SPRING 2006
A publication of The Association of Junior Leagues International Inc.
JUNIOR LEAGUE VOLUNTEER DAY
Our League-wide initiative across four countries is just
around the corner! Volunteer Week, April 23-29, 2006 is
approaching fast and there are lots of exciting developments
with the Junior Leagues’ Kids in the Kitchen program.
Bon Appétit magazine has signed on as a national US partner
for the Junior Leagues’ Kids in the Kitchen program. Leagues
have partnered with supermarkets, cooking schools, restaurants, food brands, television and radio stations, and sports
teams, as well as non-profit community organizations.
The Junior Leagues’ Kids in the Kitchen outreach initiative
has been divided into three phases. All three phases will take
place in the United States. Canada, Mexico, and the United
Kingdom will adjust the timetable to achieve the best results
in their countries.
The first phase was the announcement of the program, which
occurred on February 2nd, when an announcement went over
the newswire in the U.S. AJLI conducted national, local and
international press outreach to support this initiative.
The second phase was the March 22nd unveiling of a
collection of recipes and tips from celebrity chefs, local
restaurateurs, celebrity moms, and fitness and nutrition
experts, designed to teach young children healthy eating habits at an early age. The US Department of
Agriculture and the American Dietetic Association
also provided advice and materials. The recipes are
available in an electronic and downloadable format
on the JLVD website, http://kidsinthekitchen.ajli.org.
The recipe collection and website consist of fully
searchable recipes, printer-friendly options for recipe
cards (5 X 7, 4 X 6 and full page), a featured recipe of
the month, a nutrition tip of the month, and online
nutrition quizzes. A satellite media tour featuring
Bon Appétit’s executive chef Robert Cacciola also
took place on March 22 to secure coverage on local
television and radio stations.
The third phase will focus on the culminating events
organized by each participating Junior League, taking
place during Volunteer Week, April 23-29, 2006.
League members are developing interactive educa-
tional programs to teach
kids important nutrition
tips and encourage a
healthy lifestyle. Events
will vary League to
League. Some are organizing cooking classes or
demonstrations by local
chefs to show kids how to prepare
nutritious and affordable meals and snack. Some will
take kids on supermarket visits to educate them on healthy
food alternatives. Leagues are promoting media coverage in
order to raise awareness and provide solutions for the growing
problems resulting from childhood obesity. AJLI will also conduct media outreach to support Junior League Volunteer Day.
More than 225 of our 292 Leagues have made commitments to participate in the Junior Leagues’ Kids in the
Kitchen program. Each participating League received a
“Program in a Box”, which contained instructions on how to
Official Website: http://www.kidsinthekitchen.ajli.org
continued on page 8
AJLI PRESIDENT’S LETTER
talking with so many of you about what
the Junior League means to you. I feel so
confident about the future of our great
movement because of all of the smart,
caring, committed women I have met.
Dear League Members,
As the end of my two years serving you
as President of your Association draws
near, I am reminded of the words of the
song, Seasons of Love, from the
Broadway musical and movie, Rent. The
song asks…
Five hundred twenty-five thousand
six hundred minutes
Five hundred twenty-five thousand
moments so dear
Five hundred twenty-five thousand
six hundred minutes
How do you measure – measure a
year?
How do I measure the one million fiftyone thousand two hundred minutes that
have gone by so quickly in my past two
years serving each and every one of you?
I measure them in the League members
I’ve met, in the League projects I’ve seen,
in the work the Board has done and the
progress of your Association.
During the past two years I have had the
privilege of traveling as far East as
London to celebrate the JL of London’s
20th anniversary, as far South as Mexico
City to celebrate their 75th anniversary, as
far West as San Francisco, where I had
the opportunity to dialogue with members of Leagues from California and
Nevada, and as far North as
Schenectady, Albany and Troy, New York
for their Tri-League Meeting. It’s impossible to measure all I have learned from
During the past two years I have not only
met so many of you, but I’ve seen the
tremendous work you are doing. I will
never forget the Junior League of
Asheville’s Reid Center or the Junior
League of Mobile’s Katrina’s Kloset or the
Junior League of Mexico City’s Community
Center….The list could go on and on.
When I think of the impact that you make, I
know that our communities will continue to
be better places for everyone.
