Students honored at Arnold Delin Awards for promoting diversity, acceptance in Schuylkill County

SCHUYLKILL HAVEN — Thirteen students from area high schools were recognized Tuesday for promoting diversity and inclusion.

Recipients of the 22nd annual Arnold Delin Awards, the students embody the sense of understanding and acceptance of others as championed by the late community leader, for whom the award is named.

The ceremony was held at the Health and Wellness Center at Penn State Schuylkill and hosted by the Schuylkill Intermediate Unit 29.

Penn State Schuylkill Chancellor Patrick M. Jones, who gave opening remarks, told students that it’s important to embrace tolerance and make a difference, given the historic levels of political unrest around the world.

Jones referenced the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, as well as fractures in the United States, as examples of the conflicts threatening to undermine the democratic institutions in place today.

“Our Western Alliance, built from the graves of those who fought in World War II, who gave their lives to defeat Nazism and fascism — from that, we built the strongest alliance for democracy and good that the world has ever known,” Jones said. “And today, there are those in our own country who would throw it away.

“There are those in our own country who are believing that democracy is weak and authoritarianism is strong.”

Jones said that he wished his speech wouldn’t have been so strong, but he reminded students that such passion is in the nature of the Arnold Delin Award program.

“The Arnold Delin Awards aren’t about it being flowery and nice and pretty,” he said. “The awards are about learning to make a difference and take a stand — to say, ‘I will make things better for other people.’

“To the young people tonight, I applaud you for doing just that, and I encourage you to continue a life of service … of reaching out to those who others might be making fun of, to those who need a friend and to stand up for what is right. That is the way that democracy protects all of us. Democracy has failed when good people do nothing.”

The Arnold Delin Awards are presented annually to a student from each county high school, typically a junior or senior, who participates in Schuylkill County Youth Conference activities and whose actions promote appreciation of diversity, understanding and acceptance of others in the school and community.

Each winner received a backpack and a $500 award intended for postsecondary education expenses. Any recipient attending the Penn State Schuylkill campus is also eligible for a $500 matching scholarship award.

Arnold Delin, who died in 2015, was president of the Oheb Zedeck Synagogue Center in Pottsville and regional chairman of the Anti-Defamation League. He also formed an educational partnership with local schools and provided support to teachers, students and administrators.

With help from friends and family, Delin established his namesake awards program in the early 2000s.

Also on hand for the ceremony Tuesday were Arnold Delin’s wife, Dolores Delin, and their son, Scott Delin.

Scott Delin talked about his niece, a student at Columbia University, whose school experience has been soured because of ongoing protests at the campus and at others across the country.

“My niece received an email today — because she was Jewish, she was told, ‘You cannot come to class anymore,’ ” Delin said. “ ‘You have to take your classes online.’ And all the graduation services are probably going to be canceled.

“She put in four years of time, and now, because of her religion and because of what’s going on at not only Columbia, but at all the other campuses, this is what’s happening.

“We need to take stock in what’s going on. And by what you are doing, and your leadership as parents and role models, and your leadership as a student. … I applaud you and I thank you very much.”

Scott said the Arnold Delin Award program has given out more than $155,000 worth of scholarships, and he hopes to continue the program over the years.

Before the awards were given, guests viewed a presentation of some of the projects and activities that students spearheaded after participating in this year’s Youth Conference.

Additionally, the Arnold Delin Award Trophy was presented this year to Blue Mountain High School for “their effort in carrying out Arnold Delin’s legacy.”

A traveling trophy, the award is presented annually to a different county high school, which will display it for a year until the next Delin Awards program, after which they receive a smaller, permanent trophy.

Blue Mountain was the second winner of the trophy; the inaugural award went to Schuylkill Haven Area High School last year.

Dolores Delin thanked the organizers and school officials who have made the program possible.

She said the program’s practice of presenting award winners with a backpack, rather than a trophy, was symbolic of the sense of initiative and purpose that such students are expected to demonstrate.

“We decided, ‘Why should we give them a trophy that just collects dust in the attic?’ ” she said. “ ‘Why don’t we give them something that could keep them moving around the world, being more educated, and encourage them to do great things?’ So, we decided to give out luggage.”

The recipients of this year’s Arnold Delin Awards and their schools are:

· Caitlin Dunnigan, Blue Mountain

· Bree Dobeck, Mahanoy Area

· Jayden Fermin, Marian Catholic

· Aya M’Nadi, Minersville Area

· Hannah Zimerofsky, Nativity BVM

· Emalie Farrone, North Schuylkill

· Linda Luppi, Pine Grove Area

· Brianna Rogers, Pottsville Area

· Brendalis Holguin, Schuylkill Haven Area

· Emily Petritsch, Shenandoah Valley

· Sarah Hope, Tamaqua Area

· Landon Beers, Tri-Valley

· Madison Fickinger, Williams Valley