Youth Leaders To Be Honored

BrocktonPost
BROCKTON--Two of Brockton's Community Schools directors are among the Brockton Youth Foundation’s honorees for the 3rd Annual Breakfast of Champions--the foundation's yearly ceremony honoring youth leaders in the city.
Harry Allen, the first director of the Community Schools program and current Director Kathleen Smith join a slate of well-known and much-beloved community boosters who are being feted at the breakfast at the Shaw’s Center.
“While most families and businesses are struggling with a difficult economy, our youth need the community support more than ever,” said Bill McGauley, president of the fledgling foundation.
“It is our hope that the community can find a way to support us and help continue the work of the past generation to champion and fund programs like the Brockton Community Schools and the Mayor’s Youth Fund,” he said.
The breakfast will be held at 10:30 a.m. Sunday, March 20, 2011 at the Shaw’s Center.
Tickets are $25 for adults and $15 students. Call 508-584-2506 for more information or visit the foundation's website at http://www.brocktonfoundation.org
Allen and Smith are among a list of notable Brockton residents and organizations that have helped shape the community in a positive way.
Brockton Youth Soccer Association, now in its 30th year, serves more than 1,000 youth between 4 to 19 each year and is operated entirely by a volunteer Executive Board that includes Rick and Anne Savignano, Greg Joyce and Michael Khang.
Also among the honorees are teenagers Elizabeth Chauppetta and John Fontes of Brockton and Kristin Schilling of Hanover, who biked across the country last summer to raise awareness and money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
Rounding out the list art Tony DeGrace of the Brockton Fire Department, who is a youth coach and adjustment counselor at the YMCA and long-time West Bridgewater youth basketball coach George Sylvester.
The non-profit Brockton Youth Foundation was formed by involved parents and civic leaders to provide funding, leadership and programs to support out-of-school activities as well as increased access and lower fees for all programs serving Brockton youth.
The Foundation is using this year’s event to build support and community partnerships that recognize the value of Brockton’s youth as the city’s next generation of champions and leaders.
Previous honorees include Brockton High School Principal Dr. Susan Szachowicz (pictured above); Dave Gorman, organizer of the D.W. Field Park Kids Road Races; Kenneth “Sonny” Hewitt, a Community Schools basketball official; and Nancy Leedberg, who works at the Brockton Police Department.