During the past two years, and this past
year in particular, I can measure our great
organization by the response of Leagues
everywhere to so many almost unimaginable disasters. You responded quickly to
provide support to the United Nations
Children’s Fund to help those affected by
the tsunami in Southeast Asia. You
responded quickly to help your sister
Leagues and their communities in the
wake of hurricanes and tornados that
devastated many parts of the United
States. I was moved by the many acts of
kindness and generosity from League to
League, from League member to League
member. I am grateful to many Leagues
and individual League members for your
contributions to the Junior League
Disaster Fund established by your Board
of Directors so that now, and in the future
we will be able to move quickly to help
Leagues in times of disaster.
During the last two years your AJLI Board
of Directors has reached out to League
members wherever we have traveled to
connect and to listen—whether in group
conversations in Pittsburgh, Oklahoma
City, and most recently in Birmingham,
Alabama, or one-on-one, as Board mem-
bers did in 30 different Leagues across
the Association through in-depth interviews with members, resigned members
and community partners. Your Board has
made a commitment to the value of
Lifelong Membership. We realize that we
can only govern on your behalf and guide
the future of the organization if we know
what members are thinking and what you
need. We thank each and every League
and League member who participated for
your passion and candor.
During the last two years, your
Association has positioned itself for the
future. We are sound financially, and are
looking at another year of substantial
savings and a Net Excess for 20052006. Your Association has been
responsive to the needs of your League
and your League’s leaders. I am confident that the quantitative research conducted by an independent research firm
among 10,000 current and resigned
members will serve us well in the years
to come. And I’m proud that over 225
Leagues are banding together next
month to raise awareness about the
critical issue of childhood obesity during
the Association-wide Junior Leagues’
Kids in the Kitchen initiative.
How do I measure a year? How do I
measure two years? I will measure my
two years as your President in millions,
perhaps billions of memories of you and
your Leagues, your projects and the
things we have accomplished together
….and through the friendships, the
laughter and love that I take with me.
Thank you for giving me the tremendous
honor of serving you.
Pam J. Newby
President
2004-2006
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1
3
Junior League Volunteer Day: Junior Leagues’ Kids In the Kitchen ........Cover Story
AJLI President’s Letter ............................................................................................2
Junior Leagues Build Capacity in School Systems...................................................3
Celebrating Sustainers ..............................................................................................4
AJLI Website Updates ..............................................................................................5
Highlights from Headquarters ................................................................................6
JL Connected Spring 2006 2
JUNIOR LEAGUES
BUILD CAPACITY
IN SCHOOL SYSTEMS
Junior League of Memphis, TN
Introduced as a community project in 2003, Adopt-A-School is a program
that partners the Junior League of Memphis with Macon Elementary.
This school was chosen largely because of the diversity in a student
body where students speak 16 different languages.
Macon Elementary is located in northeast Memphis and serves two
communities: Berclair and Binghampton. The communities, consisting of
moderate income to poverty index families, are ethnically diverse and
hard-working. The school is proud of its multicultural population. The
student body is composed of white, black, Hispanic, Vietnamese,
Cambodian, Chinese, and children of other nationalities. The total
school community strives to capitalize on this rich diversity and to meet
the educational needs of all.
The goal of Adopt-A-School is to create a collaboration among children,
parents, and educators by providing opportunities to prepare the children for successful futures by improving both academic and personal
growth. To successfully achieve this goal, the Junior League plays two
important roles. First, it provides tutors. Due to the high number of ESL
(English as a Second Language) students, there is a strong need for
additional one-on-one help. This is accomplished by reading books
and completing language exercises. Second, Junior League of Memphis
members help to improve the educational environment. Last year the
Junior League of Memphis assisted in a school lawn cleanup, planned
family festivals, attended PTO meetings, and provided a book voucher
for each child during the annual Book Fair.
- a comprehensive after-school literacy program designed
to foster the academic and social development of 50
kindergarten through second graders (K-2), who are in
the lowest quartile of their peers and are therefore most at
risk for reading failure. The Oakland neighborhood from
which the Hoover students come from exhibits many of
the socioeconomic factors that put children at risk for
academic failure, including poverty, language barriers, and
parents’ low reading ability.
