Award Given to One Volunteer Each Year from Lincoln County School District

At the June 11 Board Meeting longtime volunteer, Aimee Thompson, of Newport, was surprised with the honor of receiving the annual Tom Moore Memorial Award. Named for a former school board member and volunteer, this award has been given since 1993 to the individual(s) who best exemplifies the volunteer spirit.

We asked Aimee if she’d share a little about her experience as a volunteer.

At the end of this interview, we have included the original nomination letter from the West Area Administrators which gives some highlights of what her tireless efforts have done for the youth in our schools.

How did you become involved as a volunteer with the Lincoln County School District?

“I started volunteering by committing to help with reading groups in my eldest daughter’s 1st-grade classroom. Not only did my daughter struggle with reading, so were many kids as her class size was large and reading levels were all over the place. I would help with leading a certain level reading group one morning a week, while my Mother-in-law watched my two younger kids. LCSD has come a long way in aligning curriculum, training, school culture, etc. since our girls were first enrolled. There were things I thought needed some change, so I became involved because I wanted to find out more how the schools functioned. I feel strongly that you can’t help fix something unless you’re going to roll up your sleeves and work beside to find out how you can help the most. Our school district is full of a lot of lovely, caring people who don’t give up and I’ve always wanted to support them. Lastly, I became very involved in Boosters because I felt our kids needed some more fun activities connected with the school – carnivals, school concerts, field days, etc. Some of those things weren’t happening because the District had cut PE and Music teachers. Boosters organized a school concert and so many parents came it filled the High School gym! The Carnival had under 100 kids attending, so the Boosters worked hard and for several years I was involved we consistently had 500 kids plus their parents attending. If kids have positive experiences like that with school, it impacts how they feel about school. I also come from a family of educators, so I always knew I was going to be volunteering in the schools because schools are the heart of the community and where I believe we can make the most impact in the world.”

Please, tell about one of your favorite moments you’ve experienced as a volunteer.

“Gosh, there are so many great moments associated with volunteering. The thing I love most is that I’m a constant for many of my kids’ classmates. They’ve known me to be in the classroom since the very beginning and we have a connection. Many of them stop and tell me how well they’re doing in school, what they’re up to, or more recently how “green” they’re being. I adore that! I’m glad I can be a positive figure in their life. I’ve made some huge connections coaching and received some of the most heartfelt letters and thank you’s from the girls I’ve coached. Those notes bring me to tears and I’ve kept them all.”

Do you have any advice for someone considering becoming a volunteer for the schools?

“My advice for someone who is considering volunteering in the schools is to do it, of course! It has given me great perspective about the makeup of our community, what challenges our District faces, getting to know the staff and teachers at my daughter’s school, and how we can help them most to give the kids of our community an excellent educational experience. That perspective has guided me in facilitating a lot of positive outcomes which have directly impacted kids, their quality of learning, and unforgettable experiences for them. I feel strongly that impacting kids in a positive way will impact our community and world in an exponential way. During their learning years, I believe a student can have a positive experience which can change the course of their life whatever background they’re coming from. You might never know how big of an impact you make, but just knowing it’s a possibility is enough for me.”

Here is her nomination submission from the West Area (Newport) Administration:

West Area Administration proudly nominates longtime volunteer Aimee Thompson for this year’s Tom Moore Memorial Award. Aimee is the mother of three Newport Area students and has been an active volunteer since the time her oldest daughter set foot in our schools. Over the last decade, Aimee has spent countless hours volunteering in various formats to support our schools and all those who attend. Her role as a volunteer has evolved and expanded over the years and our schools have greatly benefited from her service.

Aimee’s volunteer time began over ten years ago in our elementary schools. She quickly became a leader in school-based Booster Clubs where she has spearheaded multiple highly profitable fundraisers to support our school’s initiatives, programs, and field trips. The very successful wrapping paper and pie fundraisers are prime examples of Aimee’s leadership as a volunteer. In addition, she has been a leader in the organization and planning of the YV/Sam Case end of the year Carnival. Over the many years, she has volunteered, Aimee has been Booster Club President for YV/Sam Case and is the current Booster President for Newport Middle School. Her volunteer leadership over time consists of thousands of hours and extends beyond her role as a booster member/President.

Going above and beyond the call of duty is a routine occurrence for Aimee. She has volunteered as an ASPIRE Mentor at Newport High School, is an active member in the Newport High School Booster Club, is a current NMS Site Council Member and continuously volunteers as a youth soccer coach. Through coaching, Aimee has played a significant role in pioneering all-girls youth soccer teams in Newport. The girls are thriving under Aimee’s coaching. As a member of the NHS Booster Club Aimee has created the publications for the Booster Bash, Fall Auction and Spring Auction for many years. In addition to all of these amazing contributions, Aimee has been instrumental in bringing a “Green Movement” to Sam Case and Newport Middle.

Two years ago, Aimee approached NMS with the idea of becoming an Oregon Green School. Shortly thereafter, a teacher at NMS and Aimee began brainstorming what that might look like. With Aimee’s vision and a teacher’s innovation, the Green Team class was born at NMS. Two years later, the Green Team has changed the face of NMS. NMS is now composting all food waste at meal times, reducing garbage headed to the landfill, recycling more efficiently, composting paper towels and using reusable silverware. This program and these positive changes were made possible because of Aimee’s vision and her willingness to go after and secure a $10,000 grant to get the program off the ground. It’s no surprise the green movement has made its way to Sam Case where it is alive and well.

Aimee Thompson is a volunteer leader in Newport Schools and is highly deserving of any recognition our schools can provide. Her countless volunteer hours over the last decade as a booster, community coach, Site Council Member, school volunteer, and green school visionary make her an excellent candidate for the Tom Moore Memorial Award. The West Area Administrative Team feels Aimee is highly deserving of this award. Please consider Aimee as this year’s most distinguished volunteer.

Sincerely,

West Area Administration

Reyna Mattson, Aaron Belloni, Shelley Moore, and Kristin Becker

To learn more about becoming a volunteer in the Lincoln County School District go to our website at https://lincoln.k12.or.us/get-involved/volunteer/

Photo of Aimee Thompson and her family Left to Right: Husband Rob Thompson, Aimee Thompson, daughters Jillian, Blair, and Piper, Sandi and Bob Thompson – Mrs. Thompson’s in-laws