Cheryl Ryan’s blog

For 35 years I taught in the same Catholic girls' high school that I attended as a student. Such schools are run as nonprofit institutions and are staffed by nuns and lay teachers who earn significantly less than public school teachers. The nuns were probably the original "nonprofit girls" in that they received a stipend rather than an actual salary. What I enjoyed most about attending this school and then working there was the sincere dedication on the part of the faculty in inspiring young women to excel. Service to others is modeled to the students with the expectation that they will then pay it forward.

Response from Ann: Cheryl and I went to the same suburban high school as teens, and I recall an after-school, inner city Chicago elementary program where the nuns gave us the chance to volunteer. This was my first real encounter with what it meant for adults and teens to engage in nonprofit work. I didn't have a clue what to do with these younger children, first because I was an only child, and secondly, because my dad was outspokenly racist and we just didn't mix. At the time, I felt guilty. Later, in college I felt guilty I didn't want to be a social worker and do something to help other people. And I still feel guilty (can you guess I was raised a Catholic?) that I'm not good at one-on-one, face-to-face helping. But somehow that first experience from the nuns made me want to be of service. It just took another thirty years to find my way into volunteer work. A bit of a slow learner!