honor the work of the late Brenda Schoener, who founded and worked tirelessly with the Backpack Buddies program at Tyler Heights. It is presented to a person, group, or organization committed not just to helping students in the present, but to empowering them to help others in the future.
The following exemplary programs were also honored at the Volunteer Appreciation Tea:
- The Specialty Sites Family Group, Central Elementary School
- Tyler Heights Growth Group/Riva Trace Baptist Church, Tyler Heights Elementary School
- Just Lunch Program, Brooklyn Park Middle School
- Copy, Cut and Chat, Pershing Hill Elementary School
- Chessie Program, Rivera Beach Elementary School