Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, May 8, 1995                   TAG: 9505090060
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: 1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

A PAT ON THE BACK TO:

Age: 15

School: William Fleming Magnet School for the Arts

Year: Sophomore

What she does: Jessica volunteers on TRUST's teenline, helping youths with life situations ranging from relationships to suicide. She refers them to support groups, ``directs them to help make their own choices,'' and often just listens. She is also a peer helper at Fleming, talking with other students who seek help in the guidance office for their problems, offering a listening ear or giving advice ``if kids ask me for it.''

Gia Koehler, TRUST's associate director said, ``Jessica is very dedicated, very dependable. She's a very caring person who obviously wants to help out her peers.''

Jessica has received training through the Youth Alcohol and Drug Prevention Project and has been chosen by Fleming officials to help plan committees within the school to deal with students' social and personal issues.

``We hope to get it going next year,'' she said.

Jessica is an annual helper at Roanoke's Festival in the Park, has volunteered at Highland Park Day Care Center, Blue Ridge Public Television and in the Roanoke City Schools Chapter One summer program. She is also a junior princess of the International Order of Job's Daughters, a service organization for girls under the auspices of the Masonic Lodge Scottish Rite Temple.

She helps an elderly neighbor, Lena ``Grammy'' Graham, with household chores and cooking, and intervenes in disagreements between Graham and the 12-year-old granddaughter she is raising. And sometimes Jessica just keeps Graham company.

``Jessica is just a real nice girl,'' said Graham. ``She just does anything she can to help. She knows my door is always open to her.''

``Sometimes you pick out certain people who really need help,'' Jessica said. ``If it's something you think you can do, why not do it? Just little things mean a lot to them.''

Jessica also helps English teacher Ann Charlton with paperwork and other tasks. ``Jessica is just a delight," Charlton said. "I can't walk into the room and be in a bad mood when she's there. She is one of the most mature and trustworthy sophomores I have ever had."

``Jessica is always so upbeat and cheerful,'' said guidance counselor Joseph Alazoskas. ``She finds the positive in the worst scenario and she can talk with anyone. The kids can't believe she's for real.''

School activities: Is in Fleming's Future Business Leaders of America club, performs community service, was president of the Builder's Club in middle school, sang in the Fleming Select Choir and in the Fleming Gospel Choir.

What she's learned: ``Everybody's not perfect. They all need a little help. I used to think I couldn't help other people, but I've learned I can do a lot more than I thought I could.

``I wasn't always this upbeat. Getting into helping people has helped me feel better.

``If things are already good, you know how to keep them that way; if they're not so good, you do your best to make it better.''

Future plans: Jessica hopes to study sociology or psychiatry and to work to promote awareness of sexually transmitted diseases.

``There are some places in America where people just don't know [about STDs]," she said. "They might not know to be tested. If people were more aware, maybe they wouldn't be so scared."