2010 Director’s Community Leadership Awards

In Boston, educational advocate Patricia Spence works tirelessly to ensure that all children have access to quality educational experiences.

From booster-seat safety programs and youth-driven newspapers to involving children in nature exploration trips and home reading programs, Ms. Spence utilizes her resources for the educational advancement of students.

Working with both public and independent schools, corporations, churches, and the community, she draws upon her more than 20 years of sales and marketing experience and 10 years of media experience to expand educational options for youth.

For the past six years, she has spearheaded the “They Made It, So Can I” program, aimed at fifth-grade students. In collaboration with the FBI’s Community Outreach Program, Ms. Spence’s initiative presents a diverse speaker series to students in the hope that they will carry seeds of empowerment to middle school and beyond.

Ms. Spence also works for the Ellison Parks Early Education School as the home and school literacy coordinator. She has implemented several programs in this position, including the Ellison Parks Home Reading Program, Reading with Friends, My Reading Buddy, Men’s Night Out and Women’s Night Out, Family Fun Days, and empowerment seminars.

In addition, Ms. Spence serves as an educational consultant for Unity First Magazine and helped develop the Diversity in Education fall issue, which is now in its sixth year. Working with more than 50 independent schools annually, she shares open house and diversity success stories.

Ms. Spence also volunteers with the Boston Public Schools to further the mission of educational options for youth.