 |
| Recipient | Project Name | Award Category |
| Anji Scarbrough Fort Lauderdale, FL |
Bennett Elementary School Student Council |
Adult Community |
 Anji Scarbrough |
Bennett Elementary is hidden away in Fort Lauderdale and is known as “The Best Kept Secret in Fort Lauderdale.” The school is a “minority school,” made up of many students from South and Central America, India, and China. Furthermore, it is an “A” school. The person one sees when entering the school is Anji Scarbrough, general clerk and receptionist. However, Anji's role at the school far exceeds her job title. In the past 10 years Anji has led the Safety Patrol of fifth graders who enforce the rules, coached the baseball team, published the school newsletter, set up and run the school's impressive website, and has even painted the walls in the administrative wing with “child friendly pictures.” In her work with the Student Council, students learn the importance of community service, business procedures, and how to evaluate and choose where money raised by them will go. The Student Council's list of accomplishments in 2008-2009 was very impressive and even more so when you consider that the members are third through fifth graders. They raised almost $2,000 at a flea market and rummage sale and a Mother's Day Cake Project. Over 2,000 canned goods were collected for donation to the Blessings Food Pantry. |
| In so many ways, Anji makes a difference in the culture of Bennett Elementary and the lives of its students — 70% of whom receive free breakfast and lunch and some who actually live in homeless shelters. |
 Bennett Elementary Safety Patrol |
| Bennett Elementary School Web Site |
| Click here to return to 2009 National Awards Recipients page. |