Blanche Brown

Blanche Brown graduated from Leon High School in Tallahassee, Florida. As Vice President of her high school’s Gay/Straight Alliance, Brown helped organize Stamp Out Hate, Mix Up Day, and protest discriminatory legislation. She also caught the drama bug as a Theatre Tech Assistant. Brown is pursuing a double major in English and History with a Creative Writing minor. She is currently a member of the Cellar Door Poetry staff and the technical crew for Lab! Theater at UNC. In her first year as a Bonner Leader, Brown worked with the Public History project at the Marian Cheek Jackson Center in the Northside community; editing and transcribing oral histories and assisting with outreach projects in this historically African-American community in Chapel Hill. During her second year working with the Northside community, Brown is creating an online database for these oral histories and designing a website to make them accessible to the public. In addition, she is working on the creation of a series of short, audio documentary pieces. Brown is also assisting with the planning and production of a monthly community newsletter, “The Northside News”.

Khristian Curry

Khristian Curry graduated from Pine Forest Senior High School in Fayetteville, North Carolina. She was an active volunteer forHappy Helpers for the Homeless in Baltimore, Maryland. Curry was President of Health Occupations Students of America at her high school, where she organized blood drives and received her CNA certification, and spent summers volunteering at Cape Fear Valley Medical Center. She is pursuing a major in Communication Studies with a concentration in Speech and Hearing, and is currently part of the American Red Cross Club at UNC. In Curry’s first year as a Bonner Leader, she worked with the Food Justice project at the Marian Cheek Jackson Center in the Northside community, assisting with the certified food bank and bread ministry to address issues of food scarcity and study the importance of food in the community. This year Curry plans to recruit 20 volunteers to work in the Food Justice project, as well as organize their orientation and training, and create a volunteer training manual.

Joe Dayaa

Joe Dayaa graduated from Freedom High School in Tampa, Florida.  As Vice President of Café Freedom, he promoted youth literacy by tutoring, organizing book drives, and planning literacy-awareness events. He is pursuing a major in Chemistry (Biochemistry track) with a minor in Medical Anthropology. Dayaa is involved with UNC Dance Marathon. In his first year as a Bonner Leader, Dayaa worked with the Public History project at the Marian Cheek Jackson Center in Chapel Hill’s Northside community; editing and transcribing oral histories and assisting with outreach projects in this historically African-American community. During his second year working with the Northside community, Dayaa will be working with fellow Bonner Blanche Brown to create an online database for these oral histories available for download through the Center’s website. In addition, Dayaa and Brown are creating a library of CD’s containing the oral histories that members of the public will be able to check out from the Center. Dayaa is also contributing articles for the community’s monthly newsletter, “The Northside News”.

Daron Holman

Daron Holman graduated from Pine Forest Senior High School in Fayetteville, North Carolina. In high school he was an active volunteer at the Womack Army Medical Center at Fort Bragg, where he received his Certified Nursing Assistant certification. Holman is pursuing a major in Physics with a concentration in Astronomy. He is active in UNC Global Brigades and is Co-Chair of the Campus Y committee Students Working for Environmental Action and Transformation (SWEAT). In his first year as a Bonner Leader, Holman served as a Center Assistant with the Rogers Road Community Center (which was forced to close in August 2012), assisting with the Bread Wrapping and Distribution project, Community Garden, and after-school tutoring program. This year, Holman plans to continue policy research related to the Rogers Road community, examining the effect of the Community Center’s closing, as well as create a communication network between Rogers Road and the Marian Cheek Jackson Center. Holman plans to raise awareness of the Rogers Road community’s struggle for environmental, economic and social justice through contributing articles to the Jackson Center’s monthly newsletter, “The Northside News“.

Chloe Imus

Chloe Imus graduated from East Surry High School in Westfield, North Carolina. Her school activities included youth leadership seminars, Tar Heel Girls State, and interning with the Town Manager of Pilot Mountain, NC. Imus is pursuing a major in Communication Studies with a concentration in Interpersonal and Organizational Communication. In her first year as a Bonner Leader, Imus served as an Afterschool Assistant, tutoring elementary school children and tutoring adults learning English as a Second Language at the Chapel Hill/Carrboro Human Rights Center. In her second year, Imus is focusing on improving the educational, grade-level performance or retention levels of her elementary school students and serving as a positive role model. She is also working to enhance the English-speaking and reading skills of her adult ESL students.

Hannah Jessen

Hannah Jessen graduated from Coastal Christian High School in Wilmington, North Carolina. Jessen’s high school activities included work with low-income communities from Bluefield, West Virginia and Nashville, Tennessee to the Dominican Republic. She is currently pursuing a double major in Journalism and Global Studies, with a minor in Economic and Social Justice. Jessen is a Covenant Scholar and active withUNC Cornerstone campus ministry. In her first year as a Bonner Leader, Jessen enjoyed working as an Afterschool Assistant, tutoring elementary school children in the Chapel Hill/Carrboro Human Rights Center. In continuing her work with the Human Rights Center, Jessen is focusing on enhancing enrollment in the afterschool program, developing a consistent weekly schedule for the program, as well as concentrating on improving elementary school students’ reading skills. She has similar enrollment goals for the Center’s adult ESL classes, and is concentrating on improving adult students’ conversational skills.

