Our 2025-26 Recognition of Outstanding Volunteers in the Cedar Rapids Community Schools. This profile information is provided by the nominating school. Congratulations to these volunteers and to all volunteers across CRCSD.
Tania Johnson, Cleveland Elementary School
Tania Johnson is an invaluable asset to the Cleveland Elementary community. Her dedication as a volunteer directly supports both student achievement and classroom environment. Between assisting students and helping with events, she provides essential support that allows teachers to focus on instruction. Her consistent presence in her daughter, Kai Johnson’s, kindergarten classroom goes beyond simple participation; she serves as a reliable mentor and a familiar face, fostering a supportive relationship with students and staff alike.
Teri Schloss, Cedar River Academy
Teri Schloss retired as school nurse from Cedar River Academy and Grant last year, but after devoting her career to serving others, she wanted to continue giving back to the community she has always cared so deeply about. After our building faced challenges sustaining our food pantry, which serves nearly half of the student population due to our high level of need within the community, Teri generously came to help. She volunteered her time weekly to organize and distribute the food pantry bags to more than 60 families each week. Her commitment and reliability ensured the program continued and that our students and families had support to meet their needs outside of school. During her time as our school nurse, Teri built good relationships with staff and students. It’s always nice to see her and we appreciate the service to our community. Her selflessness and support make her deserving of this recognition.
Lynn Rogahn, Erskine Elementary School
While Lynn Rogahn can officially claim one Erskine Eagle as her grandson, she’s managed to adopt our classroom full of kids as her own! “Grandma Lynn” as the 4th graders fondly refer to her volunteers each week in our math class. She’s literally accepted every challenge we’ve thrown her way. Grandma Lynn usually pulls a few kids to play a game that reinforces a new math skill or sits 1:1 with a student to complete a challenging assignment. Once she arrived at the end of our science lesson on Rocks and Minerals and happily offered to help an ELL student finish research on his birthstone. As a former special education teacher, she thrives on meeting students wherever they are and guiding them to success. I’m never surprised when she sends a follow-up email from her time in our classroom, highlighting exciting breakthroughs students have enjoyed, or some silly behaviors that required her extra patience. Her arrival in our room each week is announced by anxious kids hoping to be chosen to go “play” with Grandma Lynn. She’s a treasured member of our math class and the Erskine community.
Briana Castellanos, Grant Elementary School
Briana is a Co-President of our PTA, leading an increase from 5 to 15 members, has taught Junior Achievement for the past two years, and has volunteered her time on multiple occasions, including helping the class make gingerbread houses! She goes above and beyond to help out not only her son’s class but the school as a whole.
Lacey Becker, Hiawatha Elementary School
Melissa has been an active member of the Grant community for Lacey’s connection to Hiawatha runs deep. She is a former Hiawatha student who went on to become a teacher herself before pursuing other professional opportunities. Lacey has continued her passion for education and her commitment to supporting students. For the past several years, Lacey has generously volunteered in Amy Brown’s classroom, working closely with students to strengthen their reading skills. Through small group and partner work, she helps students build both accuracy and fluency, providing them with individualized support and encouragement. Lacey brings not only strong educational knowledge, but also a genuine love for children that students immediately feel when she walks into the room. It is always special when former students return to give back to the place that helped shape them. Lacey’s dedication, kindness, and commitment to our students make a lasting impact on our school community. Hiawatha Elementary is incredibly grateful for her continued support and proud to honor her tonight. Please join me in congratulating and thanking Lacey Becker for her outstanding service to our students and our school.
Ray Gongwer, Hoover Community School
Ray’s volunteer support has a broad and meaningful impact across our school. This is his seventh year. He consistently helps students strengthen their reading and math skills with patience, encouragement, and individualized attention, making learning more accessible and confidence-building. Beyond academics, Ray plays a vital role in supporting our food pantry, ensuring students and families have reliable access to essential resources. What truly sets Ray apart is his constant availability and willingness to step in wherever help is needed. His reliability, versatility, and genuine care for both students and staff make him an invaluable presence in our school.
