By: Pamela Stern
March was proclaimed Women’s History Month to highlight the achievements of women in history. This also coincides with International Women’s Day on March 8th. President Jimmy Carter issued a presidential proclamation in 1980 declaring the week of March 8, as National Women’s History Week. This weeklong celebration transitioned into a month when the National Women’s History Project petitioned Congress in 1987. Congress designated the month of March 1987 as Women’s History Month. Congress passed additional resolutions between 1988 and 1994 requesting the president to proclaim March of each year as Women’s History Month. Since 1988, U.S. presidents have issued annual proclamations designating the month of March as Women’s History Month.
The Spring Creek Sun would like to highlight the achievements of some of Spring Creek Towers Influential Women.
Tammy Moore, Executive Director of Starrett Early Learning Center (SELC)
How long have you been working with Spring Creek Towers?
I started in July 2018.
What do you enjoy most about working with SELC?
As an educator first, with over 25 years of experience, I get extreme joy of now being able to pay it forward to my teaching staff. I am able to share a wealth of knowledge and wisdom to educators who may one day also lead a school.
What do you like do for fun?
I enjoy my down time! Binging on a Netflix series on a Saturday afternoon in my pajamas with my favorite hot cheddar popcorn is a true delight! My life outside of leading SELC is just as busy, so I value the moments when I can just sit and relax.
Who has been an inspiration to you or whom do you look up to?
I truly admire my mother. Mommy passed away in 2015. She was the ‘Shero’ of my siblings and I. She was also loved by so many. As a single parent, she worked a full-time job and raised 7 biological children. Mommy also became an emergency foster parent to several young children. Mommy eventually adopted the last child she fostered who was 8 years old at the time. She raised her as if she gave birth to her and today she is a thriving 39-year-old woman. My mom invested time, love and instilled a set of core values in each of her children. To this day, I honor them all! Mommy will always be my inspiration!
Nanda Prabhakar, Executive Director of The Opportunity Hub
How long have you been working with Spring Creek Towers?
I joined the Spring Creek Towers community in July 2021. It somehow feels as though I just started yesterday, and as though I have been here forever.
What do you enjoy most about working with The Opportunity Hub, Teen Central and the Young Adults Program?
The absolute best part of leading The Opportunity Hub is having the chance to be a part of this amazing community. Spring Creek Towers is truly unique. I am constantly learning new things about the neighborhood and am inspired daily by residents and community members. I have been in the nonprofit and social service sector for over 20 years and spent most of that time working with young people. Our Teen Central and Young Adults Program members are insightful, passionate, and hilarious. Our young people bring energy and creativity to program every day and it is a privilege to be invited to not only hear about their dreams and goals, but to help them achieve those goals.
What do you like do for fun?
I love learning, exploring new places, and experiencing new things. Whether that means travel, wandering around new-to-me neighborhoods, volunteering in my community, checking out an art exhibit, or trying a new restaurant.
Who has been an inspiration to you or whom do you look up to?
I am lucky to have a number of strong women in my life who have been mentors and role-models. One of those people is my former boss, Debbie Lashley. Debbie helped me grow, forced me to challenge myself, and taught me how to be an empathetic leader. My mother is also a huge inspiration, pursuing a career in STEM decades before women were encouraged to do so and constantly encouraging my sisters and I to defy expectations.
Eurydice Robinson, Director of Youth Development and Community Outreach
How long have you been working with Spring Creek Towers?
Eleven Years
What do you enjoy most about working with the different Youth Programs and the Community?
I love working with the different youth programs, onsite schools, and extended community to provide continuous support and insight where best needed to keep staff, students, and parents engaged, overly satisfied with all of our program offerings with the hopes of having long lasting relationships and connections.
I love creating and developing strategic partnerships with the onsite schools, connecting implementing programs that enrich our student’s learning. I love to expose our scholars to experiences they ordinarily would be exposed to within their community.
What do you like do for fun?
I love to work with my hands to create leather goods and different crafts.
Who has been an inspiration to you or whom do you look up to?
I am inspired by many women in my family in addition to my work family. I am always amazed to how they are able to work together to produce and make an impact on the young people we serve. We work tirelessly with many of the onsite school principals and faculty to help support and grow our students to get them to the next level. I would like to thank all of my talent staff and vendors from SCCC After School, Judo, Orchestra and the computer lab iGotItToo, of women and men whom work endlessly to stretch themselves to provide quality services to our students.
Jetaun Washington, Assistant Starrett Judo Club Coach
How long have you been working with Spring Creek Towers?
I have been working for the Starrett Judo Club for five years.
What do you enjoy most about working with Starrett Judo Club?
What I love most about working for Starrett Judo Club is the kinship we developed with the staff, children and families. It has become our comfort zone in life, this is what the world needs and we found it here.
What do you like do for fun?
I enjoy quality time with my kids.
Who has been an inspiration to you or whom do you look up to?
I can certainly call myself blessed when it comes to the individuals in my life I look up to. There are many individuals who inspire me in so many ways. But, if I had to chose it would be my Grandmother.
Larissa Blitz, Violin Instructor of the SCT Youth Symphony
How long have you been working with Spring Creek Towers?
I started working with the Spring Creek Towers in January 2000 to help Mr. Hunter with the violin class because at that time there were too many students for one instructor to handle.
What do you enjoy most about working with SCT Youth Symphony?
I think the best thing about working with the Youth Symphony in SCT is creating the sense of a very special community for our students along with giving them a gift of music, developing so many different skills that help them in life.
What do you like do for fun?