The primary Super Stars after-school program components are reading practice and support, homework
assistance and literacy extension, and social enrichment
activities. The academic curriculum is complemented by
an array of enrichment programs, as well as communitybuilding curriculum from both TRIBES and the Second
Step Violence Prevention program.
The JLOEB supports the program by providing as well
as recruiting tutors for daily one-on-one help. These
volunteer tutors are key in establishing and building the
students’ connections with caring adults. In addition, the
League organizes quarterly Saturday family field trips,
and also sponsors eight to ten after-school/evening
events open to the entire school community, including a
Family Literacy Night and Science Night.
continued on page 8
Junior League of Oakland-East Bay, CA
Recognizing literacy’s crucial role in a child’s future, the Junior League
of Oakland-East Bay, Inc. partnered with Hoover Elementary School in
West Oakland and launched the Super Stars Literacy Program (SSLP)
Photo credit to Kim Sayre
Photo credit to Kim Sayre
Children from the Adopt-A-School
Program at Macon Elementary
JL Connected Spring 2006 3
CELEBRATING SUSTAINERS
A THREE PART SERIES
JKJKJKJK
“...it’s the friendships Junior League members form with one another that keep
them coming back to “do more good” for the communities they serve.”
The third and final portion of the Sustainer
series focuses on creating exciting, activitypacked programs for Sustainers within
your League.
Sustainer “Champions” Create
Exciting, Activity-Packed
Programs
So, what makes Sustainers “tick?” To
find out, we caught up recently with two
of the League’s most enthusiastic
Sustainer Advisors/Chairs – Liga Byrne
from the Junior League of Milwaukee and
Millie Ryan from the Junior League of
Pittsburgh. Between them, they have
enough ideas to rival the best meeting
planner, cruise ship director, or summer
camp counselor!
The Junior League of Milwaukee,
whose Sustainer program dates all the
way back to 1959, makes sure it’s
“never a dull moment” for its approximately 700 Sustainers. Its effervescent
Sustainer Chair, Liga Byrne, has crafted an exciting program with enough different activities to interest everybody.
“We really aim to bridge the ‘we/they’
gap that can occur with Sustainers and
Actives,” she explains.
JLM Sustainers lend a helping hand
throughout the year to the League’s
Committee on Domestic Violence and
Child Abuse Prevention, helping assemble “Care Kits” (backpacks filled with
personal necessities for young victims of
domestic violence or other sensitive
crimes). The “Junior League Singers,” a
group of 15-20 Sustainers who sound
“very professional,” according to Byrne,
visit local area retirement and nursing
homes. In addition to the usual interest
groups (e.g., book clubs, bridge groups,
walkers and investment groups),
Sustainers can participate in a dizzying
array of educational and social activities,
including day trips (like the recent trip to
Racine in August to view the Judith
Leiber Handbag Exhibition, or the May
trip to Madison in August to tour the
newly renovated state Capitol and
Governor’s Mansion), a monthly luncheon series (the “Run Amuck Gang”), and
an annual “Spring Pilgrimage” (most
recently, a tour of antebellum mansions in
Natchez, MS).
Every September, the JLM Sustainer
committee, which consists of 11 core
members and five liaisons to active
League committees, organizes a “New
Sustainer” event, along with a
“Welcome Back” event targeted to
members who have resigned from the
League. Events also include an annual
Fall Sustainer luncheon, a Sustainer
Holiday luncheon in December, and a
Spring Sustainer tea (which benefits
the League’s endowment fund), along
with a series of special, themed events
that take place throughout the year. All
the events are communicated in
Sustaining Excellence, the League’s
very own bi-monthly Sustainer newsletter, which promotes upcoming events
and recaps recent events.
For Liga Byrne, a Sustainer transfer
from the Junior League of Morristown
eight years ago and an avowed “lifelong
member of the Junior League,” the
opportunity to chair the JLM Sustainer
program proved irresistible. “When I
moved to Milwaukee, I didn’t know a
soul, and the Junior League was the
door for me; it’s how I met all my
friends,” she explained. “It’s an honor to
be able to give back to an organization
that gives so much to so many people,
both within the organization itself and in
the community at large.” In the final
analysis, she believes it’s the friendships Junior League members form with
one another that keep them coming
back to “do more good” for the communities they serve.
The Junior League of Pittsburgh’s
Sustainer program is headed up by
another dynamic Sustainer transfer.
