Ms. Rodgers began participating in community service at the age of eight when she acted as a historic interpreter at Washington's Crossing National Park. By age ten she began to think globally and held yearly backyard fairs, complete with a stage show, rides, games, and food. The proceeds were sent to CARE and purchased food and school supplies for orphanages in Korea and Vietnam. Throughout her teen years, she served as a Candy Striper, Cub Scout leader, and camp counselor. Today, Ms. Rodgers' two main areas of interest are working with eye doctors to bring eyeglasses to indigenous Mayan Indians in Guatemala, teaching young people to be water advocates, and raising funds to bring water to schools in Africa and India.

When she was in college and a stay-at-home mom, Ms. Rodgers realized how much she loved working with children. She became a special education teacher for emotionally disturbed young people. Because of her strong connection to service, her students became active participants in the school and community. Considering that her students were formerly disenfranchised young people, working and serving with people in the community became the source of their greatest satisfaction and success.

In 2000, Abington School District established a formal service-learning program and Ms. Rodgers was named to the post of Service Learning Facilitator. She has worked hard to build a program that is respected throughout the United States. This year, under Ms. Rodgers' guidance, students of Abington School District reached the half-million mark of hours of service contributed to the community. She was honored by President George W. Bush for her work and received, from him, the President's Call to Serve Award.

In 2003, under Ms. Rodgers direction, Abington School District received the Harris Wofford Award, naming it the "Top Service Learning Institution in the United States." In 2005, she authored the application naming Abington Township, one of "America's Promise: 100 Top Communities for Young People." In 2008, she was named the State Farm/ National Youth Leadership Council, "Service Learning Practitioner of the Year," at the National Service Learning Conference in Minneapolis. And to facilitate one of the many opportunities for her students, Ms. Rodgers wrote and received the State Farm Youth Advisory Board's $100,000 grant for a service-learning - school and community safety grant. Abington's service program and Ms. Rodgers are featured in the Corporation for National and Community Service's Learn and Serve documentary, Bringing Learning to Life.

Being appointed to the Board of Directors for the Congressional Award Foundation by Speaker Pelosi in 2007 was certainly one of the highlights in Ms. Rodgers career. She is, or has been advisor to two-hundred students in the past few years and accompanies her protégées on mountain hikes and camping trips each summer. Helping young people grow to their fullest potential has been her life's work and is greatly supported by precept of the Congressional Award program.