Needham Youth Services Presents

Left to right: Needham Business Representative, John Brennan from Pinnacle Print Group, Jessica Kaplan,
March RAY Recipient, Katy Colthart, Clinician at Youth Services

March 2015 Recipient – Jessica Kaplan

Jessica is a Senior at Needham High School; she was nominated by Leslie Silberman, who is a neighbor, for her volunteer work with the Bright Spirit Children’s foundation. A Needham based charity that was started by Jessica’s father, that helps provide distractive entertainment for terminally ill children while in the hospital. Jessica has been volunteering since the age of 12 when she organized one of her first cookie fundraiser with a friend to raise money to buy and donate multiple DVD players to Floating Hospital for Children in Boston. Now, Jessica helps raise money by calling on businesses and restaurants to try to get donations and auction items for different charity events through out the year. She also volunteers at the Floating Hospital for Children every Saturday on their Child Life Services floor. Jessica has a passion for volunteering and is involved with many other charities.

Two summers ago, Jessica went on a three week community service trip to Costa Rico, where she helped build houses, paint schools, and run a camp for the local children. She valued the experience and found it to be rewarding.

Jessica has been a Varsity Cheerleader since freshman year and was an assistant coach for Needham Youth Cheerleading. She is a member of the National Honors Society and has been tutoring a student this past year for the National Honors Society. She also has been tutoring a middle school girl for the last couple of years through Needham Youth Services. Jessica is currently the Business and Circulation Editor for the High School yearbook and involved in other clubs.

Jessica will be attending The University of Wisconsin-Madison in the Fall as a Business Major.

Watch the ceremony honoring Sarah at: https://youtu.be/NJp5ttDixeI

For more information please visit www.needhamma.gov/youth/ray