By Laura Revelt –
Successful at helping others.
Recognized for their hard work and giving spirit, Natasha Fletcher, a senior, and Barb Rathbone-Frank, a science teacher at Penn Manor, were nominated for Serteen Member and Serteen Adviser of the Year Awards.
Fletcher has been a member of the Penn Manor Serteen Club for three years, and the 2010-2011 school year she was the club secretary. Two Serteen Members, Jen Rote and Bri Rice, nominated Fletcher after a local Sertoma representative suggested the club to select someone worthy of the National Serteen Member of the Year Award.
“I knew she (Fletcher) was doing a lot of stuff and I didn’t think she was being recognized all that much,” said Rice.
Fletcher won the Regional Serteen Member of the Year Award.
“I’m very elated to know that my club recognizes my efforts,” said Fletcher.
As secretary, Fletcher is in charge of coordination with the club adviser, Rathbone-Frank, and helping to organize the club meetings.
“I make the weekly agenda to inform the members what’s going on,” said Fletcher. “I coordinate with the club president, Stef Friedman, about what’s going to happen.”
Fletcher has also participated in various community service opportunities with the club and was even a chairperson at a few of them. She helped chair the Winter Formal, a dance to raise money for a Penn Manor Family in need, in January and was the chairperson of Penn Manor’s Toys for Tots involvement the last two years in a row.
“It’s definitely taught me the value of being a good citizen and being aware of those in need,” explained Fletcher.
“What Natasha does is that she is one of those quiet people who work behind the scenes,” said Rathbone-Frank. “The average person wouldn’t know that she does what she does.”
Here at Penn Manor the Serteen club focuses on community involvement and service by helping out at or running school functions, local fundraisers and Sertoma projects. Rathbone-Frank was also won the Regional Serteen Adviser of the Year Award.
Rathbone-Frank has helped with Serteen Club the last couple of years. Mr Luft, a math teacher at Penn Manor, had been the Adviser before her,but Rathbone-Frank has been the head Adviser the last two years.
Serteen club is the teenage version of Sertoma. Sertoma is a national organization that provides, “service to mankind” (sertoma.org).
“Certainly the most important thing is the people we help,” expressed Rathbone-Frank.
“It is a good club to teach students to give back and the importance of community involvement, ” said Fletcher.
“I think its (involvement with the club) a good skill for later in life,” said Rathbone-Frank. “Basically they(the students) learn how to be leaders.”
“I’m in awe of how poised and confident and business-like the seniors are when they’re done,” said Rathbone-Frank.
Rathbone-Frank and Fletcher, with her family, will be attending the Split Rock Resort in the Pocono Mountains, Pennsylvania, May 7-8 for an award ceremony and a weekend at the resort.
“They are providing a lunch and dinner for Mrs. Rathbone and me,” said Fletcher. “Lancaster Sertoma is paying for the room. It is really nice of them.”
Serteen is a way for students to practice altruism, but a little recognition for their efforts is always nice. Congratulations Mrs. Rathbone-Frank and Natasha!