ALY '13 help students get volunteer info.

How can youth address bullying?  That was the ALY class of 2013's big question when developing their team project.  They decided to partner with Franciscan Health System's Youth Violence Prevention Initiative and focus on using the influence they have as teenagers to be positive examples for their peers, as well as younger students.

After months of training, planning, research and grass roots organizing, the class held their big event, One Day Federal Way - Mission: VolunTEEN.

Over 200 high school students turned out on February 19th - a school holiday - to learn about the powerful impact of bullying and how they can take a stand.  Attendees were cheered into Federal Way High School and given goodie bags with info and munchies.  After watching a short video about bullying created by ALY '13, the huge group of teens participated in an activity that gave them a taste of feeling vulnerable, pushed around and left out in a big school.  After shows of support from Federal Way Mayor Skip Priest and St. Francis Hospital President Tony McLean, keynote speaker Erin Jones, Director of Equity and Achievement at Federal Way Public Schools, shared her personal experiences - as a child, young adult and parent - with bullying.

After taking in the information, the students were called to take action.  ALY 13 created a pledge for them to sign, then encouraged them to get involved in their community as volunteers.  Six organizations were ready at their booths with volunteer info - and every booth was quickly mobbed by enthusiastic youth.  Opportunities included tutoring other students with the Federal Way Libraries, serving families at the Multi-Service Center food and clothing banks, helping patients at St. Francis Hospital, leading summer camps for kids at the Federal Way Community Center, educating people about recycling at Recycle Federal Way and organizing student blood drives with Cascade Regional Blood Services.

Visit the ALY Current Class page on our site to take the pledge, link to video, pix & more.

Trise Moore, AL '04

When Trise Moore, AL '04, came to a community meeting as a concerned parent in 2003, she had no idea she was beginning a personal and professional journey that would touch families across the country.

The meeting was held by Federal Way Public Schools to discuss parent involvement and its impact on student equity and achievement.  One meeting became a series, and the result was the creation of a new department with one paid employee.  Trise was hired to be the director of the district's Family & Community Partnership Office.

At the same time Trise began her new job at the school district, she was also accepted into AL '04.  The servant leadership model she practiced with her class, was well suited for her work with parents - especially "enabling others to act."

"My AL experience helped me personally realize the great value of supporting the leadership development of other parents, so that they could then model leadership as partners in the schools on behalf of their children."

By pulling in parents and supportive school staff from the beginning, Trise has run the department as a team effort.  The team developed their mantra for parents: "Be informed; be prepared; be involved."   This message is at the heart of all their outreach.  Although Trise is still the only paid district staff, she now has Americorps Vista Family Liaisons at six schools, as well as dozens of parent volunteers.

ALY grads Noory - '06, Nimo - '11, Alaina - '12

After graduating from ALY, students have 1-2 more years to get involved in leadership at their high schools.  Thanks to the Running Start program, there are also many ALY grads who take immediate advantage of leadership opportunities at community colleges.

Take a look at student leadership at Highline Community College.  This year, Nimo Azeez, ALY '11, is the Associated Students of HCC President.  Her duties include representing the student voice to Highline's administration and board of trustees, provide leadership opportunities for other students, and reporting legislative issues relevant to students. 

"I enjoy building relationships with other students and administration," Nimo explains.  "I learn so much from others, which helps me become a resource for other students."  This month, she went to Olympia for the Community and Technical College Student Legislative Rally, a new and enlightening experience for her.

Nimo works regularly with other student leaders, including Alaina Burke, ALY '12, a Highline Student Ambassador.  Alaina's job includes giving campus tours to prospective students, and visiting area high schools to give presentations on the opportunities available at HCC.

"I really love talking to people in this position," Alaina told us. "ALY really helped me get interested in working with and helping my local community... I have been able to become a better leader, and help other people realize that they are great leaders too."

Nimo also sees a clear connection between her ALY training and her effectiveness as ASHCC President. "ALY I learned a lot about working in teams to accomplish tasks, whether that is a large project or smaller day to day tasks. Also, in ALY I was exposed to the community in ways that I didn't know existed before, as well as local government, which helps when looking at legislative issues. The leadership foundation I gained through ALY has benefited me in building relationships because a lot of HCC is familiar with the program."

In fact, Nimo and Alaina's supervisor is very familiar with ALY - she's an alum as well. Leadership Advisor Noory Kim, ALY '06, has moved from student leader to HCC leadership staff, an exciting discovery for the younger alums.  As a long-time sponsor, Highline has also sent many employees through the AL adult program.