Tommi Crump, a senior at Abington Senior High School and a second-year student of the Veterinary Science program at the Eastern Center for Arts and Technology, was recently highlighted for Eastern’s Community Service Month.
Crump is the founder of a non-profit organization and YouTube channel called “Tommi’s Tales,” through which she reads books to young audiences from underserved populations. The endeavor began in 2020 with a recording of her reading stories to cousins and has since gained traction and subscribers.
From Eastern’s Facebook post:
Alongside her YouTube channel, Tommi extends her passion for storytelling by reading books to preschool children at different schools and children’s parties. Leveraging her mom’s connection with the School District of Philadelphia, Tommi gained opportunities to organize reading engagements at various preschools in the city. When invited to read at children’s birthday parties, Tommi goes the extra mile by incorporating the party’s theme into her book selection and costume. Whether donning the attire of a princess or a lively character from Madagascar, such as the lion, Tommi adds a personalized and engaging touch to her storytelling sessions, creating memorable experiences for young audiences.
She is a volunteer and fundraising organizer for Praise is the Cure, an organization dedicated to supporting breast cancer survivors and founded by her late Godmother, Kerri Conner Matchett. She also organizes “The Annual Weekend of Hope, Health, and Healing” which offers spa days for individuals undergoing breast cancer treatments.
Crump has been a member and teacher at two local dance studios—Grace Dance Theater and The Point Dance Studio—since she was 12 years old.
She was named a Gold Presidential Service Award recipient on behalf of President Biden in 2022-2023 for completing over 500 community service hours. In 2020, she was identified as one of eight finalists in the worldwide fifth annual World of Money Online Youth Business competition, CBS News reported.
For more on Tommi’s Tales, you can visit their Facebook page. You can also watch CBS News’ coverage below:
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Photos: Eastern