2024 President’s Volunteer Service Awards

In this special edition of Volunteer Chronicles, we are celebrating honorees who received the 2024 President’s Volunteer Service Award*. The honorees received awards during the Experience Corps National Meeting, held on June 25, 2024, in Washington, D.C.

The 2024 Experience Corps National Meeting recognized the enormous contributions that our volunteers make every day to their students and their communities.?During the meeting, we awarded 190 volunteers with the 2024 President’s Volunteer Service Award. This year’s honorees are Experience Corps volunteers from six states who work with seven community-based program partners. In total, this year’s awardees contributed more than 30,000 hours during the 2022–2023 school year?— an amount worth nearly $1 million in tutoring services.

“Experience Corps volunteers represent the best of us, showing up week after week to help children become better readers and put them on a path for a better life,” said AARP Foundation President Claire Casey. “And I know from talking to our volunteers that they get back as much as they give.”

Six of the 190 awardees have contributed over 4,000 volunteer hours of service, putting them in the distinguished Lifetime Achievement award category. AARP Foundation, AmeriCorps , and Points of Light are pleased to celebrate the following Lifetime Achievement Honorees who serve schools in the Greater Boston metropolitan area. We are grateful for your service and commitment to your communities!

Shirley Royster

• 4,549 Volunteer Hours
• 13 Students Served as Literacy Coach
• 53 Volunteers Served as Site Team Leader

Starting her education journey at the University of Massachusetts and later graduating from Roxbury Community College, Shirley ventured into a career in computer programming. Her professional path took a significant turn when she answered a call for help in domestic violence, igniting a passion for social justice that defined the next two decades of her life. She worked tirelessly at Jane Doe, offering technical expertise to support programs combatting domestic violence before transitioning into HIV/AIDS advocacy.

As both an Experience Corps literacy coach and site team leader, Shirley has built strong connections with children, guiding them toward reading proficiency. She believes in not only teaching children to read but also nurturing their self-esteem and understanding of relationships. As a trusted adult in their lives, Shirley listens to their concerns about bullying and other challenges, fostering their desire to learn, excel and seek approval. For Shirley, volunteering is about empowering children to realize their potential and instilling in them a belief that they can achieve anything they set their minds to.

Josephine “Josie” Watson

• 5,057 Volunteer Hours
• 33 Students Served as Literacy Coach
• 56 Volunteers Served as Site Team Leader

Graduating from Lesley University with a Management degree, Josie embarked on a diverse career spanning more than five decades. Passionate about community service, she found a fulfilling role as an Experience Corps volunteer in retirement, where she continues to make a significant impact.

When Josie began her volunteer journey, the perception of the students initially surprised her. She was struck by the label often attached to them as lacking potential. Josie's perspective quickly shifted as she engaged with the students. She witnessed firsthand their moments of self-doubt turn into understanding and empowerment when they grasped new concepts. Encouraging students who thought themselves unintelligent to discard such notions became a rewarding aspect of her role. Her dedication to empowering young minds through literacy education continues to inspire her volunteer work and advocacy efforts within the community.

Patricia Larts

• 5,725 Volunteer Hours
• 78 Students Served as Literacy Coach
• 41 Volunteers Served as Site Team Leader

Patricia’s career spans roles in finance at Polaroid Corporation and contributions to the Massachusetts Teachers Association, where she supported various membership programs. Outside of work and volunteering, she finds joy in her role as a mother of three adults and a proud grandmother of seven.?

Patricia’s volunteer journey began at Trotter Elementary School, where she has dedicated 13 years of service. Starting with just one day a week, Patricia quickly expanded her commitment to two days, eventually becoming a site team leader for three days a week. Over the years, Patricia has found great fulfillment in her volunteer work, describing it as both rewarding and vital to her sense of community contribution. Witnessing the growth of the students she mentors has been particularly meaningful to her, reinforcing her dedication to making a positive impact through education and mentorship.

Dianne Thompson

• 5,812 Volunteer Hours
• 42 Students Served as Literacy Coach
• 57 Volunteers Served as Site Team Leader

Dianne Thompson, a graduate of Wheelock College, built her career in childcare, contributing her expertise to various daycare centers. In retirement, she volunteers at the Young Achievers K-8 School in Mattapan, serving as an Experience Corps literacy coach and site team leader. Dianne fondly recalls her first experience volunteering for K2 students — she cherished every moment spent helping these young learners, who still remember her with affection. When they spot her at school, their faces light up, and they rush to greet her with heartfelt hugs.

Outside of her professional life, Dianne finds joy in her family, including her husband, five children and 10 grandchildren.?

Rahiel “Rey” Bernard

• 6,856 Volunteer Hours
• 37 Students Served as Literacy Coach
• 70 Volunteers Served as Site Team Leader

Rey Bernard graduated from the University of Massachusetts with a degree in Business Management, focusing on accounting. Her career started at Bank of Boston, where she managed accounts and handled international checks and gained expertise in mergers and acquisitions. Outside of work, Rey enjoys gardening and cherishes time spent with her two children and two grandchildren.

As an AARP Foundation Experience Corps volunteer for over 14 years, Rey believes tutoring and volunteering are crucial in schools today because they provide personalized attention that allows children to make significant progress. Unlike teachers who manage larger classrooms, volunteers have the time to listen attentively to children's experiences at home, in class, and in their thoughts, fostering a deeper understanding and support system for the students.

William “Bill” Wolff

• 10,934 Volunteer Hours
• 54 Students Served as Literacy Coach
• 97 Volunteers Served as Site Team Leader

Bill Wolff had a distinguished career in the insurance industry, with positions at Cigna, New England Mutual Life Insurance and Hartford Life Insurance. He is a proud father of two children and grandfather to two grandsons. In his free time, he enjoys amateur photography, exercising, walking and biking.

Volunteering at the William Blackstone Innovation School in the South End of Boston, Bill has contributed an astounding 10,935 volunteer hours to AARP Foundation Experience Corps. In his role as a site team leader, he has supported 97 volunteers, helping them become effective mentors and literacy coaches. Bill believes the Experience Corps program is powerful because tutoring and volunteering provide crucial support in today's schools. Many of these kids come from single-parent homes, and the relationships volunteers build can have lasting impacts. Bill often wonders about the profound impact that positive relationships have on literacy — he believes it is truly transformative.

*Established in 2003 by President George W. Bush’s Council on Service and Civic Participation, the nation’s top civil award is bestowed annually by the president of the United States. It is led by AmeriCorps and managed in partnership with Points of Light .?AARP Foundation became an official sponsor of the award in 2023.