Julie Waldron honored for outstanding volunteer service

By Anya Tikka
MILFORD — Each year, the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), along with the National Retired Teachers Association, recognizes outstanding volunteers nationally by giving out awards to individuals and school districts.

This year, Delaware Valley School District’s Julie Waldron, a retired teacher who’s been volunteering with the Delaware Valley Elementary School’s fifth-graders’ TV and Newspaper club for years received an award, and the young reporter volunteers who belong to the club came with her to the ceremony at the Oct. 9 meeting.

Waldron volunteers her time with the group that meets an hour after and an hour before the school starts.

“Sharon (Siegel) did a write-up on me, and I won one of the National Awards," Waldron explained. "She is the brains behind the whole DVE/TV project.”

She said she was proud and honored to receive the award.

Board of Education President Pamela Lutfy praised Waldron's service in her speech at the meeting.

Siegel is an Instructional Assistant at the school also does publicity and media, school website, and the memory book.

“We do a live TV show every morning in the school, and Judie volunteers with us," Siegel said. "We also have a newspaper called ‘After School.' Some of the kids stay one hour late and come one hour early to do the shows. For the monthly newspaper, they research, and write newspaper stories.”

The club has gone on several trips all over the country, including Washington, D.C.

The club only accepts fifth graders, advertising at the end of previous school year. Those who sign up can also take a summer club for two weeks prior to school starting, "to get a jump start."