2006 Caring Youth Recognition award recipients
Twenty-four youth who have given outstanding service to others were honored at the Caring Youth Recognition event Thursday, March 23, 2006, at the Minnetonka Community Center, 14600 Minnetonka Blvd., Minnetonka. Minnetonka City Manager John Gunyou was the keynote speaker.
The Caring Youth Recognition salutes young people in grades 7 through 12 who have unselfishly involved themselves in a cause or situation benefiting other people. It is designed to honor young people who demonstrate caring by reaching out to others or whose day-to-day lifestyles reflect uncommon concern for others. Caring Youth supports the attitude of giving without expectation of reward or recognition. It encourages an attitude of recognizing the needs of others and responding to those needs in a personal, caring way.
Faith community members, civic and service organizations, and schools in the Golden Valley, Hopkins and Minnetonka communities nominated the youth.
The Caring Youth Recognition event is an extension of the February “We Love Our Kids” month activities, and is a collaborative effort among the cities of Golden Valley, Hopkins, and Minnetonka, and the Minnetonka and Hopkins school districts.
The 2006 Caring Youth recipients included:
- Marcus Edward Hill
- Breck School, nominated by Breck School for his extensive volunteer work at school and at Big Brothers Big Sisters.
- Kimberly Pentel
- Hopkins High School, nominated by Hollywood Studio of Dance for her volunteer work with that organization.
- Lindsey Blanchard
- Minnetonka High School, nominated by Scenic Heights Elementary School for volunteering to read each week to elementary school children.
- Joseph Watson
- Minnetonka High School, nominated by Scenic Heights Elementary School for volunteering to read each week to elementary school children.
- Julissa Betting-Fuentes
- Sandburg Middle School, nominated for volunteering weekly at the Golden Valley Library.
- Erin Knight
- Minnetonka High School, nominated by Sojourner Project for her work with the Children’s Advocacy team at Sojourner Shelter, a shelter for battered women and their children.
- Polo Velasquez
- Minnetonka High School, nominated by the DCD program at Minnetonka High School for volunteering with special education students at the high school.
- Harry Niedermaier
- Benilde-St. Margaret’s, nominated by Hopkins Catholic Youth Ministry for his work on mission trips.
- Chris Walz
- Benilde-St. Margaret’s, nominated by Courage Center Golden Valley for his work with that organization’s sports and recreation programs.
- Lauren Boldon
- International School of Minnesota, nominated by Hennepin County READY Volunteer program for helping a needy family.
- Kaisa Newville
- Minnetonka Middle School East, nominated by the Transition Classroom at MME for volunteering to ride to school each day for the past three years with a special education student.
- Marshall Kelner
- Blake School, nominated by Sholom Home West for his work with senior residents.
- Emily Ostlund
- Hopkins High School, nominated by Stages Theatre Company for her ongoing volunteer work as an usher.
- Rebekah Wilder
- Main Street School of Performing Arts, nominated twice: by Main Street School of Performing Arts for volunteering as a math teacher, and by Minnetonka Community Church Kids Praise Club for volunteering with children.
- Jacquilyn Weaver
- Minnetonka High School, nominated by Minnetonka High School for her work with the Sierra Club and the MHS Earth Club.
- Lauren Sadowsky
- Hopkins North Junior High School, nominated by Intercongregation Communities Association (ICA) for her work at the ICA food shelf.
- Marissa Braun
- Hopkins High School, nominated by All Saints Lutheran Church for her work on the church and youth councils.
- Hannah Fazio
- Minnetonka High School, nominated by Minnetonka Heights Community Enhancement Program for her work with the Minnetonka Heights after-school program.
- Madeline Jones
- Hopkins High School, nominated by The Depot Coffee House for her work on the board of the student-run teen center at The Depot.
- Allie Bornstein
- Minnetonka High School, nominated by the West Suburban Teen Clinic for her work at a birth control educator.
- Jeff Everson
- Blake School, nominated by The Towers of St. Therese Southwest for his work with senior residents.
- Carl Hinton
- Minnetonka High School,nominated by the Explorers Club for his work with children in that program.
- Anne Pederson
- Hopkins High School, nominated by Gethsemane Lutheran Church for her volunteer work at church, including teaching Sunday school and vacation Bible school; serving as an usher and working on church musicals.
- Anne Hedlund
- Minnetonka Middle School East, nominated by Minnetonka Middle School East for creating the “Kids Who Care” service organization.
