Melissa Higham

Dynamic Academic Coach and passionate community volunteer, adept in project management and interpersonal communication. Excels in connecting with community, multitasking, and prioritizing to accomplish the goals at hand. Seeking a position that will utilize talents and experience with leadership and volunteer management to fulfill the desire to contribute positively to the community.

Alcott Elementary PTA - President

2019-2021; 2022-23

• As President for three years, I led the board through organizing multiple school-wide events, kept the PTA functioning through COVID, and coordinated a team of parent volunteers to manage individual classroom events ("Class Parents").
• Helped create year-long budgets and assisted in school-wide fundraising efforts.
• Managed "Walk to School Day" consisting of organizing 10-15 parent volunteers for a walking school bus and handing out prizes, communicated with the mayor's office to have him present (an Alcott alumni), and organized with local police for an officer to welcome students to school alongside the school mascot.
• Coordinated committees for a very successful 'VIP & Me Dance" (formerly known as "Daddy Daughter Dance"). This entailed more than 20 volunteers collaborating to create an event with lighting, music, dancing, food, photo opportunities, and crafts on Alcott's campus.
• Under my leadership, the PTA Board created the inaugural "Trunk or Treat" event, that has become an annual tradition at Alcott. This "giveback" event necessitates the coordination of more than 30 volunteers for trunks, a school-wide candy drive competition, food sales, decoration, music, and is now an Alcott community fall favorite!

Alcott Elementary PTA - VP Membership

2013-2015

• Organized membership drives with classroom competitions, operated tables at events such as Dinner on the Green and Kindergarten Orientation to promote membership, and ran monthly reports for the unit and council to review.
• Managed budgetary expenditures and income as it related to membership. I was in charge of the online portal for membership and distributing and collecting materials and money to/from the school community.
• Coordinated with UCR to host an amazing Science Day for the entire school where a professor and their graduate students came to teach the students about their research with animal demonstrations.

Alcott Elementary PTA and Riverside STEM Academy PTSA - Auditor

2011-2013; 2015-2017

• As Auditor for Alcott and Riverside STEM Academy, I followed CA PTA protocol for reviewing all financial records twice a year to ensure proper use of funds and documentation for all income and outgoing money and presented these findings in a report to the PTA along with recommendations based on my findings.

Girls on the Run - Volunteer Coach

Fall 2020, Spring 2022 & 2023

• Coached two 10-week sessions of Girls on the Run and one 10-week virtual session of Heart & Sole. Helped to guide girls through curriculum in a safe setting where they set goals, learned life skills such as communication and self-advocacy, and pushed themselves to complete a 5K together as a team.

Alcott School Foundation - Board Member

2011-2019

• Helped make decisions regarding funding enrichment opportunities for students.
• Collaborated to purchase and distribute holiday gifts to 7 families in need.

Jessica Fuller

951-741-9169

Melinda Robbins

909-210-9015