For Release: December 18, 2007
Contact: J. Tucker Martin or David Clementson
Email: tucker.martin@oag.state.va.us or dclementson@oag.state.va.us
Phone: 804-786-2071
Attorney General McDonnell and Troutman Sanders LLP
Announce Winners of 2007-2008 Y.O.U.T.H. Awards
Richmond- Attorney General Bob McDonnell joined Troutman Sanders LLP and the Greater Richmond Bar Foundation today to announce the winners of the 2007-2008 Y.O.U.T.H Awards. The Y.O.U.T.H. (Young Old United to Help) awards were initiated by former Virginia Attorney General Anthony F. Troy and Troutman Sanders, and are given each year to outstanding young men and women who have exhibited strong character and a willingness to give back to their communities. Each winner receives a $1,000 savings bond. This is the 10th year of the Awards.
The winners of the 2007-2008 Y.O.U.T.H Awards are:
Karen Bergeron
SpringfieldBronson Haynes
Virginia BeachJeromyah Jones
RichmondAndy Parada
Midlothian
Speaking about the awards, Attorney General McDonnell noted, “It’s extremely important that we award excellence in our youth. For the past ten years, that’s exactly what the Y.O.U.T.H. awards have done. I am delighted to see young people working to create a brighter future for the Commonwealth by using their talents as leaders in their schools and communities.”
Troutman Sanders partner, and former Virginia Attorney General, Anthony F. Troy, further commented, “I am pleased that this annual award ceremony continues to emphasize recognition of young individuals who are positive role models that give back and strengthen their communities.”
The award winners were selected by a committee of representatives from the Attorney General’s office and Troutman Sanders.
The 2007-2008 Y.O.U.T.H. Award Winners:
Karen Bergeron will graduate from Woodson High School in Fairfax, Virginia in June of 2008. Bergeron is active in a variety of organizations that offer support to community members, but she also seeks out ways to personally offer her time and energies when she becomes aware of need. For example, after one of Bergeron’s teachers shared personal experiences with medically recovering soldiers at the Bethesda Naval Hospital, Karen chose to make care packages, including home made cookies, for the soldiers at Christmas time. The Chief Warrant Officer was touched by her kindness and wrote her a personal letter of thanks.
Bergeron has also given her time on several mission trips. She traveled to Haiti, where she helped paint a school, renovate furniture and fed the town’s needy. She yearly attends a week-long trip to Kentucky where she renovates homes in a poverty-stricken area. She traveled this past summer to Biloxi, Mississippi to work on houses damaged by hurricane Katrina.
Bergeron also regularly contributes to Food for Poor, an organization that assists the needy in Latin America. She earns money through babysitting and odd jobs to donate to assist in feeding the poor. She has personally donated several hundred dollars of her hard earned money.
She feels a deep commitment to learn about all of the communities with her high school. She has become very active in the deaf community at WHS and is a member of the deaf club even though she is a hearing student.
She hopes to become a special education teacher after attending college.
Bronson Haynes is a senior at Bayside High School’s Health Sciences Academy where he has achieved academic success taking the school’s most rigorous courses. He participates in many of his school’s organizations and still gives back hundreds of hours to his community while maintaining a part time job after school. He has been employed since his tenth grade year and has excellent job evaluations with the same employer for the past three years. Haynes has served as an excellent role model for an African-American male organization at Bayside called BMAC, Bayside Minority Achievement Committee. Besides these accomplishments, Bronson has spent hundreds of hours giving back to the community especially as a mentor and tutor to young children. He has participated in numerous volunteer activities and community service projects at area elementary schools. Haynes is often found reading or assisting underclassmen with math and science homework and the students whom he tutors hold him in highest regards.
Bronson dreams of pursuing a medical career.
Jeromyah Jones will graduate from Hermitage High School in June of 2008. He represented Hermitage High School at the Governor’s School and has already earned twelve college credits from VCU’s High Tech Engineering Academy. He is a leader in both the Hermitage High School’s Art Club and Painting Club, and is also a member of the Spanish Honor Society and Art Honor Society. Jeromyah’s received two awards for his paintings at a show featuring Richmond area artists that was sponsored by the National Arts program. Jones said that he spotted his inspiration for “Taking the Next Step,” the painting that won him “Best in Show,” at Richmond’s Maymont Park. He re-created a scene of a father carrying his son across the pond’s stepping stones representing a father guiding his son on the right life path. Jones believes this painting is personal because his father, a professional artist, has always had a strong and positive presence in his life. Jones also received “The People’s Choice Award” for another painting at the same art show.
Jeromyah plans to study architecture in college but will never abandon his fine arts gifts.
Andrew Parada is an 8th grader at Robious Middle School. His nominator calls him “a light and a torch to all he contacts as he graciously gives of his time while maintaining high academics through the adversity of Down Syndrome.” Parada actively leads in both school and community activities. He is the only student at Robious Middle School to receive the Gold Service Pin for volunteering over 100 hours of his time to community programs, which includes consistent volunteering at a local food bank. Andy is also a twice gold medalist and bronze medalist in the Special Olympics, participating in basketball, softball and bowling. Every Saturday, Andy volunteers as a role model and bus helper for a Petersburg at-risk youth program. He is also very active in his church drama team and youth group which hosts many volunteer led events.
About Troutman Sanders:
Troutman Sanders LLP, founded in 1897, is an international law firm with over 600 attorneys serving clients from offices in Atlanta, Hong Kong, London, Shanghai, New York, Newark, Norfolk, Raleigh, Richmond, Tysons Corner, Virginia Beach and Washington, D.C. The full-service firm provides advice and counsel in over 30 legal practice areas and is committed to delivering professional service throughout all its locations.
About the Greater Richmond Bar Foundation:
The Greater Richmond Bar Foundation is a charitable organization that was created to support and facilitate education of the public, pro bono legal services, project sponsorships, scholarships, and other public service projects throughout the Richmond area. The Foundation includes many community leaders and representatives who work with the local legal community in law-related projects beneficial to the local area and legal system.
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