Photo: Diane Swords
The 2013 Peace Action Youth Award was presented to three young peace activists this year. They shared a $500 stipend generously provided by John F.X. Mannion and Stephanie A. Miner.
Caitlyn Lawless is a senior at Jamesville-Dewitt High School. Through the Emmaus Ministry at St. James Church in Syracuse, she volunteers at the Oxford Street Inn and at the Rescue Mission. At her high school she has run sock drives for the homeless and organized groups of students to volunteer. Caitlyn will attend Siena College in the fall.
Leah Miller is a junior at Manlius Pebble Hill School. Last December she traveled to Sri Lanka with the Matilda Joslyn Gage Foundation’s “Girl Ambassadors for Human Rights” program to learn about the problems faced by girls and women around the world and the role women play in bringing about social change. At her school Leah participates in the Community Wide Dialogue to End Racism and in the Mentors in Violence Prevention Program. Leah is considering a career in social work or child services law.
Natalie Nisco-Frank, a senior at Jamesville-Dewitt High School, spent two summers working with poor children in the Dominican Republic. In Syracuse she does volunteer work with children at St. Lucy’s Church and at the Brady Center. Natalie will be attending Cornell University in the fall and plans to major in political science.
Following short presentations by each awardee, attendees engaged in dialogue with the young peacemakers about how to spread peace in the world and how to engage more young people. Join us next June for this inspiring event.