Mary Rasmussen, Johnson STEAM Academy
Our Outstanding Building Volunteer, Mary Rasmussen, is a truly constant and caring presence in our kindergarten classrooms. Day after day, Mary shows up with patience, warmth, and an unwavering commitment to our youngest learners. She works side by side with teachers, offering an extra set of steady hands and a calm, reassuring voice that makes a world of difference. Whether she is guiding students through early reading skills, helping them sound out tricky words, tying their shoes, wiping tears, or celebrating small victories, Mary brings consistency and compassion to every moment. Our kindergarten students know they can count on her, and that sense of security helps them build confidence as they learn and grow. Teachers deeply appreciate her flexibility, initiative, and the positive energy she brings into the room. Mary doesn’t just volunteer her time—she gives her heart to JSA. Her quiet dedication strengthens our school community and reminds us all of the power of showing up faithfully for children. We are incredibly grateful for the impact she makes each and every day.
Sophie Johansen & Callum Elwood,
Kenwood Leadership Academy
I am thrilled to honor Sophie Johansen and Callum Elwood as our Outstanding Building Volunteers. They are seniors at Kennedy High School and have volunteered in my afternoon preschool class for the entire year. As seniors, they have many ways that they could use their time, but they have chosen to spend countless hours with three, four and five year olds. These high schoolers sit criss cross applesauce on the carpet with their preschool best buddies and help them focus at carpet time. They helped put clothes on the baby dolls during pretend play. They held hands with tiny friends on the way to the playground. They helped mop up spilled milk and then listened and kindly responded to the silliest preschool snack conversations. Most importantly, these two are wonderful role models for our students. How amazing that my students, who are just beginning school, got to learn from two of our soon to be graduating seniors. Every time they walked in the door, our day was better. Thank you so much, Sophie and Callum, for giving us your precious time and for making such a big impact on our preschool class!
Chopper Brown, Nixon Elementary School
We are pleased to recognize Chopper Brown as our Outstanding Building Volunteer for the 2025-2026 school year! Pastor Chopper, as he is known, has been volunteering at Nixon for a ton of years. During his time at Nixon, he develops wonderful relationships with kids, provides support and conversation during lunchtime, and leads an amazing holiday assistance program for Nixon families. He and his volunteer group help clean up the grounds around Nixon before school starts every summer and volunteer at Nixon Family Nights. He and his group also provide meals during parent teacher conferences. We greatly appreciate Pastor Chopper and all of his dedication in making Nixon a great place for everyone! Thank you, Pastor Chopper!
Amy Worden, Pierce Elementary School
It is truly an honor to recognize our Outstanding Building Volunteer, Amy Worden. Amy has been an exceptional parent, partner, and an incredible presence in our school community. From day one, Amy was all in—volunteering for classroom parties, donating supplies and snacks, volunteering on our PTA, basically showing up in every way possible. She always asks, “How can I help?” She has graciously taught Junior Achievement, patiently guiding students through lessons. She goes above and beyond, making it a point to learn every child’s name in just a few short sessions. On a personal note, Amy is someone you feel lucky to know. Staff share that from the very first conversations, her positivity and genuine care stand out. I wholeheartedly agree. She listens, she connects, and she truly cares about our students, our staff, and our families. Our students know her by name. They light up when they see her. Amy is simply the kind of person who makes our school better. Amy, thank you for everything you do. You make us better!
Gennie Martens, Trailside Elementary School
Gennie Marten is truly deserving of Trailside’s Outstanding Building Volunteer honor. As our PTO President, Gennie dedicates countless hours to supporting the Trailside community. Much of her work happens behind the scenes, but its impact is felt by our students, families, and staff every day. Gennie plays a key role in organizing many of Trailside’s favorite PTO events—Movie Night, Bingo, Penny Wars, and so many others that bring our school community together. Thanks to her leadership and organization, these events are not only fun but well-planned and meaningful for everyone involved. She is also constantly thinking about how to support our teachers and staff, helping ensure they have the supplies and resources they need and working closely with the PTO to meet school-wide needs. Gennie is a familiar and trusted presence at Trailside, and her dedication shows in everything she does. Through her leadership, commitment, and care for our school, Gennie helps make Trailside a better place for students, staff, and families alike.
Marie Johnston, Truman Early Learning Center
Marie has a wonderful gift of quilt making. She has shared this talent with us at Truman Early Learning by making students a quilted blanket to use during quiet time. They are beautiful and bring such joy to students as they use these cozy quilts to rest their busy little bodies during a day of learning. In addition to the time she takes to make the quilts, she has donated numerous Hy-Vee receipts and books to help stock our library. She is a true treasure to us at Truman Early Learning.