Sustainer Director Millie Ryan, a past
President of the Junior League of
Greater Covington, who moved to
Pittsburgh three years ago and, after
settling in, accepted the JLP Nominating
committee’s challenge to head up and
re-energize the Sustainer program.
Wasting no time, she created a
Sustainer committee of eight people
who she terms “real movers and shakers,” each representing a different geographical area of Pittsburgh. “They were
very purposeful picks,” she explains,
“and represented women active in local
community projects, whether Leaguesponsored or non-League projects.”
The JLP Sustainer Committee launched
an impressive calendar of events, beginning in September 2004, and even gave
the Sustainer program its own theme –
Let the Good Times Roll! The program
kicked off with the “Just Ducky” tour, a
boat tour of Pittsburgh from an architectural and historical perspective. In
October, Sustainers turned out in force
for a special luncheon at Pittsburgh’s
20th Century Club with guest speaker
and performer Marvin Hamlisch. The
third event, a holiday dinner in December
at the Dusquesne Club, included a special private tour of the club’s art collection led by Sustainer docents.
In early January, several Sustainers hosted special “Town Hall” meetings in their
homes, conducting informal focus group
research with Active members to help
League leaders better understand member wants and goals. In February,
Sustainer Beth Elliott hosted a potluck
luncheon for the group at her beautiful
home, and in May the Sustainer committee organized its own fundraiser – a
luncheon tea and private, behind-thecontinued on page 8
JL Connected Spring 2006 4
AJLI WEBSITE UPDATES
On January 17th, AJLI began the process of moving away
from the current universal member password for access to
the Member area of our website to provide more online
member services and networking. Since January, over
4,500 League members have registered themselves as
users on www.ajli.org.
Affinity Groups and AJLI Forums
One of the new features on the password-protected area of
the website is an Affinity Groups section. Coordinators from
three Affinity Groups (CFJL, PALS and PLUS) worked with
AJLI to create in-depth information for these group pages.
On the CFJL page you will find a message from the National
Director, Joan Crocker, and pictures from the 2005 Annual
Conference. The PALS page contains information on guidelines, a directory, survey forms, and coordinator applications,
just to name a few. For PLUS, you will find an organizing letter, dues statement, directory information, meeting agendas
and minutes, and a document share library.
This section
provides a means for these groups to communicate with their
members and share valuable resources. To access this section, go to: http://www.ajli.org/?nd=affinity. If your Affinity
Group is interested in creating its own page, please contact
Anne Dalton (adalton@ajli.org) or Iliana Cavazos
(icavazos@ajli.org) for guidelines.
AJLI Forums can be found in a new section that will launch in
the following weeks. They will allow Junior League members
to communicate with one another on a variety of topics including Fund Development, Strategic Planning, Governance,
Communications, Technology, and Community Impact. Other
information you can find in this section will include AJLI initiatives (Junior Leagues' Kids in the Kitchen), Affinity Group discussions, and private AJLI Forum areas exclusive to
Presidents and PE's. AJLI staff will be moderating the AJLI
Forums and providing help/feedback when necessary.
Affinity Groups Section
Below is an example of one of the three Affinity Group pages
that have been developed.
Junior League Profile Data
Another area that has recently been updated on the AJLI
website is the Junior League Profile Data section. Each year,
AJLI asks individual Junior Leagues to complete a comprehensive Profile Survey, addressing all the areas of their
League operations. The survey includes questions on governance, communications, membership, facilities, finances,
technology, community programming, and fund development.
The data accumulated from this survey is an invaluable tool in
answering many of the questions Leagues ask about themselves and other Leagues. The Junior League Profile Data
section of the website is your window into this data. Data
can be viewed in a variety of different ways and you are able
to export the data to an Excel spreadsheet so that you can
analyze it on your own.
To access the Junior League Profile Data section, login to the
Member area, select Services for Leagues then JL Profile
Data, or go directly to http://www.ajli.org/?nd=profiledata.
There are two ways of viewing the Profile data - by League or
by Question.
Use Select by League to view a particular League's Profile.
This will display the selected League's answers to the section
of the Profile Survey you choose. You may also, from that
point, access a League Summary of all of the Leagues'
answers to any particular question. This is done by clicking on
the small JL logos adjacent to each question.
