Monique Wilson, director of the James E. Richmond Science Center at St. Charles High School, was recently honored by the Tau Lambda Lambda chapter of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity with a 2014 Outstanding Citizen of the Year award. The award honors community members who demonstrate exemplary leadership and service to the community on the local and state levels that helps improve the quality of life for others.

Wilson has volunteered with the fraternity’s Purple Boot Mentoring Program for the past three years, and was recognized for helping to tutor middle school minority students in topics such as science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and robotics. The mission of the program is to educate and empower adolescent males in the Southern Maryland region, with an emphasis on mentoring minorities, to serve as role models within their communities.

Program activities focus on several areas of learning for young men that range from how to be engaged in their education and learning about personal responsibility to working with mentors on positive-relationship building. Wilson said she is honored to be recognized for doing something that she thoroughly enjoys.

“It was a surprise to me that I received this honor because educating, giving of my time and helping young people is second nature for me, so to be recognized for doing what I truly enjoy has reaffirmed why I became an educator and shows that the community does value education and it is watching the example we set” Wilson said.The Purple Boot Mentoring Program was launched in 2009 to provide adolescent males in the Southern Maryland community with opportunities to learn from and work with positive role models.  The Citizen of the Year award was given to three honorees from the Tri-county area for their notable achievements and service to Southern Maryland.

Wilson was honored with her award during the Tau Lambda Lambda’s 10th annual Achievement Week Founders’ Day awards banquet held Nov. 15 at the Greater Waldorf Jaycees Hall in Waldorf. She also received a citation from the Charles County Board of Commissioners.

For more information on the Purple Boot Mentoring Program, visit http://www.southernmdques.org.

Charles County Public Schools provides 26,500 students in grades prekindergarten through 12 with an academically challenging education. Located in Southern Maryland, Charles County Public Schools has 36 schools that offer a technologically advanced, progressive and high quality education that builds character, equips for leadership and prepares students for life, careers and higher education.