Thomas Ford: ETS Volunteer of the Month for July

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Princeton, N.J. (July 7, 2008) —

The ETS Social Investment Fund has selected Thomas Ford, Senior Electrician for Facilities and Property Management, as Volunteer of the Month for his work in his hometown of Bristol, Pa.

Thomas is a 23-year ETS employee and spends a good portion of his free time protecting the lives and property of the members of his hometown as a volunteer firefighter for the Engine #1 Company in Bristol, Pa. He is also an ordained minister at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Bristol, where he has protected the future paths of members of his congregation, including at-risk youth.

“My work in the community is faith-based,” says Ford. “When I see people who need help, I lend a hand. I think it’s everyone’s destiny to help one another through community service.”

Of the many youth-based programs Ford participates in, his favorite is conducting instructional classes on the basics of electrical engineering for local high school students in his home. Several of his students have gone on to complete their electrician certifications and one of his former students is presently an employee of ETS.

“My job is also my hobby, and I like letting the kids I teach discover the basics of electrical work. I’m contributing to their knowledge of the world. Kids sometimes tend to be pushed to the side, so to speak, in our world. But their opinions matter and their voices need to be heard. They are our future leaders.”

Ford is also an Emergency Medical Technician and Emergency First Responder at ETS, a volunteer role involving hours of continuous training and study. First Responders at ETS are the employees who aid emergency or fire personnel during times of need at ETS.

Ford and his wife Shikita reside in Bristol, Pa.

About ETS

ETS, a nonprofit organization, celebrates a 60-year history of advancing quality and equity in education by providing fair and valid assessments, research and related services for all people worldwide. In serving individuals, educational institutions and government agencies around the world, ETS customizes solutions to meet the need for teacher professional development products and services, classroom and end-of-course assessments, and research-based teaching and learning tools. ETS today develops, administers and scores more than 50 million assessments in over 180 countries, at more than 9,000 locations worldwide.