Two honored for community service

Kathryn (Kat) Wojsiat, 16, of Sherrill, and a junior at Holy Cross Academy, was recognized by Reality Check as their 2019 Youth Advocate of the Year for Madison County for the second consecutive year.

Bailey Foster, 15, from Chittenango, received a special award for her commitment to Reality Check and for the tremendous amount of effort she has put in the fight against tobacco. She was the recipient of the program’s first ever “From the Heart” award.

Their yearly community education and recognition event serves to educate the community and honor those who have helped the program in the past year. Some of the highlights from the year mentioned at the event included the US Surgeon General’s recognition of their work to advocate for movies to be given an R rating if the filmglamorized or normalized tobacco. In February of this year, the U.S. Surgeon General had utilized Twitter to share a news story fromthe Oneida Daily Dispatch and go on to tweet three more messages quoting from the article.

The youths were also recognized for their work in cleaning local parks and beaches including Sylvan Beach and Madison Lake, and their work across Madison County in collaborating with the Madison County Youth Summit that collected thousands of junior high and high school students’ input on what would make an ideal community. The youth focus in Reality Check looked at tobacco marketing in stores where kids shop, particularly stores near schools and other areas where kids and teens visit such as parks, playgrounds, and other recreational areas. Reality Check leaders shared their findings and their concerns with several elected officials and other key community members over the past year.

Fifteen youths from across Madison and Oneida counties were recognized, along with their parents. Reality Check Coordinator Heather Bernet expressed gratitude for each of the students who raised awareness about the negative impact of tobacco marketing, and for leading the way for a tobacco-free world. “This evening is so important for the youth, their families, and for members of the community to see the amazing amount of work that can be accomplished by the youth in this community,” Bernet said.

For more information about Reality Check, visit realitycheckofny.com.

SUBMITTED PHOTO Front row from left: Reality Check Youth Leaders Sydney Foster, Amélie Rohlin, Rocco Pizzuto, Tim Bernet, Kathryn Wojsiat, and Francesca Matteson. Back row from left: Reality Check Youth Leaders Josh Drake, Hailey Bernet, Adam Wojsiat, Bailey Foster, and Rachel Mennig. Reality Check Youth Leaders not pictured: Skyler and Ella Camp, Tori Allen, and Keagan Terry.

SUBMITTED PHOTO Bailey Foster, left, Chittenango, recipient of From the Heart Award, and Kat Wojsiat, Holy Cross Academy, recipient of the Madison County Youth Advocate of the Year Award.