White House, Kiwanis members to discuss ways to improve communities

WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 29, 2015) – The K-Kids Club of Pinecrest School in Annandale, Virginia (sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Tysons Corner/McLean, Virginia) will be ONE OF 34 clubs at the White House this week as Kiwanis International participates in a Community Leader Briefing to discuss the issues impacting communities. The Community Leader Briefing is a unique opportunity for grassroots leaders to come to Washington and further the conversation between White House officials and those in the community.

The Pinecrest School K-Kids Club, sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Tysons Corner/McLean, was selected to participate because the club has been effective at improving communities through a signature service project. The K-Kids Club of Pinecrest School’s signature service projects include monthly visits to the local Golden Living Assisted Living home, quarterly clean-ups of their Adopt-a-Highway road on Alpine Drive in Alexandria, food drives for Food for Others and other drives for local people in need, and fundraising efforts for worthy causes like JDRF, St. Jude’s Children Research Hospital and The Eliminate Project – the Kiwanis and Unicef partnership to eliminate maternal/neonatal tetanus from the 24 countries still affected by this deadly disease. The Pinecrest School K-Kids Club is the top raising elementary school group in the district of Virginia, Maryland, Delaware and Washington, D.C.

Club members attending the Community Leader Briefing are: sixth grader Jackson Tomasco who serves as club president as well as Head of School Nicole McDermott (also a member of the sponsoring Kiwanis Club of Tysons Corner/McLean) and Computer Teacher Jayne Cantor, both of whom advise the K-Kids group.

“I want to make this clear. It’s not only me making a difference, you should all be honored,” Tomasco, 12, told his peers last week at the K-Kids meeting.

“This is a great opportunity for our Pinecrest K-Kids Club to share the story of our work and commitment and demonstrate how they have made a difference to our school and broader community. Our students are very proud to be K-Kids members. A fifth grader recently said, ‘K-Kids makes us all better,’” McDermott proudly shared. “This kind of recognition is wonderful for our students and their families, but it also helps inspire other clubs and individuals to make the same commitment to making a difference.”

Each of the more than 16,000 Kiwanis family clubs assesses the needs of its community and finds the best way to make a difference. Some of the projects include reading to children, organizing the local sports league and making pediatric patients’ hospital stays better.

“For 100 years, the members of Kiwanis International have devoted themselves to creating a better world for children,” said Kiwanis International President Dr. John R. Button. “Kiwanis clubs remain vibrant and viable today, providing service that helps children develop into strong, healthy adults. Our communities’ needs demonstrate that Kiwanis is as important today as it was when the first Kiwanis club started its service.”

Founded in Detroit, Mich., in January of 1915, Kiwanis began as a businessman’s networking club. The organization quickly adopted community service as a goal, with children as the beneficiary. That first Kiwanis club, still active today, evolved into a global service organization with nearly 630,000 adult and youth members in 16,000-plus clubs in more than 80 nations. Kiwanis club members donate more than 18 million hours of service every year to strengthen their communities.

About Kiwanis

Founded in 1915, Kiwanis International is a global organization of clubs and members dedicated to serving the children of the world. Kiwanis and its family of clubs, including Circle K International for university students, Key Club for students age 14–18, Builders Club for students age 11–14, Kiwanis Kids for students age 6–12 and Aktion Club for adults living with disabilities, dedicate annually more than 18 million service hours to strengthen communities and serve children. The Kiwanis International family comprises nearly 630,000 adult and youth members in 80 countries and geographic areas. For more information about Kiwanis International, please visit www.kiwanis.org. The K-Kids Club of Pinecrest School in Annandale, Virginia, is sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Tysons Corner/McLean, Virginia. For more information, please visit www.tysonscornerkiwanis.org.

About Pinecrest School

Pinecrest School has been nurturing curiosity, confidence and a love of learning since 1957. Located just inside the beltway in Annandale, Virginia, Pinecrest educates preschoolers through sixth graders, ages 3-12. Low student-teacher ratios, caring and committed teachers, and a vibrant parent-involved school community combine with a challenging, hands-on educational program to foster the development in students of high self-esteem, academic rigor, and responsibility. Pinecrest’s nurturing and emotionally supportive atmosphere reinforces basic values such as honesty, integrity, respect for others, and an appreciation for diversity. Pinecrest has been a proud home to our Kiwanis K-Kids Club sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Tysons Corner/McLean since the 2010-11 school year. Our students in second through sixth grade are active participants in community service projects and fundraising for worthy causes through their affiliation with Kiwanis International. Pinecrest School is looking forward to an even more exciting future as we open our gorgeous new lower school building in Fall 2016. For more information, please visit www.pinecrestschool.org. .