Use Select by Question to view all of the Leagues' answers to
a particular question. This will display a League Summary of
the selected question.
League Summaries, which show all of the League's answers
to a particular Profile survey questions, can be sorted and filtered in a variety of ways, including by Area or by League size
(based on number of Actives). Data can also be exported to
a Microsoft Excel file so you can analyze it on your own.
JL Connected Spring 2006 5
HIGHLIGHTS FROM HEADQUARTERS
Dear League Members,
"Data is not information.
Information is not knowledge.
Knowledge is not understanding.
Understanding is not wisdom."
Anonymous
Over the past year, AJLI, both staff and the AJLI Board, have gathered lots of data about our Association as a whole, our specific
Leagues and you, our League members. Once again, we must thank
each and every one of you who participated in either the qualitative
or quantitative interviews or studies. Your input will help shape the
future of this great Movement.
Now our focus will be in moving from "data," to "information," to
"understanding" to "knowledge." We are working to take the many
1,000's of pages of "data" and turn them into "wisdom" that will influence everything we do for the next few years… from our media messages to our resources and training programs for Leagues.
While we don't have all of the answers, we very clearly have some
key data points that when addressed should lead to a stronger
organization. Our goal is to ensure that Junior Leagues are organizations that women join and remain members of for life. Therefore,
a lot of our research revolved around "membership satisfaction" what a League must offer to have "happy" members.
Here are the top five contributors to member satisfaction - in order
of importance:
1. Participating in a 'well-run' League
We were surprised that this was "number one." But we think
there's a lot to it. Not only is this about meetings that are effective and efficient, but we think this encompasses other factors,
like being part of an organization that has the respect of the community and that values its members.
2. Feeling personally connected to the League and
its members
"Connection" was a major theme in all of the research. Members
who were brought to the League by current members tend to be
the most satisfied - because they come with a connection.
Members who are recognized for their work and to whom others
reach out to in good times and bad feel connected. Members
who know who to ask when they have questions feel connected.
Members with mentors feel connected.
Not surprisingly, Sustainers are our least 'connected' members.
Many new Sustainers expressed an interest in a first-year
Sustainer group...something that continues the connections that
come more easily to New Members and Actives.
While New Members certainly have connections with the New
Member class, we also saw an increased interest in being part of
the League as a whole - not always separated as though they
were less valued.
3. Expanding my personal development and growth
This factor, and the one that follows, address the importance of
ensuring that many members have the opportunities to learn and
take on critical roles in the League. As a group, Junior League
members place much more importance on wanting to try new
things than women in general. One of the many strengths of
Leagues is that they offer many opportunities to try new things.
4. Developing leadership, management and administrative skills
Not unlike the importance of personal growth, many (not all)
League members look to the League for "lifelong learning." This
raises questions about the nature of in-League training - both
formal and experiential. And also about opportunities to expose
League members to more formal training outside the League.
As a group, Junior League women are very well-educated.
Eighty-three percent of Junior League members have college
degrees and/or post graduate educations, versus only 26% of
women in general. Forty-eight percent of Junior League members hold managerial or professional jobs, versus only 19% of
women in general. We are a group of well-educated women
who want to continue to learn, and to use and refine our skills.
5. Doing meaningful community work
All of the preceding can impact a member's ability to do meaningful community work. Members join to make a difference.
This data point will lead all of us to reexamine the nature of
work Leagues are taking on today. To assess the impact of
Done-In-A-Day projects versus longer term initiatives…and the
implications of trying to do meaningful work in an increasingly
complex environment, with many nonprofits competing for
funds and volunteers.
We have asked Leagues what they are most proud of. Often, it's
a major project that the League completed decades ago…a
project that their community may have forgotten as one that
began as a Junior League initiative. How do we translate work
of that magnitude into today's environment?
Your AJLI headquarters team has an exciting League year ahead of
us as we work with all of our new information. That's a major focus
for 2006-07. All of the research data will mean nothing if we don't
turn it into wisdom that translates into action.
I look forward to continuing to share our findings with you, and to
working with you to ensure a growing Movement of happy members.
