The Principles and Beliefs of Teen Leadership Corps...
1. Teenagers are an extraordinary asset and resource to a community, possessing unique perspectives, idealism, energy, creativity, and commitment. This makes them particularly valuable in addressing society’s unmet needs.
2. Youth service activities have a unique ability to create strong, diverse communities of
inspired, intelligent, civically engaged young people.
3. Youth-led service projects are most effective because decision-making gives young
people ownership for the solutions. Nevertheless, adults are important partners with youth to maximize the impact of their service by providing them with resources and support services.
4. Service-learning is a valuable learning method that, if adopted widely and implemented with high quality, promotes student achievement and civic engagement.
5. Service-learning provides opportunities for meaningful community service experiences with academic learning, personal growth, and civic responsibility.
6. Teen Leadership Corps instructors and staff promote respect and compassion through dignified service to all generations.
7. Teen Leadership Corps service-learning programs promote reduction of general stereotypes and facilitate cultural understanding among students and community members.
8. Youth empowerment provides a ripple effect creating community rapport for
ALL generations.
Board Member Biographies
Melissa Bayer is a grant writer for the Volunteer Center of Erie County and holds a Master's degree in Nonprofit Organizations from Case Western Reserve University. In 2006, Melissa was awarded the Presidential Service Award by the U.S. President's Council for Service and Civic Participation.
Mary Ann Creamer conceived Teen Leadership Corps on the notion that there is no greater gift that we can give our youth than opportunities to lead and serve others. She initiated, developed, and taught service- learning for 13 years at the secondary level. The service-leadership program she taught was the largest in the state of Ohio, and her students were recognized as Ohio’s outstanding peer team. Mary Ann was voted Outstanding Educator of the Year, was chosen by her students to be published in the Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers, and was a member of the Congressional Youth Leadership Council. Mary Ann has coached four state tennis champions, led 18 athletic teams to conference titles, co-owned and managed a teen nightclub, and served as the special events manager for Five Seasons Sports Country Club, where she teamed with 3 other department managers and working together increased club revenue by 39% over a period of two years through innovative programs and events. Mary Ann holds both a B.A. and M.A. degrees, from Miami University and Ashland University respectively.
Brittany DeFazio is a 2002 graduate from Huron High School where she actively participated in the Huron Peer Team. After high school she attended The University of Toledo where she studied education and graduated in 2006 with a Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education. She is currently a Title I teacher at Berlin Elementary. Brittany is an annual volunteer for Give Kids The World, a non-profit organization that provides children and their families with life-threatening illness and their family a cost-free visit to Florida.
Adriana DeLuca is a 16-year-old sophomore student/athlete at Huron High School. She is the daughter of Frank and Cindy DeLuca and feels very fortunate to have parents whom have given her great opportunities in life, and her brother Evan, who has been a wonderful role model. Adrianna is a member of the track and volleyball teams and plays traveling volleyball team for North Shore volleyball club. Adrianna is involved in the C.A.R.D. program, student council, French Club, Model United Nations, choral, S.A.D.D. and was selected to be a peer mediator, and is an honor student. She has worked on various community service projects, is an athletic aid for high school sporting events, and teaches at Huron Biddy Camps. Adrianna is also a member of her church youth group. Adrianna enjoys helping people because of the wonderful feeling she receives and the positive impacts she witnesses as people’s lives change for the better.
Gary Eisnor began his career as a school teacher, he then assumed the position of manufacturer’s representative for 29 years in the furniture business, and is presently working at Herman's Furniture in the areas of sales, service, and operations. Gary has been active in coaching youth sports, serving in different leadership roles at his church. Gary has also been involved in various professional design and product development teams in the furniture industry. He and his wife Susan, have three married children and six grandchildren scattered across the country. His youngest two children were active in the peer service-learning class while in high school and have attained numerous benefits grasping the life changing reality of service learning. Gary has served on various boards over the years including a private school, counseling center, Young Life, elder boards at two churches, and two homeowner associations where they have lived. Gary has a strong compassion for service and feels that his service opportunities have greatly enhanced the life of his family.
Steve Furey started his career as the sales and marketing director of Abex Corporation. After ten years Steve became the national sales manager for Tenneco Automotive, a Fortune 500 company. Steve has also served as vice-president of sales and marketing for Mark 3 conversion vans and Sandusky International. Steve currently owns and operates the local Edward Jones office where he is a financial advisor. Steve is former president of an estate planning association, and former board member of the Huron Rotary. Steve and his wife, Shirlee’s two daughters’, Jenn and Amanda, were active participants in the Huron service-learning program.
Along with working 31 years in the classroom as an English teacher, Sally Green was trained in both the mentorship and CORE intervention programs, which served both student and new teacher needs. She also took part in organizing and implementing a Character Counts group at the high school. Sally is currently a volunteer in the HOST reading program and committee member of the Friends of Erie MetroParks, filling the position of membership chairman.
Kathie Hammond was a teen mentor for many years, hosting a succession of students from the Huron High School Peer Leadership Class, and was chosen to receive the Peer Class Appreciation Award for her contributions to the students and the community.
During her tenure as a middle school science teacher, Kathie founded the McCormick Ecology Club for middle school students. This club was responsible many community beautification service projects in the city of Huron. Since retiring from a 33-year career in elementary education, Kathie currently assists in the training and supervising of teens participating in programming for the local health department, and for the past nine years she has been a Child Assault Prevention facilitator for local youth. Kathie is secretary of Firelands Area Running Club, volunteers for the Sandusky State Theatre, and is an active member of the Friends of Erie MetroParks.
