Monroe Clark, Kearny, Mira Mesa, Pershing volunteers top Donornation competition

Grand Prize winner Hermelinda Figueroa from Monroe Clark Middle School walked away with a $5,000 check from DonorNation for her school as the online fundrasing platform held its School Volunteer of the Year competition.

Hermelinda Figueroa

Jerry Butkiewicz

Other winners from San Diego Unified were Jerry Butkiewicz from Kearny Construction Tech Academy; Barbara Shortill of Mira Mesa High; and Kathy Monroe from Pershing Middle School.

Additional prizes included a year's worth of groceries from Sprouts Farmers Market, season passes for La Jolla Playhouse, and a family membership to The New Children's Museum.

Grand Prize Winner Figueroa has been volunteering to help improve the future for students in City Heights for 18 years – while raising her three grandchildren. She is a strong student advocate who encourages inter-generational participation in community and cultural programs, such as “Latinos and Latinas in Action” and IRC's “New Roots,” City Heights Community Farm. She is passionate about encouraging students to go to college, to become self-sufficient and successful. She remains dedicated to increasing parent involvement and engagement with teachers, staff and community members to maximize opportunities for all students to achieve the highest level of success.

Second runner-up Jerry Butkiewicz has been a tirelessly energetic volunteer who embraced his own former struggles in school to connect with students facing adversity. Since 2001, he has volunteered as a mentor and role model for these underserved students. Butkiewicz works countless hours spearheading career programs, organizing field trips, and finding businesses to support real-life experiences to provide students at Kearny High Contraction Tech Academy with a strong foundation for future success.

Other winners were: People's Choice (Category 3), Barbara Shortill of Mira Mesa High School; and Honorable Mention, Cathy Monroe of Pershing Middle School.
For more information about DonorNation's 2013-14 School Volunteer of the Year Awards, visit http://www.donornation.org/award

DonorNation is the "Marketplace with a Heart" where every purchase or donation of goods and services benefits schools and nonprofits. The San Diego-based company helps unlock the power of the community by providing its users with the tools to provide a sustainable source of funding for schools and nonprofit organizations while supporting community-minded businesses. Visit www.donornation.org for more information.