Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Students earn Spellman awards
WEST GOSHEN » Thirty West Chester Area School District graduating seniors were presented with Spellman Humanitarian Awards, last week at Fugett Middle School, for volunteerism, honesty, community service, integrity, responsibility and respectfulness.
Superintendent Dr. Jim Scanlon said the event is the first formal award ceremony during the graduation season and a chance to say goodbye to the seniors.
“We are recognizing students not so much for academics but for service and as good humanitarians,” Scanlon said. “Parents are a big part of that.
“If not for you, we wouldn’t be able to do these things.”
State Rep. Carolyn Comitta, D- 156, said the award’s namesake, Dr. Elwood “Ossie” M. Spellman would have been so proud of the award winners.
“Of all the awards out there, there is nothing more meaningful than being recognized for being a good person to others,” Comitta said. “You are the future.”
State Rep. Duane Milne, R-167, said the students exhibited wonderful character.
“Service matters, it can truly change a community or nation,” Milne said. He also noted the day of the ceremony marked the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King’s passing.
Spellman was a dentist and volunteered with the West Chester schools, and was active in other community activities, including, Boy Scouts, Rotary Club, YMCA and Westminister Presbyterian Church.
In 1966, all elementary and secondary schools in the West Chester Borough and surrounding townships were consolidated into the West Chester Area School District. Spellman was the first president of the school board.
East High School
Dr. Sara Missett, director of secondary education, presented the Spellman Award winners from East High School.
• Student Fatema Amiji – was referred to a as “globally conscious young woman leading by example,” by Missett.
Volunteering included washing dishes and serving food at a local church, rebuilding a care center for kids on the autism spectrum and in the summer of 2016, she joined Summer Teen at Chester County Hospital. She visited Tanzania where she volunteered at the Burhani Medical Clinic. While in Tanzania, Fatema taught impoverished children basic reading and writing skills. She tutored English and math at the Melton Arts Center in West Chester.
• Sravya Basvapatri – generously gives back to the community whether she is helping children at the YMCA make holiday ornaments or working with Hands to Hearts. Basvapatri has been co-president of Hands to Hearts. She makes handmade cards and writes letters to hospital patients, veterans, senior citizens, and the homeless four to five times a year. At Sunrise Living Center, she works with seniors and volunteers at Coatesville Veterans Affairs Medical Center where she assists with audiology patients.
• Jared Cooper – “Through his leadership and altruism, Cooper is unlocking the potential of the athletes, peers, and the community members he works with,” Missett said.
Cooper tutors through National Honor Society, was selected to participate in Unity Club, which develops leaders through discussions about current events, culture, ethnicity, values, and race. When not in class or on the track, Cooper, volunteers with the Chester County Summer Football Camp and LAFA (Little All-American Football Association) Summer Football Camp. He was a member of Jack and Jill of America and as one of their community service projects he played games with children in a shelter and cleaned parks.
• Julia Dakin – “is an involved leader who is doing an amazing amount to help others here in our community,” Missett said. She is the current president of East High School’s Interact Club. Her Interact Club activities have included the “Wreaths across America” Trip, a trip to the Arlington National Cemetery, volunteering for the West Chester Chili Cook Off, the East Goshen Pumpkin Festival and Neighbor to Neighbor Day. Dakin is also the vice president of KARE. This year, she worked to help those impacted by Hurricane Harvey as well as assisting in the Angel Project where gifts are collected and distributed to children in the community. She has been an SPCA volunteer for the past three years. Dakin has been a Sunday school assistant teacher for the last four years and also helps senior citizens learn about today’s technology in the Building Bridges program.
• Hanna Kelly – “She spends a lot of time helping others through her church youth group both here in our community and in areas in need of volunteer support,” Missett said. She spent time in Brooklyn, New York running a kids camp while also spending time working in an elderly home. In West Virginia, she helped build wheelchair ramps. Another service trip was to Tennessee where Hanna spent time gardening at a low income elderly care facility. She also worked with Habitat for Humanity Restore. She volunteers at church services along with helping to maintain and cleanup the church grounds each year. She has been part of the KARE program. Kelly helped to run the Angel Project, assigning gifts to homerooms, handling the money raised for the gifts, buying the gifts and organizing the distribution of gifts. She is also involved with writing cards for the Hands to Hearts Club. She has also participated in the Relay-for-Life.