Justin Harris is an attorney who focuses his legal practice in the area of general litigation, with experience handling complex commercial, products liability, real estate, medical malpractice, and general insurance issues. Justin is also an adjunct professor at Bowling Green State University Firelands College, teaching health care organization and Structuring, as well as health law, to future medical providers and business students. He is a member of various professional associations, including the Erie County Bar Association, The Ohio Bar Association, and The American Bar Association. Justin is on the board of trustees of the Erie County Bar Association, the chair of the respiratory care advisory board for BGSU, and is the vice president of Teen Leadership Corps. Justin enjoys volunteering his time to helping others, and he is no stranger to the benefits and rewards being involved as a teen leader can have on an individual and the community.
Jane Kaftan grew up outside of Washington, DC, in Chantilly, Virginia. She graduated from Mary Washington College with a Bachelor’s in sociology. She has worked as a social worker in a number of areas including Head Start, truancy and delinquent teens, adolescent psychiatric treatment, and employment services. She moved to Sandusky in 1999 with her husband, Rob Kaftan, and worked as a children’s case manager for Firelands Hospital’s Mental Health Department in Huron County. In 2001 she took the position of school-based mentoring coordinator with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Erie County until 2003, when their second child was born. In 2005, Jane opened Honeychilde Books, a children’s bookstore. Jane and her husband Rob, have three children George, Emma and Charlie.
Aimee Johnson is currently a senior at Akron University and completing her student teaching experience in special education. Aimee has been involved in cheerleading, Students Against Destructive Decisions, and was involved in her schools student –leadership program for three years. Aimee recently married her best friend, Michael, and will graduate in May 2008. Aimee enjoys creative writing, camping, baking, reading, and helping people in a variety of capacities.
In his capacity as Acting Associate Dean for Engagement and Outreach at BGSU Firelands, Andrew Kurtz oversees the college’s efforts at forging new partnerships with community groups, business and industry. Kurtz received his Ph.D. in Literary and Cultural Theory in 1996 from Carnegie Mellon University. He is an Associate Professor in the Humanities Department and teaches a range of courses from world literature to media studies, all of which seek to emphasize the importance of critical thinking and values-exploration in the analysis of cultural texts.
Poppy Lee is a partner is a private counseling practice. Poppy specializes in treating both adolescents and adults, with experience in alcohol and drug counseling, marital therapy, mental health diagnosis, personality disorders, behavioral therapy, and short-term transitional counseling. Poppy formerly served as the head inpatient mental health therapist at Firelands Hospital. Poppy holds both a B.A. and M.S. degrees, from University of Michigan, and Case Western Reserve University respectively.
Montez McDuffie has been in education for 33 years. Montez spent his first 14 years in the classroom as an elementary teacher and 16 years as a school administrator. Montez currently serves as the gifted services coordinator for a 5 county area in Ohio. Montez has served on the board of United Way for 16 years. He served on the Firelands College Advisory Board, as well as several city and state civic committees.
Nathan Perani holds his Bachelor of Science Degree, majoring in criminal justice from West Liberty State College and his Masters of Science from Tiffin University. Nathan’s work experience encompasses a variety of positions in the criminal justice field. Nathan began his employment as a teacher/counselor, and then assumed employment as an Ohio Juvenile Court probation officer. Nathan was most recently appointed as the Director of Court Services and Director of the Drug Alcohol/Mental Health Court for the Huron County Juvenile Court. Nathan is an adjunct professor for Tiffin University and teaches a wide array of classes in the Criminal Justice Department, both at the graduate and undergraduate level and has published and written curriculum for Tiffin University. Nathan is involved in research in the criminal justice field as well as several community projects including the Board for CIT (Crisis Intervention Training) for Huron and Erie Counties.
Judith A Pflieger is a retired high school counselor. Judy’s areas of interest have been in teen counseling, peer counseling, and at- risk counseling. Currently, she is the youth council advisor for the Sandusky-Erie County Foundation, she is also the scholarship chairperson for Sandusky College Women’s Club. Judy has served many years as a YMCA board member and was the advisor for the Erie County Youth in Government Program.
Cami Shine is a fifteen-year-old sophomore attending Edison High School. Cami has a seventeen-year-old brother, Patrick, and lives with her parents Erin and Steve Shine. Cami loves to be involved in school activities, and when opportunities arise, she enjoys volunteering for her community. Cami is president of her sophomore class and is a member of Student Council, Key Club, Art club, Spanish club, and French club. Cami maintains a 4.0 GPA and is currently ranked seventh in her class. Her past volunteer activities include: working at an autistic children’s camp for two years, “Good Grief” camp for children struggling with loss, and various church functions. Cami has a strong passion for helping children and loves to make a difference in the lives of others.
Jennifer Williamson is a former Huron peer class student. Upon graduation at Huron High School, she attended The University of Toledo where she earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree, majoring in finance and human resource management. After graduation she began her career in St. Louis, MO with Edward Jones as a portfolio manager in their Trust Company. During her time in St. Louis, Jennifer was asked by the firm to head her divisions United Way campaign. In this role, she attended many events and volunteered at facilities that receive United Way donations, including the Ranken Jordan Pediatric Specialty Hospital and Epworth Children and Family Services. Her division and the firm helped to raise $3 million for the United Way of Greater St. Louis. Since then, she has relocated with her husband, Joe, to Avon, OH, where she continues her career with Edward Jones as a field auditor.