Zachary Kaplan

Zachary Kaplan graduated from Central Bucks High School South in Warrington, Pennsylvania. He was a leader in high school organizations as an Eagle Scout, Vice President of student government, and President of the National Honor Society. Kaplan also served as a Congressional intern. He is pursuing majors in American Studies amd Political Science. Kaplan is a Carolina Kickoff counselor and an Admissions Ambassador, among other campus involvements. In his first year as a Bonner Leader, Kaplan served as a Center Assistant with the Rogers Road Community Center (which was forced to close in August 2012), assisting with the Bread Wrapping and Distribution project, Community Garden, and Afterschool Tutoring Program. This year, Kaplan and fellow Bonner Daron Holman will conduct policy research related to the Rogers Road and the effect of the Community Center’s closing, and assist with initiatives at the Marian Cheek Jackson Center. Kaplan will also raise awareness of the Rogers Road community’s struggle for environmental, economic and social justice through contributing articles to the Jackson Center’s monthly newsletter, “The Northside News“.

Melody Lee

Melody Lee graduated from Olympic High School in Charlotte, North Carolina. Her high school activities included working in soup kitchens, homeless outreach programs, and civic literacy initiatives. Lee is pursuing a major in Global Public Health with a concentration in Nutrition. Lee is a member of UNC’s Service & Leadership-Living Learning Community. In her first year as a Bonner Leader, Lee worked with the Youth Media project at theMarian Cheek Jackson Center in Chapel Hill’s Northside community, and worked as a Community Center Intern at the Rogers Road Community Center (which was forced to close in August 2012), assisting with the afterschool tutoring program. This year Lee will be working as an America Reads tutor, increasing the skills of elementary school children at the Student Coalition for Action in Literacy Education (SCALE).

Patrick Mateer

Patrick Mateer graduated from Chapel Hill High School in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. In high school he ran the school garden for the Green Tigers environmental club, and was elected to the School Improvement Team. Mateer spends his summers as a camp counselor. He is pursuing a double major in Political Science and Economics with a minor in Math. At UNC, Mateer rows for the crew team. In his first year as a Bonner Leader, Mateer worked as an Afterschool Assistant at the Chapel Hill/Carrboro Human Rights Center, tutoring elementary school children. This year Mateer will enhance the Center’s programming by working as a Lead Volunteer Coordinator at Farmer Foodshare, running the organization’s Carrboro Market and training approximately 40 new volunteers. Volunteers will collect donations from farmers at the market over the weekend and distribute them among low-income families in Carrboro’s Abbey Court community. Under Mateer’s direction, volunteers will also collaborate with the Donation Station Director of Farmer Foodshare on ways to improve the Farmer’s Market.

Sotires Pagiavlas

Sotires Pagiavlas graduated from the Early College Program at Guilford College in Greensboro, North Carolina. During high school Pagiavlas spent his summers working as a mentor to foster teens through the TEAM UP Program. As a member of his school’s Interact Community Service Club, Pagiavlas raised funds for the Pwoje Espwa Orphanage in Haiti. He is pursuing a major in Business Administration and is a member of the Curriculum Development Team through his Spanish and Entrepreneurship first-year seminar. In his first year as a Bonner Leader, Pagiavlas worked as an Afterschool Assistant, tutoring elementary school children in the Chapel Hill/Carrboro Human Rights Center. This year Pagiavlas plans to enhance the math and science skills of his students by creating his own mini-programs to accelerate retention and measure the impact of his technique through EOG tests.

Ayat Soufan

Ayat Soufan graduated from Rocky Mount Academy in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. As Student Body President, Sophomore and Junior Class President, her service activities included helping to organize and run numerous blood drives. Soufan was also a lead counselor for three years at her school’s summer camp. She is pursuing a major in Psychology. In her first year as a Bonner Leader, Soufan worked with the Food Justice project at the Marian Cheek Jackson Center in Chapel Hill’s Northside community; assisting with the Bread Ministry to address issues of food scarcity and study the importance of food in the traditionally African-American community. This year, as a volunteer coordinator at the Center, Soufan hopes to recruit at least 20 volunteers to assist with hunger relief efforts. She also plans to create a volunteer manual with orientation information about the Jackson Center’s Food Justice program, including maps and contact information.

Paris Vaughn

Paris Vaughn graduated from John Burroughs High School in Burbank, California. She was Student Body Vice-President, President of Junior State of America, Captain of the Mock Trial team, and a member of the varsity Track & Field team. Vaughn is currently pursuing a major in Business Administration. She is a member of the Carolina Mock Trial Team. In her first year as a Bonner Leader, Vaughn worked on the Public History project at the Marian Cheek Jackson Center in Chapel Hill’s Northside Community; editing and transcribing oral histories as well as assisting with outreach projects in the traditionally African-American community. This year Vaughn’s work will include the neighboring Pine Knolls community; including them in distribution of “The Northside News” as well as outreach efforts to include the community in the Jackson Center’s activities. Vaughn also plans to launch an SAT/College Prep program to assist high school youth in Northside/Pine Knolls with standardized testing and help them prepare their college applications.