• Hannah Pinheiro – has “that little ‘extra’” that makes her extraordinary, Missett said. She strives to raise awareness of domestic violence in the high school community and helps organize school fundraisers to raise money and purchase supplies for the Domestic Violence Center of Chester County. She cofounded and was co-president of the Students Assisting Affected Women Club. She volunteered for close to 200 hours at Paoli Hospital in the Ambulatory Surgery Unit. Through the Snider Youth Hockey Foundation she sought approval for and planned an annual used hockey equipment sale.
• Maddie Russell – has a truly amazing volunteer spirit, Missett said. Russell has been a student leader at two different vacation Bible schools and she has been a regular volunteer for the “Stop Hunger Now” meal packaging program. Russell volunteers at the Broad Street Ministries in Philadelphia. She also participated in the Martin Luther King Day of Service, preparing meals for shut-ins. For the past seven years, she has participated in a group providing holiday music for the Residents of Maris Grove Assisted Living and also for the past seven years, she has prepared boxes of gifts for the “Operation Christmas Child” ministry as well as an annual coat drive. Russell also continually collects and donates food to the Chester County food bank. She is a member of the SAAW club that supports victims of domestic abuse, she works with the Hands to Heart Service Club supporting veterans and hospital patients. She is part of the PAWS for a Cause Service Club supporting animal causes and finally she is part of the East High School Mentoring Program and has spent time tutoring.
• Venessa Sleiman’s – “hours of community service may seem remarkable, that is just a beginning for this student,” Missett said. While in high school, Venessa has volunteered with Neighbor to Neighbor Day, has run games for children and adults and distributed pumpkins. She worked at the Chili Festival. She has helped elderly community members with their electronic devices so they could check their emails, create group chats, and conduct business online. She walks the dogs and socializes with cats at the SPCA, she is a member of Interact. Since middle school, Vanessa has been giving back to Saint Sharbel Catholic Church by organizing First Holy Communion, assisting at Sunday school classes, decorating the church for holidays, running booths at the annual church festival, and running the church’s kitchen.
• Emily Smith – “One of Emily Smith’s teachers called her one of the most mature, responsible and “together” students she has ever met, Missett said. “She is a mature and dedicated student and is also a dedicated humanitarian.”
Smith has tutored at the Melton Community Center and packaged approximately 200 meals each year for the last six years at the West Chester Food Cupboard. For the last six summers, she volunteered at a service-oriented summer camp and through the “Stop Hunger Now” program packaged 10,000 lunches each of those six years to send to impoverished countries. By her fifth summer at the service camp, Smith was a camp counselor, leading the middle school students through the various service projects, and last year she served as the site leader, working on camp curriculum and leading the activities she had planned. She also found time last summer to travel to West Virginia to help build a roof for a deserving family.
• Lauren Vanasse – “embodies this saying as she has a smile for everyone and is a hard-working humanitarian,” Missett said.
Vanasse is the co-president of Hands to Hearts, an organization that has delivered over 821 letters to five different organizations. She recently undertook a project along with student council to create and send a banner that most in East High School signed to the Marjory Stoneman Douglass High School in Parkland, Florida. Vanasse has participated for the last three years on week-long mission trips through her church and plans to participate in another this summer. Closer to home, she participates in service projects supporting the Chester County Food Cupboard, as well as fun service activities such as caroling for the elderly during the holidays. Vansse has also been an active volunteer at her church for the past four years.
Henderson High School
The Henderson Spellman Awards were presented by Michele Curay-Cramer, president of the West Chester Area Education Association.
• Caroline Camp – “is one of those wunderkinds who does it all, and she does it all well,” Curay-Cramer said. She is a Class of 2018 class officer, she has painted a community center in Costa Rica, has been a volunteer tutor for elementary school children at the Melton Center and a Best Buddies Peer Buddy and Vice President during the last three years. Camp traveled to Spain, Italy, and France as a People to People Ambassador in the summer of 2014. She also volunteers each month at Ss. Peter and Paul Catholic Church and gained recognition from NBC 10 and Widener University through their High School Student Leadership Award.
• Willow Dysard – has clocked an amazing 3,400 hours of service. She was a volunteer for Meals on Wheels, an Alex’s Lemonade Stand volunteer since 2007 and worked with the Andrew L. Hicks Foundation since 2012. She has been a Summer Camp Counselor, volunteered for Elementary School Field Day and has served with the L.E.G. Up Foundation. Dysard has a love for music, as evidenced by her gig singing the national anthem at sporting events since 2015. She volunteers as a singer at the Wellington Retirement Home.