Julie McLaughlin, Van Buren Elementary School
Julie McLaughlin is truly the heart of volunteerism at Van Buren and is incredibly deserving of our Outstanding Building Volunteer recognition. For the past six to seven years, she has faithfully dedicated her time each week to supporting students and staff in her daughter’s 2nd grade classroom, where her impact is both meaningful and lasting. Julie volunteers for an hour or more each week, helping with clerical tasks and working one-on-one with students to practice reading and high-frequency words. Her patience, kindness, and encouragement help build both skills and confidence. She consistently looks for ways to make life easier for teachers and brighter for students — sharpening every pencil at the start of the year, collecting HyVee receipts to help students earn Book Bonanza books, and donating backpacks, school supplies, treasure box items, and classroom extras. Her generosity extends beyond the classroom. She donates food and funds to the food pantry, provides clothing for the nurse’s office, supports Field Day with supplies and time, and regularly asks how she can help meet emerging needs. Julie gives quietly, consistently, and wholeheartedly. The care she shows her daughter’s classroom reflects her deep commitment to our entire school community. Van Buren is better because of her.
Carrie Gray, Viola Gibson Elementary School
Carrie Gray’s children attended Gibson years ago, and over the past year, she has found a meaningful way to give back to our school community. She began volunteering last year and has continued this year, dedicating multiple days each week to supporting our school in any way needed. Carrie started by coming in one morning a week to listen to students read one-on-one so they could practice fluency. From there, her role quickly grew. She now volunteers at least two times a week, has recruited her daughter to volunteer as well, and supports students far beyond reading. She assists during math instruction, helps students complete their work, and supports all of second grade with many of the behind-the-scenes tasks that help classrooms run smoothly—cutting laminated materials, hanging student work, and helping organize materials for the entire grade level. Carrie first volunteered in the gym during roller skating and has since become the second grade’s “go-to” volunteer. She consistently arrives ready to help, takes on any task we give her, and is always asking, “What can I do next to help?” We truly appreciate all of Carrie’s support; her generosity, flexibility, and dedication have made a lasting impact on both our students and staff.
Doug Van Oort, West Willow Elementary School
Doug Van Oort is a former teacher who has decided to continue to help students grow and learn through volunteering. He has become known to the students as “Grandpa Doug.” Doug is both dedicated and reliable: He consistently shows up with enthusiasm and a willingness to help students however he can. His time and energy have made a lasting difference in students’ experiences with the one-to-one reading support and attention they need. He has had a positive impact on 1st graders at West Willow: His warm, welcoming energy helps every student feel both seen and valued. Students are eager to work with him because of his tremendous patience, kind nature, and endless patience. His weekly work with students has helped them to become more fluent readers through tricky word practice and re-reading stories. Our school is a better place because of volunteers like Doug. His continued dedication as a classroom volunteer from year to year shows he has a heart for service. He is a true picture of what volunteerism looks like in schools, and I hope our students benefit from working with him for many years to come!
Carol Stuckenschneider, Wright Elementary School
We are happy to have Carol Stuckenschneider as our Wright Elementary’s Outstanding Building Volunteer. She has made an incredible impact on our kindergarten classroom as well as the rest of the Wright community through her dedication, kindness, and unwavering support. Every Tuesday and Thursday, she walks through our doors ready to help, bringing with her years of experience and a genuine love for children. Having served as a paraprofessional at Wright Elementary for 11 years before retiring, she continues to share her support in the most generous way. She works closely with students with reading, writing, and classroom activities, always with patience and encouragement. Her calm presence and nurturing spirit create a positive learning environment where children feel supported and confident. She also provides assistance to the classroom teacher during everyday learning, ensuring each child receives the attention they need. She has said that the best part of her week is volunteering in the classroom. Her commitment to our students and school community truly embodies the spirit of what it means to be a volunteer, and we are deeply grateful for the difference she continues to make in the lives of our learners.
Marissa Kolander, Franklin Middle School
Marissa has been a tremendous asset to our school, not only with PTA initiatives but also as a voice for our school to both the Community and to the Board. She is 100% supportive of both the faculty and students and is constantly striving to make Franklin a better place, not just for the time being, but for future generations as well. Thank you, Marissa, for all you do for us!
