Bold Idea is excited to announce its Volunteers of the Year for the 2020-2021 program year - Kris Fawcett and John Bianchini.
When deciding on the recipients of this award, we always consider the volunteers who were crucial to our success for the year. Kris and John have gone above and beyond in their contributions to Bold Idea not only this year but the past few years. Their passion for computer science education, care for students, advocacy for Bold Idea, and flexibility to make changes and adapt on the fly make them indispensable to Bold Idea.
Outstanding Mentors: Online and At School
Kris leading demo presentations for virtual students in ideaSpark
Kris Fawcett, a technology professional working at Cardinal Financial, has served as a Mentor and Team Captain with the ideaSpark Coding Clubs since 2018 - both at The Mix Coworking Space and Samuell Grand Community Center. This year, he mentored online for both the fall and spring semesters. Clocking in this year with 175 cumulative volunteer hours, Kris is one of Bold Idea’s longest-serving volunteers. Students and fellow mentors have always had good things to say about Kris. He has an ability to connect with students and help them solve problems and make sure that mentors and students are ready to learn every week.
“Kris is very patient and encouraging. In every session, he made it a priority to solve every issue and answer every question possible. Even when there were times where we were all confused, Kris was able to get us out of any sticky situation we’d find ourselves in one way or another!”
John (far right) at MB Henderson Demo Day event in 2019.
John Bianchini, an IT professional at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, is a Mentor and a Team Captain at our Margaret B Henderson Elementary and Greiner Middle School ideaSpark Coding Clubs in Dallas ISD. John has been working with Bold Idea since 2019 and has been a strong force for Henderson and Greiner’s Coding Clubs’ growth and Bold Idea’s continued relationship with the Federal Reserve Bank. John is dedicated to making sure that all students at Henderson are able to access Bold Idea’s programs and get the most out of the learning experience.
“He has always been there for the kids, supporting and understanding to all the needs of the students. I also have learned from him that sometimes there is a hidden treasure under a child and I was able to see many of the students shine. Some of the students I would not have imagined that they were able to do the work but the kids were engaged and eager to learn. He is the best!!!!!”
Not only do mentors and teachers appreciate John, so do the students! Many mentors have shared how much the students enjoy seeing John each week. When John stepped down from serving as the Team Captain at Henderson Elementary this year, our teacher liaison conveyed that he had to reassure all of the returning students that John would still be around, because they feared not seeing him again.
John and Kris represent the two program branches - in-school and open-enrollment Coding Clubs - where volunteer mentors help students discover and build skills in computer science. Whether they are online, at a local community center, or an after-school club at their school, Bold Idea students get the chance to learn with amazing mentors like Kris and John.
Above and Beyond
Both Kris and John go above and beyond their duties as Mentors or Team Captains, showing their passion for computer science education and being advocates for Bold Idea students.
This past spring, Kris showed true dedication to Bold Idea’s programs, offering to jump to other Clubs that needed extra mentors. Halfway through the spring semester, he willingly took on a mentoring role with another Club and was mentoring twice a week! Through all of this, he still maintained a positive attitude and built relationships with the students in each of his groups.
Kris also has a mind towards supporting Bold Idea’s mission beyond mentoring. Thanks to his advocacy, we received a large number of refurbished laptops. allowing us to start our Laptop Donation Program. During the 2020-2021 program year, 26% of open-enrollment students received a laptop that allowed them to participate in Bold Idea’s programs from home.
John has been a strong advocate for Bold Idea’s programs with the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, recruiting mentors and making sure that each student has what they need to succeed. This spring when we added Greiner Middle School to the Bank’s school support, he worked as a mentor with each mentoring team to ensure that both Clubs ran smoothly.
John and Kris both are volunteers and mentors who have gone above and beyond in their mentorship roles to ensure that our students and our programs are successful. We are fortunate to have them on our team.