• Sarah Guber – has served as a class officer for the class of 2018, including her current role as president. Guber volunteers at Kesher Israel Preschool Camp, tutors at the Melton Center, participating in Best Buddies, and volunteering with Friends Helping Friends. Her true passion, however, is dance. Through iDance Summer Program,which she calls a “remarkable and unique” part of her life, she has taught and mentored younger dancers, raised funds for The Cystic Fibrosis organization, collected books for Cradles to Crayons, and made contributions to the Ronald McDonald House and the West Chester Food Cupboard.
• William He – “Some of the accolades bestowed by faculty nominators upon He include, “willing,” “consistent,” and “valued,” CurayCramer said. He is an active member of Future Business Leaders of America, Helping Hands community service club, and Young Men and Women in Charge Foundation. He has tutored students in need, served as a Brian’s Run course marshal, and coached basketball at the Huaxia Chinese School. He painted two large hospice rooms, raised funds for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and played with the Philadelphia Sinfonia and the Chester County Youth Orchestra.
• Lucy Merrill’s – faculty nomination stated that her “every action springs from a set of beliefs that stand as no mere words in her daily life.” She plays in the worship band at Westminster Presbyterian Church and has served on many mission trips to both Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., helping out in soup kitchens and homeless shelters. In addition, she has volunteered for many events with the Andrew L. Hicks Foundation and tutors students in need through her work with the NHS, where she is an officer.
• Victoria Ming – has made a powerful impact on others through her humanitarian efforts in the West Chester region. “Giving freely, with no expectation of return,” is how one of several faculty nominations of Victoria read, according to Curay-Cramer. Since middle school, she has worked as a volunteer at the Salvation Army, the Women of Hope Shelter, the Ray of Hope neighborhood community program, and Philabundance. In addition, Ming has spent a week each summer living in the home of a sponsor of a neighborhood in need, working to make that community stronger. She has volunteered with Project Brother Love, the Chester County Hospital, and has served as the president of the Student United Way.
• Raj Shah – is a fine example of what volunteerism
is all about, Curay-Cramer said. Shah has volunteered much time to the Shakti Foundation, a nonprofit organization that supports and provides care and enrichment for adults and children with developmental and intellectual disabilities. In addition, he has cooked for the homeless and has volunteered at the 10,000 Villages organization. At Henderson, Shah has also been an important presence in the Helping Hands Club.
• Abigail Shea – has compassion for others and community awareness, Curay-Cramer said. She has served as president of Students Against Destructive Decisions, while representing Henderson at multiple SADD conventions. Shea planned the annual Mock Crash and Health Fair, as well as planning Safe Driving presentations for freshman and sophomore health classes. She has served as a counselor at Pierce Middle School’s Cape Henlopen camping trip during the past two years, and has clocked an impressive 300plus hours as a “Volunteen” at the Chester County Hospital.
• Laura Wilson – “repeatedly demonstrates how much she cares about the welfare of others,” CurayCramer said. She has helped restore dilapidated homes through her participation in The Appalachia Service Project. She has also traveled as far as Detroit, participating in mission work that focuses on restoring hope and infrastructure in impoverished neighborhoods. Closer to home, Laura and other members of the West Chester Lutheran Church congregation provide dinner and fellowship to families in need during Wonderful Wednesdays. Laura is also a strong presence on the Henderson front, where she has managed the wrestling team for the past four seasons, has served as the president of S.A.D.D., and been an active leader in raising awareness of the dangers of drugs, alcohol, and distracted driving can have on youth.
• Amy Wright – “has set a strong example for her peers and others for service to her fellow man and as a positive role model,” Curay-Cramer said. One of Wright’s nominating faculty members wrote, “She embodies Henderson pride and excellence.” She is a Girl Scout Gold Star Award recipient, has dedicated over 200 hours to supplying books and wooden boxes to the Laundromat Library League, and has dedicated many hours to her church in the nursery, as a Summer Vacation Bible School counselor, and a choir member, which performs for the elderly. In addition, she has been an active member of the Henderson color guard all four years at Henderson, where she is viewed as a leader on the team.
Rustin High School
District Superintendent Dr. Jim Scanlon presented the Rustin High School awards.
• Anthony Avella – “is widely respected for his tremendous school spirit and positive attitude,” Scanlon
said. “He is also known for his strong community spirit and civic consciousness. He serves as junior supervisor for Thornbury Township, Delaware County. He volunteered for township cleanup day and for Election Day. Avella spent hundreds of hours creating a walking trail in a township park for which he earned the prestigious Eagle Scout Award.
