As the passing bell rings and the students of Coon Rapids High School are released to their next class, Christopher Stoltenberg stands outside his office door to greet students as they pass. In a school where there is a stigma attached to programs that help low-income students, his towering presence in the halls has begun to counteract the negativity. For the past year Chris has served as an AmeriCorps member for College Possible in the Twin Cities, a college access program committed to making college admission and success possible for low-income students through an intensive curriculum of coaching and support. His commitment to service and social justice are two of the countless reasons I am proud to nominate Christopher Stoltenberg for the 2013 Service Impact Award.

As a Junior Coach, Chris has worked with 40 high school juniors who are committed to attending college. Day to day, he prepares lessons for his students to develop test taking skills for the ACT, write essays for their college applications, and to develop a stronger understanding of what it means to be a successful student. Without a doubt, the majority of the time coaches spend is dedicated to helping prepare their students, but Chris thought that he could do more. At mid-year, he began meeting with the Assistant Principal about how he and his students could reach out to and educate freshmen and sophomores about early preparation for college applications and success. Though many of the students at Coon Rapids High School are above the poverty line and therefore ineligible for College Possible, Chris saw an opportunity for his students to become leaders in the school and to share what they had learned from the program. Because of Chris’s commitment to service and helping all students to be successful, this coming school year his students will lead a series of college preparation assemblies for younger students throughout the school, helping to influence more than just his 40 students to reach their full potential.

Within his own group of 40 juniors, Chris has become an unwavering support and advocate for them. In only a few short weeks of being in school, one of his new students reached out to him and told Chris she was struggling to escape an abusive home. Though Chris had not been her coach for very long, she instantly found an ally in him and he confidently took the charge. Within a matter of days, Chris helped her to find the resources she needed to find a safe space and, even though she transferred to a new school and was no longer apart of his cohort, Chris continued to reach out to her and remind her of his support. Though this is a unique situation, it exemplifies the steadfast leadership and care he has given to every single one of his students. In this school of 2,000+ students, individuals can easily be overlooked and lost in the crowd but this year Chris has become an ally for these select few as they fight to overcome barriers to college graduation.

Chris serves because he is committed to creating long-lasting positive change, not only for the students he coaches, but for the community at large. It is evident that Chris holds himself and others to high standards because he believes that there is always more that can be done to impact the mission he has dedicated this year of his life to serving. I am so proud of the work that Chris has done this past year and am incredibly thankful for his contributions to our organization, the mission, and our global community. For these reasons, and so many more, I humbly nominate Christopher Stoltenberg for the 2013 Service Impact Award.