Susan E. Danish
Executive Director
JL Connected Spring 2006 6
NEW TAB ENERGYTM PARTNERS
AJLI AND MEMBER LEAGUES
WITH
A new Coca-Cola product, Tab Energy, has signed on as a sponsor of
the 84th AJLI Annual Conference in Salt Lake City, May 3-6, 2006. Tab
Energy will support the AJLI Leadership Development Awards. These
prestigious awards, formerly the Crest Community Smile Awards, recognize Leagues for their outstanding training and development programs. The awards will be
presented by Tab Energy representatives in Salt Lake City this May.
Tab Energy is a new entry in the growing energy drink category. It’s been developed with the
female consumer in mind. Although many energy drinks contain sugar, Tab Energy is sugar
free, as well as fat free and carbohydrate free, with only five calories per can. The product was
sampled at the Atlanta and Houston ODI’s and will be available at Annual Conference. Product
samples and promotional merchandise have been shipped to Leagues.
TALBOTS SPONSORS
MARY HARRIMAN AWARD LUNCHEON
AT ANNUAL CONFERENCE
A longtime Junior League supporter, Talbots, will underwrite the Mary Harriman Community
Leadership Award Luncheon held at our Annual Conference. Talbots and the Junior League
have much in common, including a rich tradition of supporting non-profit organizations that
serve women and children, as well as those supporting education and the arts.
After forming its partnership with AJLI, Talbots announced an exciting online contest open to
League members, in partnership with InStyle magazine this past October. Contest participants
were asked to submit an essay of 200 words or less about a “classic Hollywood moment” of
special significance to them. Caroline Dobson, member of the Junior League of San Antonio,
TX, beat more than 1,200 other League members to win the contest.
THE NEW JUNIOR
LEAGUE ORGANIZER A FUNDRAISING
OPPORTUNITY
AJLI is pleased to bring you a new
fundraising opportunity. The new Junior
League Organizer is an ideal tool to
organize appointments and activities,
plan the week’s menus and shopping
list, and record important contact information in the same place! Features
include an 18-month planner (July ’06December ’07), to-do lists, inspirational
quotes, and stickers to highlight important information. The cover and opening
pages include background on the Junior
League, which makes this an ideal gift to
build awareness of the League’s Mission
and accomplishments among your
friends and colleagues. Leagues can
purchase copies at a discounted price
of $8.50 per organizer and sell these at
a recommended retail value of $16.99.
Organizers are available in quantities of
36, with 36 being the minimum order.
Shipments begin April 1. Orders placed
before Annual Conference will shipped
FREE (up to a $75 value). Members of
Leagues that do not sell the organizer as
a fundraiser may purchase individual
copies from AJLI for $16.99 each at
http://www.ajli.org/?nd=jl_organizer.
PREMIUM KNOWLEDGE GROUP SPONSORSHIP
OFFERS FUNDRAISING OPPORTUNITIES
Premium Knowledge Group, a market research firm, has also joined AJLI as a sponsor of the
84th AJLI Annual Conference. The firm offers Junior Leagues an innovative, quick way to generate additional funds to support their Mission. Those who choose to participate in market
research projects will earn funds by having their members and supporters complete anonymous
surveys. A complete description of how the market research program works is available on the
AJLI website at http://www.ajli.org/?nd=cs_premium_knowledge. Premium Knowledge
Group will have a presence in the Annual Conference exhibit area.
SPRING
IS IN THE AIR...
And that means summer is just around the corner. Temperatures are
rising and it’s almost time for sunscreen, lots of fluids, and comfortable, lightweight clothing. Visit the Member area of the AJLI website,
http://www.ajli.org/?nd=boutique, and choose from a red cotton
spaghetti-strap tank or a black cotton classic tank, each with a JL
logo on the front.
The tanks, which sell for $12 each, are available in S/M/L/XL. (The
black tank is not available in XL.) Shop now while supplies last!
Fax or email League orders to:
Calendar Systems, USA
727.781.5723 (fax)
36181 East Lake Road, #405
Palm Harbor, FL 34685-3142
JL Connected Spring 2006 7
Junior League Volunteer Day, continued from page 1
implement the program, template media
materials, advice on securing media
attention, ways to incorporate advocacy
efforts into the program, suggestions
for enlisting local sponsors and nonprofit partners, and other resources to
ensure the success of their grassroots
efforts. The “Box” contents were dis-
tributed in two phases – one on January
6th and one in mid-February.
