Sound Shore Students Among Those Chosen for Service Award

Two Sound Shore students were among 10 Westchester high school seniors selected as recipients of the Westchester County Youth Board's 2013 Milly Kibrick Youth Service Awards

They were chosen because they showed exceptional commitment to their local communities.

Laura Tucciarone of Mamaroneck and Courtney Naomi Mills of New Rochelle were honored at a dinner Oct. 16 at the Davenport Club in New Rochelle.

The Milly Kibrick Youth Service Awards are given in memory of Milly Kibrick, a prominent county social worker and youth activist, who dedicated her life to helping underprivileged children. During her career and in retirement, she was the quintessential social worker, social entrepreneur, volunteer and political activist, pursuing social and economic justice for children of all ages.

"Milly selflessly devoted her life to helping underprivileged children and was the driving force in many campaigns for the youth of Westchester County. She made a lasting impact on our community," said County Executive Rob Astorino. "The honorees for the 2013 Milly Kibrick Service Awards emulate Milly's giving spirit.  Their work in their communities has touched the lives of many individuals. At a young age they have managed to accomplish great things."

The aim of the Youth Board's awards program is to recognize high school seniors of the Class of 2014 who have been involved in building a flourishing, strong and compassionate community through individual efforts and actions.

The Westchester County Youth Board Honorees for the 2013 Milly Kibrick Service Youth Recognition Awards are listed below.  

Laura Tucciarone lives in Mamaroneck and attends Mamaroneck High School.

In the summer of 2013 Laura attended Northwestern University's Center for Talent Development's Civic Leadership Institute in Chicago where she spent over 25 service hours working in homeless shelters and in urban gardens.  She has participated in a program called Saturday Live at the Fashion Institute of Technology for the past three years studying fashion design.

At school Laura is a board member of Students for Senegal in 2013.  Once Laura discovered the residents of Lambaye did not have access to simple oral health care products like toothbrushes and toothpaste she founded a sub group called "Smiles for Senegal."  Through this sub group she collected several thousand toothbrushes and toothpastes for distribution in Lambaye.  In February 2013 Laura traveled to Lambaye Senegal to distribute the dental supplies.  In her sophomore year, she co-founded the club 'Charity: Water' which raises money through various activities to provide those in developing countries with clean drinking water.  Laura's other activities include being a member of the Varsity Fencing Team and participating in Mamaroneck High School's Original Science Research Program where she is exploring the effect social media has on teenage body image.

Courtney Naomi Mills lives in New Rochelle and attends New Rochelle High School. 

Courtney began assisting her grandmother in preparing sandwiches for the Brown Bag lunch program at Trinity St. Paul's Church at the age of six.  She has since created a clothing drive for Trinity's lunch guests and has ironed, folded, and labeled gently used clothing for each recipient.  Courtney works as an Assistant Teacher with Higher Horizons Day Care Center, has volunteered as a camp counselor for the New Rochelle Zonta Girls Scout Science Camp, and as an Assistant Librarian at the New Rochelle Public Library during the summer of 2010.  She volunteered for the Intergenerational Olympics at the United Hebrew Nursing Home and has also been a member of St. Simon's the Cyrenian Episcopal Church from birth and serves on the altar as an acolyte. 

At school Courtney participates in the Mentoring Program, represented her school at a Lego League Competition, the Iona College Science Entry Program (Step), created birthing kits for women of West Africa through the Zonta Club and has been a member of the Performing and Visual Arts Education (PAVE) program at her school which toured England last year and sang at the Olympics.   

The other honorees were:

Modia Alexandre lives in Yonkers and attends Academy of Medical Professions at Charles E. Gorton High School.

Naomi Cameron lives in Yonkers and attends Palisade Preparatory School.

Christine George lives in Yorktown Heights and attends Yorktown High School.  

Joshin George lives in Thornwood and attends Westlake High School.

Elijah Coleman Jackson lives in Mount Vernon and attends the Master School in Dobbs Ferry.

Nina Joung lives in Ardsley and attends Ardsley High School.

Connor Pascale lives in Scarsdale and attends Scarsdale High School.

Michaela Turturro lives in Croton-on-Hudson and attends Croton-Harmon High School.