12 Northwest Philly students honored for ‘acts of kindness’

State Rep. Pamela A. DeLissio (D-194th) recently honored a dozen students from Northwest Philadelphia schools for “good deeds and actions” that made a difference for their peers or community as a whole.

Nominated by teachers and staffers, students from six schools in Roxborough and Manayunk received either the “Peer to Peer Award” or “Unsung Hero Award” this week.

What the awards represent

The first award recognizes youths who help “another student through friendship or through other assistance such as tutoring or informal or formal mentoring … because it is the right thing to do and not because he or she is motivated by recognition or reward.”

The second honors those “whose good deeds and actions have made a difference in his or her school or community environment.”

DeLissio said those sorts of contributions often go unrecognized.

“I am proud to present these awards to students who may otherwise not have been recognized for an activity or accomplishment when indeed the act of kindness is all too often overlooked,” said DeLissio in a press release about the annual honors.

“We live in a world where much attention goes to those who excel academically and/or athletically,” she continued. “I believe we equally need to acknowledge those who display kindness, fairness, generosity or acts of civic or community engagement, for it is these qualities that instill true leadership.”

The winners

The five students who received the Unsung Hero Award are:

Steven McGlade, AMY Northwest Middle School (Roxborough)

Shane Coyle, Cook-Wissahickon School (Roxborough)

Mercedes Blades, James Dobson School (Manayunk)

Makyle Wyche, Green Woods Charter (Roxborough)

Shkelqim Saiti, Walter Biddle Saul High School (Roxborough)

The seven Peer to Peer Award recipients are:

Mercedes Crawford, AMY Northwest

Gabrielle Edwards, Cook-Wissahickon

Tiffani Loughery, Dobson

Jessica Craighead, Green Woods

Robert Tinney, Saul

Olivia Cooper, and Andrew Dormer, Shawmont School (Roxborough/Andorra)