• Erin Boas – started her own club in 2016 called MEGA, which stands for Making Everyone Greatly Aware. Her club raises money and awareness for nonprofit organizations. In its first year, it raised over $3,000 for the Dyautonomia Foundation (Dysautonomia is a disorder of the autonomic nervous system that affects over 60 million people worldwide). She also raised funds and collected books for a library in Zimbabwe. This year, MEGA and Boas raised more than $2000 for City Team in Chester to provide Thanksgiving meals for the homeless.
• Hannah Darmofal – “does not shy away from challenging service projects,” Scanlon said. “She is a compassionate and selfless person and she will continue to improve the lives of many people in future endeavors.”
She spent a week in West Virginia replacing a roof and digging ditches to save a flood-prone home. She also participated in a 30hour famine project for the purpose of raising awareness of worldwide hunger. Darmofal also collected and donated pajamas to needy children, coached and babysat children in her community and volunteered with students with intellectual disabilities. She is an active member of the Advent Lutheran youth group and congregation and she also belongs to several service groups at Rustin.
• Casey Kohlbrenner – “is always willing to heed the call of service and pay forward the many blessings she has happily received while serving others,” Scanlon said.
She has been a friendly and familiar face for the children attending the St. Maximillian Church vacation Bible School and CCD classes. In her service positions as vacation Bible school leader and teacher assistant, she facilitated a fun and safe learning environment for the children and assisted the adult teachers. In addition to working with the children of the parish, she volunteered her time to deliver flowers to congregants and she has helped the church community with all types of errands and projects.
• Rudy Ricciuti – “When he makes a promise, he fulfills it,” Scanlon said.
As an Eagle Scout, this young man promises as part of his Scout pledge to “help other people at all times.”
Ricciuti has volunteered to help with road cleanups, building trails, food drives, building a bridge, making a bocce ball court, and installing trash cans for a park. His Eagle Scout project was to build fitness stations in a park. In addition, he volunteers at his church to provide community service, moving cabinets and helping with a “trunk or treat” which offers a trick or treat experience for families that cannot afford to otherwise experience Halloween. Ricciuti annually volunteers with Rustin’s football team’s Christmas donations to the community.
• Keerthana Senthil – “is just getting started on her journey in the medical world, a journey that will save countless numbers of lives,” Scanlon said.
She is one of a few high school students in the state who is actively researching a cure for breast cancer. She has logged over 300 hours at the University of Pittsburgh Magee Womens Research Institute breast cancer lab where she is investigating possible therapeutic targets for triple negative breast cancer. She has recently been placed in an EMS program and has logged over 40 hours of service, some of the hours were spent on ride-along trips with paramedics. She volunteered at Paoli Hospital during her freshman and sophomore years.
• Ruby Spino – Throughout her high school career, Ruby has been an active leader and supporter of SPOT the Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender youth community group in West Chester. Ruby meets weekly at the SPOT group and has organized and delivered several seminars and workshops on safe sex and healthy relationships. She has been a presenter at regional LGBTQA events, including the Rainbow Connection at West Chester University which hosts more than 350 LGBTQA youth and their allies from throughout the Philadelphia area.
• Morgan Wade – is a lifelong Girl Scout. She volunteered for projects, which have included, volunteering at Girl Scout summer camps, food drives, visiting nursing homes, as well as delivering programs for younger Girl Scouts. Wade was also selected to be a Girl Delegate to Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania. In addition, she has volunteered her time to tutor students at the Melton Center. This year Morgan earned the Gold Award from the Girl Scouts.
• Abraham Yoder – “If you drive around Thornbury Township (Delaware County), there is a pretty good chance that you will spot Abraham Yoder out and about, working on some type of community enhancement project,” Scanlon said.
Yoder has volunteered his time and talent to numerous public events including the Thornbury Township Fall Festival, the Founders’ Day celebration, and the much beloved Corn Boil. Yoder also completed his Eagle Scout project, which was the creation of a bocce ball court in Palmer Arboretum.
• Antonio Zimbello “is a hardworking student who dedicates himself not only to his studies but to the community,” Scanlon said.
He volunteers regularly for St. Agnes Catholic Church as an altar server. In addition, Zimbello has volunteered as an adaptive swim coach for children and seniors with physical disabilities. This last summer, Antonio also volunteered at the immunology research laboratory conducting T-cell research at the University of Pennsylvania.