Cardethia (better known as “Dee Dee”) attended the Ionic Ave. Clubhouse during a very important time for our organization—the transition to incorporating girls into the program. Dee-Dee was enrolled in the Great Brook Valley after-school program, and the staff would take the kids to the Lincoln Square and Ionic Ave. Clubhouses to swim, play in the games room, and participate in arts & crafts activities.
When her family moved downtown, just a few blocks from the Ionic Ave. Clubhouse, she spent more time at the Club and found it to be a safe and positive place to spend time with her friends. According to Dee Dee, “My experiences at the Club taught me to stay active, maintain a hunger to learn new things, be creative, and strive to be the best.”
Her desire to challenge herself and to be open to new experiences led her to attend UMass Amherst where she received a Bachelor’s in psychology. She was the first in her family to receive a 4-year college degree. Nineteen years later, Dee Dee earned a Master’s in social work (MSW) while at the same time she was working at the Department of Children and Families (DCF) and raising her son, Zakee, as a single mother.
In addition to her 10-year employment at DCF, Dee Dee is very involved with her community and has served on the boards of the Guild of St. Agnes and Campfire Girls. For several years, Dee Dee volunteered at our Ionic Ave. Club and created and facilitated “All About Me,” a psycho-educational group for adolescent girls. In the spring of 2010, Dee Dee will continue her teaching career as an adjunct professor at Quinsigamond Community College’s Early Childhood Education Department.
Her determination and thirst for knowledge are why we honor Dee Dee Moore-Jenkins.