Sarah Mersch, Harding Middle School
Sarah Mersch is a dedicated and supportive parent volunteer who generously gives her time on Saturdays to help with show choir performances. She plays a key role in assisting with costumes, helping students with quick changes, and keeping everything running smoothly behind the scenes. Sarah also helps organize and maintain the costume room, making sure costumes are sorted, labeled, and ready for performances. Her positive attitude, attention to detail, and willingness to jump in wherever help is needed make a big difference on busy performance days. Both students and staff benefit greatly from her commitment, and her support is an important part of the show choir program’s success.
Ashley Baird, McKinley STEAM Academy
McKinley is proud to recognize Ashley Baird for her outstanding dedication and service to our school community. As the Vice President of McKinley United (PTO) and a founding board member of the McKinley Athletic Club (MAC), Ashley plays a vital role in supporting both our academic and athletic programs. She manages the MAC and PTO social media, helping tell McKinley’s story in the community and keeping families informed, engaged, and connected. Ashley is a constant presence at school events, always showing up to support students, staff, and families. She generously volunteers her time throughout the year—running concessions, supporting school events, and stepping in wherever help is needed. In collaboration with other dedicated volunteers, she helped bring back the BEAR Walk, McKinley’s largest fundraiser, strengthening school spirit and community involvement. Ashley is a passionate advocate for McKinley, and her leadership, teamwork, and commitment have made a lasting impact on our school. We are incredibly grateful for all she does.
Kate Weber,
Roosevelt Creative Corridor Business Academy
Kate Weber has been a tremendous support and resource to the staff and students of Roosevelt Creative Corridor Business Academy for the past two years. Kate has dedicated her personal time to providing professional learning and coaching to our leadership team, as well as facilitating professional learning for our student leadership team on the 5Es, which are modeled after Van Meter’s 5Ps, where Kate is the Human Resources Manager. Kate was also integral in supporting Roosevelt in acquiring a generous donation that has provided over 100 free haircuts thus far, with more than 100 haircuts planned before the end of the school year. Kate has also joined us at several student celebrations, recognizing students for their leadership and contributions to a positive school climate. Kate is a valuable asset to the Cedar Rapids community and school district. We are honored to have her as a member of our team and as Roosevelt’s Outstanding Building Volunteer.
Megan Heims, Taft Middle School
Megan has been an amazing volunteer at Taft this year. She has worked hard to analyze potential improvements that can be made at Taft this year and has found creative ways for the PTA and Taft staff to work together for the betterment of our staff and students! Through collaboration with admin, secretarial staff, and teachers, Megan has successfully updated Taft’s school store, created a fun field day for all students in the spring, and implemented multiple layers of support to help teachers. Megan clearly cares for the teachers, students, and support staff at Taft, and everyone has benefited from her time as a volunteer. Thank you for all you do to make Taft great!
Jessie Owens, Wilson Middle School
Jessie is not only a dedicated parent, but also a proud alumni and valued community partner. She consistently goes above and beyond in her service to Wilson. Jessie has devoted numerous volunteer hours and has played a key role in gathering donations. From financial contributions to food for staff and students, and essential items for our community pantry, she has helped to ensure that our school community has the resources it needs to thrive. She has been instrumental in getting the Wilson PTO up and running, helping to build a strong foundation for continued family and community involvement. Jessie has been incredibly reliable, passionate about our mission, and has a “get things done” attitude. She takes initiative and challenges us to do more for our school community.
Kelly Koppel, City View High School
Kelly supports City View’s learning model by helping develop our dynamic scheduling system. She has developed a practical solution for coordinating students’ varied schedules, including Kirkwood dual enrollment classes, internships, job shadows, and community projects, that would otherwise be difficult to manage manually. Her work enables students to access personalized learning pathways that combine traditional coursework with real-world experiences. Beyond the technical coordination, she builds genuine relationships with students, helping them identify and work toward their post-graduation goals. Her consistent presence and problem-solving approach have made our flexible learning model more functional and accessible for both students and staff.
Tara Olsen, Jefferson High School
As our inaugural Event Coordinator, Tara Olsen is doing more than coordinating logistics; she is designing a culture of belonging. She intentionally takes daunting ‘specialty projects’–from sewing 30 practice flags to constructing a 30-yard flyover–and turns them into collaborative opportunities. She spends countless hours behind the scenes, not only planning our events and organizing teams to execute them flawlessly, but she also leads our Uniform Team. She spends countless hours ensuring that students get measured and uniforms are tailored to fit, cleaning and washing color guard flags, and leading a team of parents to ensure every student is outfitted to look their best on the field and on the stage. Beyond these specific roles, she is an active problem-solver and helps in designing other program-wide initiatives. Her counsel actively shapes the future of the Jefferson band program and the Jefferson Band Parents Association. What sets Tara apart, though, is her intentionality with our newest parents. She doesn’t just find them something to do; she deliberately invites them into our organization and then ensures they feel seen, valued, and essential. She is fostering a culture of appreciation and a community of parents who support the students in the Jefferson band program.
