New York, NY (PRWEB) June 06, 2012
YouthBridge-NY, a non-profit that prepares teen leaders to address the challenges of a diverse New York City, honors four civic leaders, including two recent graduates of the YouthBridge-NY diversity fellowship program. Honors are being presented to Kramer Levin Naftalis Frankel LLP, Ivy Cohen, Jacqueline Bryk and Victor Wong at a ceremony tonight during the organization’s annual graduation celebration for high school seniors who have completed the program held at the offices of Kramer Levin in Manhattan.
YouthBridge-NY’s seventh annual fundraiser honors leaders who have dedicated their lives to bring their passion for diversity and inclusion into the organizations and communities where they live, work and play, and have directly shared their talents and resources with YouthBridge–NY as a vital avenue for empowering teens who are the future leaders of our City.
YouthBridge-NY’s Corporate Leadership Award goes to Kramer Levin Naftalis Frankel LLP for the firm’s success creating an inclusive environment where people from diverse backgrounds can flourish, both as lawyers and as individuals. In 2012, Vault ranked Kramer Levin in the top 20 Best Law Firms for Diversity, with a ranking of #3 with respect to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender attorneys. “We are very fortunate to have Kramer Levin partner, Christopher Auguste devote his time, innovative ideas and legal counsel to YouthBridge-NY as a member of our board of directors since 2009,” said Bob Kaplan, Executive Director of YouthBridge-NY.
Board member Ivy Cohen, president of Ivy Cohen Corporate Communications, is being honored with the agency’s Community Service Award for her civic leadership and countless hours devoted to creating empowered and inclusive communities. “Ivy has been an anchor and driving force on our board of directors of YouthBridge-NY since 2005, chairing its strategic planning and program committees,” explains Kaplan. “Under her leadership the organization rolled out its second generation teen fellowship program and established ongoing evaluation as a tool for continual program improvement.” Cohen also served as CEO of “Just Say No” International, where under her leadership more than one million youth in 50 states and 12 countries participated in school and community-based programs.
The Generation to Generation Award is being given to Jacqueline Bryk, a junior at Columbia University, for carrying on her parents’ tradition of community service into the next generation at the age of 20. “As a YouthBridge-NY Fellow during high school (2008-2009), Jacki was a dynamo!” says Kaplan. “She stood out winning first place in our business plan competition and has since been a valued leader helping to build our alumni network.” While in college, Jacki has been a scholarship recipient and active member of New York Women in Communications and enjoys volunteering for “She’s the First,” a not-for-profit organization that sponsors girls’ education in the developing world.
Victor Wong, is being honored with the Distinguished Alum Award. While a Fellow (2005-2006), Victor revealed the strength of his convictions when he donated his personal YouthBridge-NY stipend to a grass roots organization, Families in Transition that he met while on the grant-making committee. “Victor’s talents and character shined at YouthBridge-NY and we take pride in his continued civic leadership since completing our program,” said Kaplan. Just one year after graduating from Harvard University, he continues to volunteer with YouthBridge-NY, meeting Fellows to talk about their futures as diversity leaders and as a member of YouthBridge-NY’s Alumni Planning Committee.” Today he is employed with the NYC Economic Development Corporation.
The 2012 graduating YouthBridge-NY Bridgers (second year Fellows) had the opportunity to put their new skills into action by creating projects to support a non-profit organization. The 2012 graduates are Jenny Choi, Hunter College High School; Carolyn Collado, Mary Louis Academy; Xavier Contreras, Bard High School Early College Queens; Victoria Elias, Bishop Ford Catholic High School; Sasha Gayle-Schneider, Abraham Joshua Heschel High School; Erik Gustafsson, Archbishop Molloy High School; Chelsea Lopez, Long Island City High School; Nyoka Newell, Bronx Engineering and Technology High School; Anika Rastgir, Stuyvesant High School; Niasia Thomas, Nazareth Regional High School; Melissa Tropnas, Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School; Stella Wong, Hunter College High School.
About YouthBridge-NY
YouthBridge-NY is a nonprofit leadership development organization that convenes and trains young people to meet the challenges of an extremely diverse New York City. It is devoted to improving the atmosphere of respect and diversity in New York City and the schools and community organizations in which its youth leaders live and learn. YouthBridge-NY youth leaders are proactively involved in the leadership and diversity landscape of the city and are dedicated to improving the quality of life for all.
For more information visit http://www.youthbridgeny.org.
