Stamato spearheads mentor program

more involved in our work. If you are a woman living or working in one of our counties, we encourage you to join us. Your membership contribution will positively impact your community.”

Women in Philanthropy’s philosophy is that women informed about philanthropy and community needs can collectively make a difference in improving the quality of life and bring about change in the Pee Dee Region by combining financial and intellectual resources to award annual grants to local nonprofits.

Since its 2009 inception, the WIP fund has contributed over $560,000 to nonprofits in the counties served by Eastern Carolina Community Foundation.

When Isabella Stamato was a junior at Trinity Collegiate School, she saw a need for building a community amongst the students at her school. Trinity had recently added a sixth grade. Most of the time, the seniors and the sixth graders had very little interaction. Their classes and lockers were in different buildings. Stamato saw this as a problem that could be corrected and she came up with the idea for a program to change all of that.

The Senior Buddy Program pairs an outgoing senior with an incoming sixth-grader in order to facilitate their transition into a new school. The sixth-grade students are able to ask their buddies questions about the school, about where things are, or even for help with homework. The seniors help them feel welcome in the school and are role models for the younger counterparts.

Now, because of the program, Stamato introduced, every sixth grader arrives at Trinity with a friend and mentor. This school year, sixth graders and their senior buddies have had a get-to-knowyou party, a Halloween costume party, and a holiday get-together where they exchanged gifts.

In addition to spearheading the Senior Buddies program, Stamato is a member of the National Honor Society, Girls Service Club, National Spanish Honor Society, Varsity Volleyball, the MENSA Honor Society, Connections Club, and the Hispanic Scholarship Fund Youth Leadership Foundation and has received more than $600,000 in scholarships and grant offers from colleges and universities to which she applied.

“When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.

– Luke 12:12

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