With our combined efforts to bring
recipes and nutrition tips to children
and their families across four countries, it is our belief that the Junior
Leagues can make a direct impact on
childhood obesity. Education is the
first step to making a lasting change
in our children’s future. Please continue to check the AJLI website,
www.ajli.org for updated information
and resources. Any questions can be
sent to jlvolunteerday@ajli.org. We
are eager to hear about all of the
exciting events Leagues will implement in support of this initiative!
Junior Leagues Build Capacity in School Systems, continued from page 3
Junior League of Jackson, MS
The Junior League of Jackson participates in a variety of programs in the
education area. The first one is called
“Read Read Read Talk Talk Talk.”
Volunteers are trained on the Barksdale
Reading Institute curriculum and work
one-on-one with children at Pecan Park
Elementary School to improve each student’s fluency, vocabulary and comprehension through the Barksdale Reading
Institute curriculum.
Their second program is called CLASS
(College Access-Success for Students).
JL volunteers assist Jackson-area high
school students in gaining access to
higher education by providing American
College Testing (ACT) preparation workshops in specific ACT subject areas as
well as general test-taking skills. Along
these same lines, in a program called
JPS Summer Camp, members provide
enrichment activities for approximately
60-70 rising 3rd and 4th grade Jackson
Public School system students through
background experiences that help prepare students for the Mississippi
Curriculum Tests.
Listening, Learning, Leading is another
program supported by the JL of
Jackson. This project provides education, resources, and encouragement
that enable and empower parents to
play an active role in their children’s
lives. Listening, Learning, Leading
League volunteers plan and facilitate
training sessions and publicize these
sessions in area schools. Volunteers
Millie believes one of the keys to a successful Sustainer program is “engaging
new Sustainers right away.” Sustainer
transfers, like herself, also represent a
great pool of future participants. No
surprise to them, that one of the first
Sustainer events planned for the 2005-
And last but not least, the JL of Jackson
is involved with Public School MiniGrants. League volunteers enhance,
enrich and support the educational curriculum of Jackson Public Schools by
providing grants to classroom teachers
in grades K-12 for innovative teaching.
Often the resources provided through
Mini-Grant projects are enjoyed and
used by students long after the grant
year is over.
Connected is a quarterly publication of AJLI.
Established in 1921, AJLI is made up of 293 Junior
Leagues in four countries. The Association's purpose is to add value to member Leagues in their
fulfillment of the Junior League Mission.
Celebrating Sustainers, continued from page 4
scenes visit to the League’s Designer
Showhouse, where Sustainers and
their guests could tour the rooms, chat
with the designers and listen to speakers who spoke about design trends.
The event raised almost $4,000 for the
League. By the end of the 2004-2005
League year, 110 of the League’s 300
sustaining members had attended at
least one of the Sustainer program
activities, for an impressive 37% participation rate in year one.
plan and conduct fun activities for the
children who accompany their parents
to the sessions and provide food for
the children and parents.
2006 League year was a special high
tea, held at the Frick Art and Historical
Center’s café, to welcome Sustainer
transfers. Not content to rest on her
laurels, Millie plans to recruit additional
people for the Sustainer planning committee to ensure that all age groups,
League tenures, and demographics are
represented. She’s also committed to
creating two Sustainer “Done in a Day”
projects and, of course, continuing
Sustainer participation in “Everybody
Wins!” – a Junior League of Pittsburgh
2003-2005 Signature Project that
works to improve elementary school
students’ reading skills by pairing them
with volunteer mentors who meet with
the students once a week for lunch and
reading a good book.
AJLI Executive Director
Susan Danish
AJLI Chief Operating Officer
Anne Dalton
AJLI Chief Financial Officer
Martha Ferry
AJLI Chief Marketing Officer
Barbara Alden Taylor
Creative Director
Iliana Cavazos
Editor
Jessica Defilippo
Back issues of Connected can be found on
ajli.org. Please email, fax or mail your comments:
AJLI (Connected)
90 William Street, Suite 200
New York, NY 10038-4703
e: ajli_communications@ajli.org
p: 1-212-951-8300 f: 1-212-481-7196
US, Canada & Mexico: 800-955-3248
United Kingdom: 0800-960-185
JL Connected Spring 2006 8