Janet Root Volunteer of the Year Award Winners

The Shorecrest Parent Association (now the Shorecrest Community Association) created the Janet Root Volunteer of the Year award in 1984 to recognize the parent or parents who best model the spirit of volunteerism of Janet Root, an iconic member of the Shorecrest community.

Janet Root started as a parent volunteer at Shorecrest in 1978, and developed the school’s cultural enrichment program. As part of her 40 year span of volunteerism, she started the Picture Lady and Gentleman program and a Music Parent program in 1983. Former Headmaster Mary Booker Wall asked Janet to Chair the Arts and Humanities department. Janet agreed and worked for years in this role without compensation. 

Janet was elected to the Shorecrest Board of Trustees in 1981, and was named a Lifetime Trustee in 2013, only the second person in the school’s history to hold this distinction. At last year’s Commencement ceremony, she was Shorecrest’s first honorary alumna and received a diploma, a well-deserved honor for someone who had given so much to the school. Sadly, Janet passed away in June 2016.

Janet Allweiss, the 2016 recipient of the Janet Root Volunteer of the Year award, was present at the 2017 Spring Volunteer Breakfast to announce this year’s winners. She is a mother to 3 Shorecrest alumni and is married to an alumnus.

“Look around the room and look at all the people who you’ve volunteered with,” Janet Allweiss encouraged the audience. “Whether they invited you to be on a committee, they’ve supported you, or they’ve just been there for you.”

Janet Allweiss went on to remember that moment last year when she received her award. “I looked around the room at all the incredible women I had taken this volunteer journey with over those past 18 years. They were my friends, they were my village and most of all they had given their hearts and souls to make a better place at Shorecrest for our children.” Volunteerism is clearly a group effort at Shorecrest.

The award selection committee is made up of former award winners, the SCA President and the President-Elect. The committee evaulates nominations from the Shorecrest community and each nominee’s length of service, service areas around the school, positions held, committees served and positive moral character.

Two volunteers stood out this year and were honored for their deep and meaningful dedication, effort, and countless hours to volunteerism at Shorecrest. They were described as genuine, intuitive, strong, personable, organized, smart and very deserving. Janet Allweiss added that, “Like Janet [Root], they are always generous with their time, knowledge and financial support to Shorecrest.”

Beth Vivio has a six-year volunteer history at Shorecrest as SCA President and Vice President, Big Event Co-Chair two years in a row, and a volunteer for the Annual Fund, Booster Club, Fall Festival, Spirit Night, Cash for Trash, the used uniform sale, Helping Hands, the Holiday Gift Drive and as a Parent Liaison and Parent Ambassador - among other commitments. Her older son is a member of the Class of 2017 and her younger son will start Upper School in the fall. When receiving her award, Beth said, “Everyone here is a volunteer and I encourage you all to keep at it, as it’s what makes Shorecrest a community.”

Christi DeGeare has a 12-year volunteer history at Shorecrest as SCA President and Vice President, and as part of the Big Event, Booster Club, arts, Holiday Greenery, Holiday Gift Drive, the used uniform sale, Helping Hands, spring luncheon, Teacher Appreciation Luncheon, Middle School supplies, a library volunteer and as a Parent Ambassador, Parent Liaison and US Annual Fund committee chair. She is the current Chair of Shorecrest Cares. She has been Chair of Relay For Life to raise cancer awareness and carry on the Shorecrest tradition as a Relay For Life school. Her sons are members of the Class of 2015 and 2017. When receiving her award, Christi said, “When you are working with your friends, it’s not work, it’s fun.”

Congratulations ladies, and thank you for your selfless dedication and commitment to making Shorecrest as amazing place for all of us.