Amy Blomquist, Kennedy High School
Amy has not just led but taken complete ownership of improving our gardens, trees, and entire landscape at Kennedy. Between the summer and fall of 2025, she herself has put in close to 100 hours, and organized probably around 500 man-hours of volunteer labor, to get all of our garden beds cleaned up, covered, mulched, and added dozens of new bushes and plants. And then she went and got a $2500 grant from the DNR and an additional $500 from Raining Rose to plant over 25 new trees on our campus, which took place this last fall! We are eternally grateful for the dedication she and her family have shown to this project and the support of the PTO as well!
Josiah McClurg, Metro High School
Josiah is an engineer at Collins Aerospace and has been volunteering with the METRO Robotics team and the METRO STEAM Academy for the past two school years. His experience and curious nature make him a natural fit supporting and leading students in project-based learning. Josiah and his employer generously provide 2 hours a week of Josiah’s schedule to volunteer at METRO. We are so thankful to have Josiah providing mentorship and project support to our students. Coding, automated systems, the FarmBot, Arduino Microcontrollers, and a host of other projects have benefited from Josiah’s guidance and support.
Ann Day, Washington High School
Ann Day has been an exceptional asset to Washington High School through her long-standing service with our athletic booster organization, the Washington Athletic Club (WAC). For many years, Ann has generously volunteered her time in the concessions stand, directly supporting fundraising efforts for our athletic programs. She previously served as President of the WAC, where she provided strong leadership and oversight for numerous events, including a golf outing, the homecoming parade and bonfire, and junior-level basketball and volleyball tournaments. WAC provides critical financial support to all 23 sanctioned sports at Washington High School, making Ann’s contributions vital to the success and growth of our athletic programs. Her dedication and leadership have expanded opportunities for our student-athletes and strengthened the overall athletic experience at WHS. The impact of her service is immeasurable, and we are deeply grateful for the countless hours she has devoted to our school community.
Ashley Nohns, Home School Assistance Program
Ashley has been a key contributor to our Robotics team this year. Her exceptional work and unwavering support have been instrumental to the success of The White Arrows. Ashley consistently goes above and beyond, dedicating countless hours to mentoring students, organizing logistics, and ensuring all team members have the resources they need to thrive. During the First Lego League season, she acted like a mom to all the kids, not just her own kids. Sometimes students would get frustrated, but Ashley knew what to do to calm them down and was patient even when the kids yelled at the robots! She fosters an environment of collaboration and passion, making her an invaluable, inspirational force within the team.
Jenna Jandik, Grant Wood Elementary
Outstanding District Volunteer/Governor’s Volunteer Award Honoree
Jenna has quietly gone above and beyond to help enrich and positively affect the lives of all of our students and staff. For the last three years, Jenna has helped lead our Ice Cream Social and Bingo for Books, which are two popular events that are well attended by many families. She has also led the Staff Appreciation program, where the staff is spoiled throughout the year, along with being honored during our annual Staff Appreciation week. Jenna has been a constant classroom volunteer, where she has used her teaching background to help with small groups of Kindergartners and 2nd graders with math, along with any other needs the teachers may have. Ms. Evan-Schwartz, a 2nd grade teacher, added, “Jenna provides a calming presence that helps students stay engaged in their learning regardless of what is going on during and outside of the time she is with them.” Lastly, when the funding was cut for Challenge to Change, Jenna and her mom created their own curriculum to continue to bring mindfulness skills to all students. When asked what the greatest benefit of volunteering is, Jenna replied, “I feel that the greatest benefit is being part of a community of people at Grant Wood who want to bring a great school experience to our kids!”
Each year, a committee from the Volunteer Office selects one outstanding volunteer from all of the building honorees to be named the “District Outstanding Volunteer of the Year.” We are pleased to announce that Jenna Jandik has been selected for this year’s honor. She will also be the District’s designated recipient of the 2026 Iowa Governor’s Award for Volunteerism. Governor Reynolds will present these awards this summer. Congratulations, Jenna!!