Helen Lin has been an extremely active community member for well over six years, said Janet Radcliffe, principal at Potowmack Elementary School.
"She has a love for this community and gives freely of her time and talent to ensure that we have a strong school. I view Helen as a true advocate for the children in our community. She is a wonderful person and her efforts make a difference in lives of our students on a daily basis," Radcliffe said.
Name: Helen Lin
Town/Neighborhood: Cascades community in Sterling
Years in the Community: Six-plus years
Occupation/Position: Parent liaison, Potowmack Elementary School.
Achievements: Helped create and support "Take A Vacation with a Book" for Potowmack students in conjunction with the public regional library in the Cascades Ñ five summers plus; designed "Donuts with Dad," which resulted in a participation of more than 300 Potowmack dads; chairperson for "Math Superstars" enrichment program; coach for Odyssey of the Mind; regular volunteer at Potowmack Elementary School; member of School Improvement Team; and member of the Equity Team.
Family: Husband, Paul; seventh-grade daughter, Katherine, third-grade son, William.
What do you like or dislike about your community?: I love the family feel of my community. I love that everyone cares about our community, and the members in it. I love that the community cares enough to get involved in volunteering endeavors at the area schools, churches and various charity programs. There is a real sense of unity here.
Favorite Local Restaurant/Place: My backyard.
Sports Interests/Activities/Hobbies: Besides the activities in which my children are involved, I enjoy reading and solving puzzles Ñ Sudoku is a current favorite.
Community Ties: LCPS Gifted Committee, Potowmack Elementary School, River Bend Middle School and both PTAs.
Community Concerns: Supporting each child and advocating for children and educational opportunities/access for all.
Community Ideas: Summer reading programs, outreach programs for English as a Second Language students/families.
Personal Goals: To get more exercise, spend time with my family and friends, watch my children grow, learn to cook more varieties of cuisine and to learn more in general.
What community "hidden treasure" should more people know about?: My neighbors Ñ what a pleasure these people are. Since I moved here, I've made so many friends who each bring their unique take on the world, and make my understanding of the world more interesting. I know that sounds corny, but I can't think of a more exciting treasure than them.