Phyllis Busch and (on stairs, from left) Donna Day, Roberta Swanson, Mary Elaine Burgess and Neena Blackwell volunteer with the Assistance League of Everett . Busch leads the league’s graduations awards. Volunteers work to identify high school students who are in need of help to celebrate their senior years. Students are given awards to pay for things like yearbooks, senior prom or Advanced Placement tests.
The handwritten notes answer why the women spend hours in the thrift store folding clothes and sorting dishes or why they take on cleaning out houses for money-raising estate sales.
The notes remind them that their efforts mean something to young people whose lives are affected by poverty.
“Over the years I’ve been in school you have assisted me in funding many things that my parents have a hard time paying for us since our income is very low,” one girl wrote. “I will use this fund toward a yearbook, senior ball and prom.”
“I plan to use the money for a new dress for graduation,” another girl wrote. “This will be special to me and my family.”
The girls were two of 143 high school seniors who received $200 this year from the Assistance League of Everett’s graduation awards program.
Since 2000 the league and its volunteers have given out 1,472 awards, totaling $305,000, to students around the county.
The awards are meant to help young people pay for senior year expenses, such as Advanced Placement tests, graduation caps, gowns and announcements, yearbooks or even a special dinner to commemorate completing high school.
“Anyone who has gone through the struggles these kids have, yet makes it to graduation, deserves to be able to celebrate,” league volunteer Roberta Swanson said.
The graduation awards are the league’s second largest philanthropy project, behind Operation School Bell, program Chairwoman Phyllis Busch said.
The league raises money for the awards and its other projects through its thrift store on Evergreen Way, grants, estate sales, other fundraisers and individual donations.
The graduation award committee reviewed 230 applications from students this year. The volunteers consider students’ financial situations, grades and school and community involvement. Special consideration is given to those young people who are homeless.
This year, there were 13 more recipients than allotted in the program’s budget so a handful of members donated $2,600 to make those additional awards possible.
Awards were given to students at 17 different high schools. More than one-third of the students who received awards attend Mariner High in the Mukilteo School District.
“My heart is with these kids,” said Busch, a retired school psychologist. “These are the kids that 10 years ago didn’t graduate. They live under some really tough circumstances.”
Some of the teens are the first in their families to graduate high school, longtime volunteer Mary Elaine Burgess said. It’s important that they can participate in some of the end-of-year activities to mark their accomplishments, the volunteers said.
Busch and Burgess recently reread some of the notes written by students.
A girl will take her sister out to dinner to thank her for supporting her through high school. A student on the yearbook staff will be able to afford to buy one of the memory books.
“We get just as much out of helping them as they get from us,” Busch said.
Learn more
For more information about the Assistance League of Everett or how to volunteer, call 425-252-3011. The league’s thrift shop is located at 5107 Evergreen Way, Everett.
