Victoria Cerulli
Alvernia University
Ms. Cerulli, a junior Elementary Education major, has demonstrated substantial leadership abilities during her time at Alvernia, managing a wide variety of community engagement activities with other students. She is an inspiring young woman with exceptional ability in community engagement and a notable ability to seek long-term solutions for civic issues.
As the long-time President of the Circle K Club at Alvernia, a campus organization associated with Kiwanis International, Ms. Cerulli has repeatedly shown superior leadership abilities. Under her presidency Circle K not only grew substantially, but also increased the number and impact of their community events. Perhaps the most significant activity of Circle K was raising funds to provide rocking chairs for kindergarten classrooms in the Reading School District, one of the poorest school districts in the country.
In addition to her work with Circle K, Ms. Cerulli has been among the most committed participants in Alvernia's elementary outreach programs with the Reading School District through the South Reading Youth Initiative. Ms. Cerulli's involvement and positive impact is impressive indeed. She is among the students I most esteem at Alvernia, and as such it is my pleasure to recommend her for this prestigious award.
Personal Statement
After applying to the Tyson Schoener after-school program during my freshman year of college I never imagined the amazing impacts this program-both the children and the staff--would have on me. My goal for programming has always been to take a position with more leadership. I feel lucky with the position that I am in and that I am able to be involved first hand in the shaping of a small portion of the youth in Reading. The children at programming brighten up my days in a way that no one else can. All I have ever wanted out of programming is to give them everything that I can because they deserve it. Those children have taught me so much about myself and have helped shape my future career choices as well as taught me the importance of patience and compassion. Overall, I am extremely thankful for my experiences that this program has given me so far, and the privilege of helping students who need it.
