We could not be more delighted to honor our October 2022 Volunteer of the Month, the marvelous Michelle Ascrizzi! We first met Michelle when she served in our first cohort of Spring Fellows—a shorter-term volunteer leadership program that we began hosting in April 2021. Michelle awed us from the start during her fellowship with her enthusiastic engagement, warm connection with everyone she encountered, and ability to excel with supporting the extensive logistics and admin of online programming.
From here, Michelle launched herself into many more roles at 826michigan, supporting our Theater Writers Club, joining the illustrious crew of store volunteers (known as robotiers), and becoming an integral leader of our virtual Schoolwork Support program last fall during her internship. Michelle has embodied all the qualities we hope to infuse in our programs—respectful, enthusiastic, engaged, authentic, curious, inclusive, thoughtful and more. In addition, in each of her roles, Michelle, has been an outstanding community-facing ambassador for our programs from her store shifts to her engagement with students’ families. Michelle is now pursuing a career as an educator, and we are already teary-eyed thinking of what an impact she will have. Thank you, Michelle!
From here, Michelle launched herself into many more roles at 826michigan, supporting our Theater Writers Club, joining the illustrious crew of store volunteers (known as robotiers), and becoming an integral leader of our virtual Schoolwork Support program last fall during her internship. Michelle has embodied all the qualities we hope to infuse in our programs—respectful, enthusiastic, engaged, authentic, curious, inclusive, thoughtful and more. In addition, in each of her roles, Michelle, has been an outstanding community-facing ambassador for our programs from her store shifts to her engagement with students’ families. Michelle is now pursuing a career as an educator, and we are already teary-eyed thinking of what an impact she will have. Thank you, Michelle!
Tell the world a little bit about your 826 volunteering so far:
I have loved volunteering at After-school Writing Lab and the summer Writer’s Clubs. I used to love creative writing in middle school, and working with students to develop their imaginative ideas into stories helped rekindle my own imagination and appreciation for writing and storytelling. Volunteering in the store has also allowed me to connect with so many community members and educators and talk about the work 826michigan does.
Ideal pizza?
S’mores pizza: graham cracker crust topped with melted marshmallow and chocolate chips.
What are you superstitious about?
Four-leaf clovers, rainbows, and shooting stars.
Words of wisdom to fellow and future volunteers?
Lean into your sense of fun and imagination!
