Photos by Lauren Stauffer

Northside Leadership Conference Honors Students, Neighbors, and Businesses

By Lauren Stauffer

Over 330 guests attended the 35th Annual Scholarship and Awards Dinner held at the Grand Hall at the Priory on Thursday, June 14 2018. Those honored included 16 Northside high school students, 10 neighborhood volunteers, 3 Northsiders for lifetime achievements, and Allegheny Center Alliance Church received the 2018 Service Provider award.

At the beginning of each new year, the Northside Leadership Conference (NSLC) releases applications for high school senior students residing on the Northside to enter an essay about how they personally give back to their communities through volunteer service. This year’s recipients were awarded electronic tablets courtesy of Rotary Club of Pittsburgh’s Northside and $1,000 scholarships sponsored by a variety of invested community sponsors for student’s college or training programs after high school.

To date, NSLC has awarded $252,000 in scholarships to Northside students who volunteer their time to improve their neighborhoods. Scholarship awards in 2018 for community service were received by seniors Andrew Knight, Blaise Canning, William Johnson, Kaitlin Heil, Malcolm Bowman, Leo Baumbach, Bryce Chisom, Austin Burnett, Chandler Searcy, Elijah Fitch, Elias Reay, Ali Mganga, Summer Love Helvy, Emoni Jones, Maya Smallwood, and Margaret Walker.

Community service is not just for high school students. In addition to Northside’s youth, neighborhood community groups nominate a valued volunteer or business to be honored for their service as well. Awardees included Doris Short & Greg Coll of Allegheny West Civic Council, John Norman of Brighton Heights Citizens Federation, Robert Koster of Charles Street Area Council, Madison Nester of Community Alliance Spring Garden East Deutschtown (CASGED), Arthur Perkins of East Allegheny Community Council, Bonny Kwolek of Observatory Hill Incorporated, James Rizzo of Spring Hill Civic League, Jacob George of Summer Hill Citizens Committee, and Patrick Duffy of Troy Hill Citizens Incorporated.

Lifetime Achievement awards were given to three well known community leaders with over 75 years of cumulative service in their neighborhoods and on Northside-wide initiatives. Awardees included Donna Allison of Spring Hill for her work as project manager for the Allegheny Commons Master Plan and Neighborhood Planner while at NSLC, Roy Redman, formerly of Central Northside now residing in East Allegheny for his work to develop West Park Court and Arch Court for senior subsidized housing and care, and Robin Rosemary Miller of Spring Hill for her work as Executive Director of North Side|Shore Chamber of Commerce and active committee member in a North Side Lions Club, Public Safety, One North Side, and Riverside Center of Innovation.