North Reading’s Laina Simone Named A Commonwealth Heroine

North Reading resident Laina Simone has been selected as a 2021 Commonwealth Heroine by the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women (MCSW).

Simone was one of 128 individuals from across the state to receive the award, which recognizes women who “use their time, talent, spirit, and enthusiasm to enrich the lives of others in their community.” This year’s recipients were honored at a June 23 virtual ceremony, which is available online on MCSW’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/MassCSW.

A member of the J. Turner Hood Elementary School Parents’ Association for many years, Simone also served as the Board’s Co-Enrichment Director. After three years as the Secretary of the North Reading Middle School Parents’ Association, she is now entering her second year on the High School Parents’ Association in charge of Enrichment. She previously served as the North Reading United for Education (NRUE) liaison for the Hood School, and also helped organize an Opioid Abuse Forum in North Reading.

In addition to her work in North Reading’s public school system, Simone has organized numerous charitable events in town, working with local organizations and businesses. She created the Have a Heart senior program, which is responsible for collecting Valentine’s Day gifts for North Reading seniors and senior residents using the food pantry. This is also Simone’s third year of collecting gifts for foster children’s birthdays for the Lawrence office of the Department of Children and Families.

Simone was nominated for the award by House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-North Reading), who praised her for her work in the community.

“As the mother of two girls, Laina understands the importance of providing every student with access to a quality education,” said Representative Jones. “She has spent many years advocating on behalf of North Reading’s schoolchildren, but has also selflessly devoted her time to helping enrich the lives of so many others in the community, including our seniors. Laina’s leadership and activism truly exemplify the ideals of a Commonwealth Heroine, and her recognition by the MCSW is well-deserved.”

Created by the Legislature in 1998, the MCSW is an independent state agency that works to advance women of the Commonwealth to full equality in all areas of life and to promote their rights and opportunities. Since 2004, the MCSW has held an annual awards ceremony recognizing women across the Commonwealth “who don't make the news, but make the difference.”

For more information on the MCSW and the Commonwealth Heroine awards, please visit https://www.mass.gov/orgs/massachusetts-commission-on-the-status-of-women.