The Junior Leadership Board
The mission of the Junior Leadership Board (JLB) is to connect high school students with Children’s through volunteering, fundraising and learning about the medical industry from our leaders.
Knowing high school students have a lot on their plate, Children’s provides many different opportunities for involvement throughout the year. In addition to opportunities to visit playrooms and participate in board meetings, members are also given the chance to help out at events that Children’s sponsors or hosts like the Red Balloon Run & Ride and the Children’s Medical Center Holiday Parade. Members receive community service hours for participating in JLB activities that can be applied toward their high school service requirements.
“We encourage the whole board to volunteer regularly,” Michelle Gross, staff advisor for the JLB, said. “They don’t have to, and we certainly understand their busy schedules. But they certainly can if they’re willing and have the time.”
About Us
The JLB was established in 2010 by a teenager named Caroline Cooper who saw an opportunity for high school students to make a difference for Children’s.
Cooper believed that her peers could not only help by volunteering at the hospital but also by fundraising for our not-for-profit medical center. She realized, too, that teens would benefit from learning about the inner-workings of the medical environment and fulfilling community service requirements.
So, she reached out to high school students from around the Dallas area and found a group of likeminded friends from several different schools. They set goals for the JLB to raise funds annually and for each member to volunteer at Children’s at least five hours a month.
During the first year, the JLB created an annual Christmas toy drive for patients at the hospital. Subsequent years have seen the group raise funds through sales of a Children’s homecoming mum ribbon, change drives and special events with guest speakers like Dallas Cowboys coach Jason Garrett.
“It’s cool to see how the group has grown and made a difference since it started,” Kathryn Stouffer, 2012 president and member of the inaugural board, said. “We’ve really been able to make an impact.”
How to Get Involved
Board selection for the 2012-13 school year is complete. If you know a high school student in the Dallas area age 16 or older by Sept. 1 of 2013 who would be interested in becoming a member of the JLB for the 2013-14 school year, please encourage him or her to fill out this application and submit it to jlb@childrens.com along with references. Applicants will be notified if they were selected for membership in April 2013.
