2022 Volunteers of the Year

Poway Unified Announces the Selection of District Volunteers of the Year

Genni Myles, Joe Schreiber, and Shelley Porter Receive School District Honors

The Poway Unified School District (PUSD) is proud to announce that Genni Myles, Turtleback Elementary Volunteer; Joe Schreiber, PUSD Youth in Transition Volunteer; and Shelley Porter, Mount Carmel High School Volunteer have all been chosen as the PUSD Volunteers of the Year for 2022.

Schools across Poway Unified had the opportunity to nominate their site’s Volunteer of the Year for District level recognition. The nominations were reviewed by a committee of District staff and the selections are based on the impact an individual has had on their school community, the dedication of their own time for the benefit of students and teachers, and the outcome of their efforts. Poway Unified volunteers are pivotal to the success of school events and programs, such as clubs, athletics, arts, fundraisers, and student enrichment.

Genni Myles, Turtleback Elementary School Volunteer

Genni has volunteered with Turtleback for 13 years and has been directly responsible for the school’s increased enrichment opportunities offered to students. Genni uses her own passion for arts and music to give back to students in unique ways. She teaches music to Turtleback students and coordinates musical theatre performances. She has also organized multiple events for students to access the arts safely and creatively, despite the challenges of the pandemic.

This year Genni stepped into the role of Turtleback Elementary School Foundation President. In this role she has actively engaged more families to participate in school functions and worked tirelessly to bring the staff dream of a lively, interactive playground to fruition. Genni spent countless hours researching and applying for grants, organizing volunteers, and working with older students in the district to bring the Turtleback Elementary playground to life. The campus now has a welcoming, beautiful playground that gives students of all abilities multiple engaging activities to enjoy during their free time.

Joe Schreiber, PUSD Youth in Transition Volunteer

Joe has volunteered with Poway Unified’s Youth in Transition (YIT) for three years and has done so by showing boundless care and dedication. The YIT program serves homeless families by seeking to remove barriers to enrollment, attendance, transportation, and academic success.

Joe often uses his own resources to support YIT families. During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Joe came up with creative ways to serve families while keeping everyone safe. He facilitated gift card donations through his philanthropic organization for struggling families in order to give them a way to purchase groceries, necessary supplies, and even sweet treats.

Joe identifies needs and takes the next step to identify how he can support those needs – for both YIT families and staff. Joe donated and installed supplies to the YIT office to assist in the organization and transportation of items from the office to families. He drops by the office every other week to bring non-perishable food packs, or Meals in Bags, to provide families with a complete dinner. Joe is always asking staff, what more he can do to serve!

Shelley Porter, Mt. Carmel High School Volunteer

Shelley has had three students go through Mt. Carmel and has been a volunteer throughout their time on campus – her third and final child will graduate this June. During her time at Mt. Carmel she has volunteeed and taken leadership roles with multiple athletic booster clubs, served as PTSA President, and currently serves as the Athletic Foundation President.

Shelley’s influence, dedication, and service has directly impacted every grade level at Mt. Carmel in unmeasurable ways. From developing grade level specific parent trainings to bringing in outside resources and expanding scholarship opportunities, she has made a difference and encouraged other parents to work together to do the same.

She also played an integral part in the initiatives to keep Mt. Carmel students connected to Sunset Hills Elementary School, the school where Shelley works as a Library Media Technician. She has organized the cross-campus tradition of the Graduate Walkthrough, where Mt. Carmel graduating students return to Sunset Hills to celebrate their success – a program that many schools in the district have since adopted. She is a trusted resource in the Mt. Carmel community and has created a lasting legacy for those who follow her.

2022 Poway Unified Volunteers of the Year

Congratulations to all of our site Volunteers of the Year – each individual gives their own time and resources to provide the best opportunities for our students, staff, and communities.

Abraxas High School - Noreen Walton
Adobe Bluffs Elementary School - Marisela Drake
Bernardo Heights Middle School - Marci Lee
Black Mountain Middle School - Leslie Skelly
Canyon View Elementary School - Rachel Kasner
Chaparral Elementary School - Elsa Brittain
Creekside Elementary School - Corinna Wong
CTE: Career Technical Education - Bruce May
Connect Academy - Soumya Chennapragada
Deer Canyon Elementary School - Trey Ustick
Del Norte High School - Ana Rubio
Del Sur Elementary - School Anita Chan
Garden Road Elementary School - Jade Connolly
Highland Ranch Elementary School - Sandra Mitchell
Los Peñasquitos Elementary School - Jodette Endrizzi
Morning Creek Elementary School - Xu Perry
Mt. Carmel High School - Shelley Porter*
Oak Valley Middle School - Melanie Smerican
Painted Rock Elementary School - Tara Littrell; Melissa Atkinson
Pomerado Elementary School - Jennifer Hanes
Poway High School - Sharon Bristow
Rancho Bernardo High School - Kimberly Floyd
Rolling Hills Elementary School - Julie Rivard
Sundance Elementary School - Chiyo Padilla
Sunset Hills Elementary School - Lexie Adamson
Tierra Bonita Elementary School - Steph Cole
Turtleback Elementary School - Genni Myles*
Twin Peaks Middle School - Dale Waldren
Valley Elementary School - Lili Husseman
Westview High School - Corrinne Cousar
Willow Grove Elementary - Jennifer Hanasz
Youth in Transition Program - Joe Schreiber*

*Indicates District Level Volunteer of the Year

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