Hear from honoree Eva Herndon, one of the first financial supporters of Apprentice Learning, on why she and her husband Terry Ogden Herndon chose to support and invest in our mission.
Apprentice Learning is celebrating 10 years of providing real-world work experiences for eighth graders. At such a critical period in a young person’s life, these are the opportunities that ignite growth and change and spark passions and interests. We work alongside community members and business partners who support us in exposing young people to as many careers as possible in the hope of sparking an interest in careers that have the potential to shape their own future workforce.
As we celebrate our 10th anniversary, we are highlighting the incredible partners and champions we’ve had. Eva and Terry Herndon have supported Apprentice Learning since its founding. In August 2022, Terry passed away leaving behind an incredible legacy of service including an unwavering commitment to Apprentice Learning. Eva shares wonderful memories with us and discusses why they chose to donate to Apprentice Learning over the last 10 years.
Tell me how you came to be connected with Apprentice Learning.
I met Helen Russell, current Executive Director of Apprentice Learning, at the Mission Hill K-8 School. Terry and I volunteered and invested in their work study program. We wanted to give back, help others, so we connected with Mission Hill K-8 School because of their partnership with Brigham and Women’s hospital. It wasn’t called Apprentice Learning at the time. It was called the School to Community Initiative, but they had decided to discontinue it. We kept in touch with Helen who would check in with us periodically. Helen approached us in 2012 about an idea she had to bring work study type programs for middle schoolers to more schools in Boston. We loved the idea and we made the first donation to Apprentice Learning in 2012.
Reflecting on their 10 year anniversary, what comes to mind?
Terry and I had the opportunity to join during an apprenticeship at WGBH. I was impressed by how elegant all their offices and equipment were. I remember we went to a big room and we were all looking at the different machinery and the different tools that they used to broadcast their shows. I remember we were in the radio studio and we saw the Jim and Margery show. They weren’t quite on air yet. Terry was pitching them to talk about Apprentice Learning.
Then the kids had an opportunity to go into one of the nearby radio studios and listen to their voice reading a piece of news they made up. The young people recorded it, and then the other apprentices had to give the kids feedback on how it sounded. Then the kids also got to use the television cameras. That was a nice experience.
For us, it’s been a good collaboration. It’s been fun to see it grow and keep growing. It would be nice if the Boston Public Schools offered it for all 8th graders. That would be a wonderful thing.
When you think about why apprentice learning versus the many other things you could have funded, what about the program really made you a believer?
We believed in work study from our school days at Antioch College. Terry grew up working while he was in school and just believed that it was a good idea to study and work. He thought maybe it would help kids get real experience that would help them get real jobs after graduating. He enjoyed helping people. That was one of his great gifts. He helped people in so many different ways and not just with money.
He was an avid car enthusiast and people still remember him fixing their cars. He was involved in the politics of Carlisle, MA. Terry served on Carlisle’s Planning Board, Board of Assessors and Board of Appeals, so he served the town a lot. He was always interested in helping out. And it’s a satisfying thing to think that you maybe have made a difference. And he liked that. And it helped him have a good life.
Join us for our 10th anniversary celebration
Thursday, May 4th from 6:00-9:00 PM
Loring Greenough House, 12 South St, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
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