The Greater Reading Chamber Alliance and Women2Women Athena Award recognizes exceptional leaders in the community. For award-winner Crystal Gilmore Harris, exceptional leadership and inspiring others isn’t just another day in the office, it’s a lifelong mission that’s practically in her DNA.
What kind of work do you do? My day job is as the Administrative Assistant for Mr. Scott Butler in Alternative Education at the Reading School District. Our office primarily deals with superintendent suspensions. I’m also the varsity high school cheerleading coach, and I oversee all the cheerleading coaches in the district.
Were you drawn to that role because of your work in the community? That is kind of how it happened! Before I joined the Alt. Ed. Office, Mr. Butler would ask for my help mentoring female students, specifically to make them part of my cheerleading squad. My squad is a little bit different than most others in Berks County. Our focus is on building and changing our cheerleaders to prepare them for the real world, rather than just preparing for a cheerleading competition.
So, your squad is more of a mentorship program? Exactly. They are the only squad who are cheerleaders as well as Girl Scouts. I implemented that as part of the program in 2013 when I received the Take the Lead Award from the Girls Scouts of America. They invited the cheerleaders to perform at the program on my behalf, and I just thought it was so cool that people were so receptive to them, because it was something different. So, I talked to some of the leaders there and we came up with the “Why Can’t Cheerleaders Be Girl Scouts” Program.
And the squad is only one of many mentorship programs you’re involved in, right? Oh yes. I started a Mentoring Me program for all RSD athletes where we invite community leaders to come in and speak to the kids about different jobs, and to build bridges between kids at Reading School District and our business leaders. I’m also the Program Director for the Lonnie Walker Foundation and I work with TLC Fore Reading on their summer mentoring program. Until recently, I was also on the board for Voice Up for Reading, and I’m also the Cheerleading Director for the Reading Youth Athletic Program.
What motivates you to stay so involved? I come from a family of coaches. I started watching my father coach football at Northwest. Growing up in Reading we were a family who was always willing to help anyone in need, so I just sort of gravitated toward making a difference. At 18, I started coaching cheerleading at Northwest, and I just never stopped. I don’t know anything else to do than to coach, and to use that as an avenue to give our youth something they can use to change the course of their lives. I’ve used my program as an avenue to speak to them about what is going on in the world and to allow them to express themselves as young adults. They’re being taught how to become amazing young individuals who can change the course and direction of this world.
Strong Roots. Crystal’s coaching staff includes her lifelong best friend and three of her former cheerleaders: her daughter, goddaughter and a close family friend.
Never Give Up. The Lonnie Walker Foundation strives to instill a “never give up” attitude in the local community through education and sports. To learn more, or get involved, visit lonniewalkeriv.org.
