Washington, D.C. – January 20, 2015 – (RealEstateRama) — In celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s life, vision, and commitment to public service and civil rights, NJCDC’s Paterson Youth Council (PYC) hosted the annual Dr. Martin Luther King Youth Recognition Breakfast on Monday, January 18th at The Brownstone. There, the PYC – a group of 30 Paterson teens who take part in a year-long leadership development program facilitated by NJCDC – bestowed the MLK Youth Recognition Awards upon five individuals (four youth and one adult) and one youth-serving organization. All have made a difference in Paterson through their commitment to the ideals and virtues espoused by Dr. King.
Approximately 300 people attended the Breakfast to celebrate the award winners, including State Senate President Stephen Sweeney, State Senator Nellie Pou, Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop, Paterson Mayor Jose “Joey” Torres, Passaic County Freeholders TJ Best and Pat Lepore, Assemblyman Benjie E. Wimberly, Assemblywoman Shavonda E. Sumter, Passaic County Sheriff Richard Berdnik, and Chairman of the New Jersey Democratic State Committee John Currie, among other dignitaries.
Senator Sweeney sang the Paterson Youth Council’s praises, saying “Seeing these young people making such a difference in their community is exactly what Dr. King believed in”.
The PYC selected the award winners after receiving over seventy nominations from schools, organizations, and Paterson residents. The recipients were selected for their dedication to making Paterson a better place for all through their extraordinary community service activities, and also for their strong academic standing.
The 2016 MLK Youth Recognition Award recipients are:
Justine Clemons, Grade 8, School #6
Justine Clemons currently has a 3.75 GPA and is described by her nominator as exemplifying the qualities of responsibility, cooperation, and collective effort. Justine is an active participant in Sigma Chi Iota, the Sigma Steppers, the School 6 Drum Corp, Gear-Up, Project P.R.I.D.E, and the Full Service Community Schools (FSCS) Mentoring Program. Justine makes every effort to expand the scope of her horizons, and to fully participate when given an opportunity to grow. She is a peacekeeper and advocate for and among her fellow students and has an innate propensity for social justice and fairness.
Wilmary Medina, Grade 8, School #18
Wilmary Medina currently has a 4.0 GPA. She is described as a very dedicated student who strives daily to be a better person, as she helps other students also become better. She is a tutor in her school, has volunteered at St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, and works with the elderly. In her work, she has developed very strong bonds and has become dedicated to helping others achieve greatness. Her school counselor describes her as an inspiration to everyone who comes in contact with her.
Loreidaly Perez, Grade 10, STEM Academy – JFK Educational Complex
Loreidaly maintains a 4.5 GPA at JFK’s STEM Academy. She is an active member of AFOOFA (All For One, One For All), UMOJA, MAPP, the Cultural Diversity Club, the Green Club, and Inside Tutoring for Struggling Students. Loreidaly is so dedicated to the betterment of other students that she has given up her lunch period to tutor students struggling with Algebra I. In her own words, “Winning the MLK Youth Recognition Award would be great, but I will continue to push myself further and apply myself more towards my academics and community works.”
Amanny Ahmed, Grade 12, STEM Academy – JFK Educational Complex
Amanny Ahmed currently maintains a 4.56 GPA. She is an active member of the JFK Robotics and College Prep Team, Montclair University’s Upward Bound Program, NJCDC’s 21st Century Compete for Life Program, AIM High WPU, the National Honor Society, the SGA, and the Rutgers University’s SHPE Shadow Program. Over the course of her high school career, Amanny has amassed almost 300 hours of community service all while maintaining a perfect A average in all of her classes. One of Amanny’s teachers had this to say about her: “If these past couple of years are any indication of her drive and dedication, then I know that she will be great in every endeavor she undertakes.”
Adult Recognition Award Recipient Bio:
Gwendolyn De Leon – School #6
Gwendolyn De Leon has come highly recommended by all who have had the pleasure of working with her. She has been both a foster and an adoptive parent, bringing three adopted children into her home and raising them as part of her family. Additionally, Mrs. De Leon has started the Sigma Chi Iota Sorority for young women at School 6, now entering its 8th year of service to middle and high school women. She exemplifies the meaning of Christianity in both word and deed, representing Dr. King’s legacy in her quietly determined efforts to improve the lives of the children in her care, and by doing so, assisting them in imagining brighter futures than they may have imagined for themselves.
Youth Serving Organization Award Bio:
Project P.R.I.D.E./Groove Leadership Academy
Groove Phi Groove is a national organization whose goal is to increase the enrollment of minority men in collegiate institutions. This group has formed the Junior Groovers Mentoring Club at Paterson Public Schools #6 and #10. There, they have worked with the middle school students, both male and female, since 2013. The program provides mentoring, guidance, and emotional support for children attending these schools. This organization’s nominator said, “Dr. King asked, ‘What are you doing for others?’ The men of Groove Phi Groove have responded by devoting their energy, effort and leadership to forgotten corners of the Fourth Ward.” The leadership at schools # 6 and #10 are grateful for all of the great opportunities that this group has opened for their students.
New Jersey Community Development Corporation (NJCDC) is dedicated to creating opportunities to transform lives within the Great Falls Neighborhood of Paterson, NJ. NJCDC is a private, non-profit community development and social service agency focusing on youth development, education, affordable housing, and community and economic development. Founded in 1994, NJCDC serves over 2,000 children, teens and families daily, and strives to fulfill its vision that all 8,000 children living in the Great Falls neighborhood will reach adulthood college and career ready.
The Paterson Youth Council, organized by NJCDC, is a citywide, youth-led, and youth-driven civic organization which endeavors to represent Paterson’s young people. Made up of 30 dynamic young residents ages 15-18, Paterson Youth Council members meet regularly to discuss a variety of issues that concern and affect city teens. Members also engage in a year-long youth leadership development program designed to cultivate broad leadership skills and civic pride.
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MEDIA CONTACT
Valerie Trawinski, Communications & Events Associate
Tel: 973.413.1608
E-mail: vtrawinski (at) njcdc (dot) org