There are so many things: I love art, visual art, so for me going to museums, sculpture parks, and galleries is an absolute necessity. I love history and architecture just walking down the streets, looking at buildings and trying to learn their history is a treat.
I am really passionate about traveling, learning and enjoying new places, new cultures is also absolutely essential for me. I love Nature and enjoy very much my long walks in the woods with my dog. I love photography and taking many pictures of the beautiful things all around us. I love my family and friends and spending time with them, I also love cooking and reading.
Who has been an inspiration to you or whom do you look up to?
I think the person who I admire the most and look up to is my mother: I admire her beauty, her strength, her knowledge, her very inquisitive mind and her young spirit. I am blessed to still have her around and spending as much time with her as I possibly can.
Randi Ray, Assistant Site Director for Spring Creek After School Program
How long have you been working with Spring Creek Towers?
I have been with the Spring Creek After School Family for seven fun and growing years.
What do you enjoy most about working with Spring Creek After School Program?
I enjoy seeing the children’s enlightened faces when we are able to provide them with the opportunities to grow through their creativity and fun learning experiences.
What do you like do for fun?
I like to take time to explore new things such as food, places, and even ideas.
Who has been an inspiration to you or whom do you look up to?
I have to say my biggest inspiration is the children of the program. They have taught me how to be fearless, and continue to reach my fullest potential therefore, I can be the person they would want to be when they get older. I have to say I look up to Ms. Eurydice Robinson, she is full of wisdom and great inspiration.
Shakesha Williams, Group Leader of Spring Creek After School Program?
How long have you been working with Spring Creek Towers?
I have been working for the Spring Creek After School Program on and off for two years. I started a year before the pandemic and I am currently working there.
What do you enjoy most about working with Spring Creek After School Program?
Working with Spring Creek After School Program brings me peace. I enjoy working with the younger kids. My babies! I love to teach them and guide them into their own little personalities through communication, art, and expressing themselves. Mostly teaching them new cool interesting things using educational techniques.
What do you like to do for fun?
I’m a full time hairstylist and I love what I do! It’s my happy place. I also love art and recreating things.
Who has been an inspiration to you or whom do you look up to?
My mom. She’s the goat that’s the only way I can sum it up. She inspires me to be this amazing, talented, business, intelligent woman. She is a cool MOM!
Jacqueline Martinez, is a Teaching Artist in the Spring Creek After School Program
How long have you been working with Spring Creek Towers?
I’ve been working with Spring Creek Towers for six months now.
What do you enjoy most about working with Spring Creek After School Program?
I enjoy working with Spring Creek After School Program’s children. I love being with my 4th and 5th graders.
What do you like to do for fun?
I’m a nerd so my down time consists of gaming, reading comics, watching anime, and watching horror movies.
Who has been an inspiration to you or whom do you look up to?
My inspirations are artist Fridah Kahlo and film maker Guillermo del Toro. Fridah is known for sharing her pain and trauma on the canvas uncensored and unfiltered, regardless of how others felt; and for del Toro, he loves to show how humanity is cruel and ugly while the creatures he creates are the victims of society’s unfairness and traumas.
LaShonda Braithwaite, is a Program Coach in the Spring Creek After School Program
How long have you been working with Spring Creek Towers?
I have been working with Spring Creek Afterschool Program for four years now.
What do you enjoy most about working with Spring Creek After School Program?
I enjoy interacting with the students and staff. Working in the Spring Creek After School Program allows me to showcase my different skills, talents, and creativity. I enjoy that we are a family-oriented program.
What do you like to do for fun?
I enjoy cooking and baking. I like to plan events for my family and friends.
Who has been an inspiration to you or whom do you look up to?
My Mother has been a great inspiration to me. She has taught me so much about life and education. She educated me about how important it is to have a good heart and care for others because the reward is always going to be good. She has shown me how to a great mother and amazing educator. My mother has accomplished so much that it inspires me to achieve my goals and more.
Kaitlyn Suggs, Assistant Counselor of the Spring Creek After School Program
How long have you been working with Spring Creek Towers?
I have been working with the Spring Creek Towers Afterschool Program as an Assistant Counselor since the beginning of the 2022-2023 school year. I have previously worked at Spring Creek Teen Central as a Summer Activity Coordinator during the summers of 2021 and 2022.
What do you enjoy most about working with Spring Creek After School Program?
What I like about Spring Creek After School is being able to interact and bond with the students as a role model.
What do you like to do for fun?
In my free time, I love to write, create jewelry, and go shopping.
Who has been an inspiration to you or whom do you look up to?
The person I look up to most is definitely is my mom. More than anything, I have always seen her as a role model and the person I can always confide in.
Gazaria Moore, is the Program Office Assistant to the Spring Creek After School Program
How long have you been working with Spring Creek Towers?
One year and eight months
What do you enjoy most about working with Spring Creek After School Program?
I enjoy being an older sibling to the kids that I interact with. When I come into work it makes me happy that certain kids confide in me and open themselves up because in this day and age a lot of children are closed off or they do not have anyone to talk to. It makes me feel like a better person that I am helping these kids through life.
What do you like to do for fun?
Outside of Spring Creek After School, I enjoy doing my friend’s lashes and also hanging out with my friends and going through different adventures with them. It is my way of experiencing the world with the people that I care about.
Who has been an inspiration to you or whom do you look up to?
My grandmother, who recently passed, was one of the biggest inspirations to me. Through anything life threw at her she made sure she lived by “If there’s something that you want to do, do it.”
Photos are courtesy of each individual
