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Over the course of five years, the Students In Action team at Brownsville Area High School, Fayette County, realized their goal of revitalizing Snowden Square in their hometown with a new stage and green space, a collaborative $307,000 project that broke ground last month and will be completed by September 2016.
“Mrs. Dellarose is an ideal role model. She is a positive force in each of our lives, a leader in our school and community, and a strong woman overall.” Those words were written of Kelli Dellarose, a chemistry teacher at Brownsville Area High School, by members of the school’s Students In Action team, for which Dellarose serves as advisor. In their explication for why Dellarose should be chosen as the top SIA advisor, the students elaborately detail the positive influence she has had on them and the Brownsville community.
Champions & Media Partner Winners
Growing up, Priscilla Puente’s parents always taught her how important it is to give back. Understanding that financial stability is often the key to freedom for abuse victims, Priscilla established a scholarship fund to allow women at the Bridge Over Troubled Waters shelter to gain certification and skills needed to find employment in USW refineries and plants. Priscilla was not only the USW’s top member winner, but the recipient of JAF’s 2016 National Outstanding Public Service by an Employee Award.
Following the loss of her father to melanoma, Dr. Lauren Simko, Pharm.D., co-founded The Pittsburgh Melanoma Foundation, a charity that increases life-saving melanoma awareness while also providing funds for research. With Lauren’s assistance, fundraisers for the Pittsburgh Melanoma Foundation vary from small, intimate events that are therapeutic for those that have lost a loved one or have survived treatment, to large events, like the annual 5K family walk/run held every summer and now brings in close to 1,000 attendees. Through Lauren’s work and the Pittsburgh Melanoma Foundation, a total of $80,000 has been donated melanoma research to date.
In May of 2016 Julie Webb was selected by The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette as its top regional winner. Julie is a founding member of the Greater Pittsburgh Interfaith Coalition, using her deep interreligious relationships to launch a program building interfaith neighborhoods. At a time where there are many misunderstandings about Muslims, Julie is the guiding force behind the Humanity Day Award given to community leaders who are working towards social justice and interreligious issues. A humble servant and leader, Julie is an influential ambassador who builds bridges of understanding among people of faith. As volunteer Outreach Coordinator, Julie helps to recruit speakers for multiple monthly speaking sessions and offers guided tours of the coalition during Friday prayers.
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