Congratulations to Mr. Gene Woodle for earning the Governor's Volunteer Service Award for Asheboro City Schools! Mr. Woodle was selected by Asheboro City Schools to be the nominee for the Governor's Volunteer Service Award to represent the district. Mr. Woodle serves students at Guy B. Teachey Elementary School and secondary students throughout our district through his work with the Village of Barnabas. Below is the sumbission about Mr. Woodle and the Village of Barnabas.
The Village of Barnabas
Inc., is a grassroots volunteer organization comprised of local citizens of Asheboro
and Randolph County in the central region of North Carolina. The Village of
Barnabas was founded in February 2017 with a focus on making a difference in
the lives of young men and women through youth mentoring.
The Village of Barnabas aims to develop skills and characteristics conducive to deploying youth into society as productive leaders and citizens. The group actively seek ways to combat and break generational curses of poverty, lack of education, and incarceration. Mentors from the Village of Barnabas come alongside youth in Asheboro and Randolph County to help them in make positive choices. Volunteers work closely with local schools and educators to make sure the community’s youth are advancing academically, emotionally, and socially. Volunteers work with students to enhance their communication skills, work ethic, interview skills, and they introduce our students to various cultures and communities. Volunteers with the Village of Barnabas also help families understand and become the greatest advocates for their children.
Since the group came together in February 2017, volunteers have influenced the lives of youth in Asheboro and Randolph County in a number of ways. As of December 2018, the Village of Barnabas serves 25 students in middle and high school, with an additional eight applications including elementary students are pending review. In 2017, the Village of Barnabas volunteers and students assisted in packaging food for 25,000 homeless individuals; purchased and distributed Christmas gifts to mentally disabled adults at the Monarch in Biscoe, NC; and delivered Meals on Wheels during the summer of 2017. During the 2018 calendar year, volunteers and youth have been involved in: distributing clothing and food in Greensboro, NC to hurricane victims; provided assistant at the Sunset Church of God in unloading a moving truck and helping with clean-up after a meal at the church; volunteered at the first annual Russ Murphy football camp during the summer of 2018; and attended the Civil Rights tour in Atlanta, GA and Selma and Montgomery, AL. Students also had the opportunity to cross the Pettus Bridge in Selma, the site of “Bloody Sunday.” Students have also participated in tutoring sessions on Monday evenings in the First United Methodist Church youth center, conducted a retreat for kids at Mt. Shepard Campgrounds, and have assisted elderly folks with yard work.
Volunteer mentors are truly making an impact on the students they serve through the Village of Barnabas organization. A number of students have increased their Grade Point Average (GPA) from 1.5 to 2.5 and higher. Three students have avoided In-School Suspension (ISS). Student’s attitudes are improved and several male students have even had the opportunity to participate on the Asheboro High School Blue Comet Football team this year.