Students of Distinction
Cayla Kumar
November 2019
Archbishop Molloy HS
Queens Village
SPONSORED BY
Cayla Kumar, a Queens Village student
at Archbishop Molloy High School, was
honored for her outstanding community
service and Gold Ribbon Project. Her
project raised more than $25,000 for pediatric
cancer research. She was presented
with an engraved bronze medallion that
recognized her as a selected Distinguished
Finalist for New York in the 2019 Prudential
Spirit of Community Awards.
“Thousands of students across the
country were considered for the 2019 Spirit
of Community Awards,” stated Prudential
Financial Advisor Kenneth Marable. “From
all of these exceptional students, a select
few in each state and in the District of
Columbia have been selected for recognition.
Here in New York, I’m delighted to
report that one of our distinguished fi nalists
is Cayla Kumar.”
The Prudential Spirit of Community
Awards program is the United States’
largest youth recognition program focused
exclusively on volunteer community service.
It was created in 1995 by Prudential and
the National Association of Secondary
School Principals (NASSP) to honor middle
level and high school students for outstanding
service to others at the local, state and
national levels.
Thus far, the program has recognized
more than 125,000 young people who’ve
made a difference — and inspired countless
others to consider how they might
contribute to their communities.
Kumar’s creation of the Gold Ribbon
Project stemmed from her family members’
battles with cancer, which deeply affect
her. “My great grandmother had breast
cancer and passed away then my baby
cousin was diagnosed with a brain tumor.
The impact of cancer affected me in all
My is
(From l. to r.) President of Archbishop
Molloy High School Richard Karsten,
honoree Cayla Kumar, Prudential
Financial Advisor Kenneth Marable,
and Principal Darius Penikas.
Photo by Carlotta Mohamed/QNS
aspects of my life,” recalled Kumar. “It
was something that I wanted to pursue by
helping with research and anything that I
possibly can.”
Her commitment to volunteering for
cancer patients began at the age of 11.
In 2012, Kumar became the fi rst offi cial
youth ambassador of St. Jude’s Children’s
Hospital.
“Being able to work with children and
visit hospitals are the actions that inspired
me to keep going,” explains Kumar. “I’m
working on a website and am hoping –
with my Gold Ribbon Project – that it’ll
bloom and reach people all across the
nation.”
Additionally, Kumar volunteers with
other organizations, including the Susan
G. Komen Foundation. She also traveled
to Washington, D.C. for the CureFest rally.
While at the rally she spoke with legislators
about increasing cancer research funding.
She was Miss New York Outstanding
Teen and is looking forward to pursuing a
future career as a pediatric oncologist.
“I’m humbled by all of my experiences.
The reason I continue to serve is because I
want to make a difference in my community
and help as many people as possible.
Receiving this award means the world to
me, especially since my school got to be a
part of it,” said Kumar. Archbishop Molloy
High School Principal Darius Penikas applauded
Kumar for her accomplishments.
“We’re very proud of Cayla for everything
she’s done and her initiative, drive,
and who she is as a person,” extolled
Penikas. “She’s a wonderful representative
of Archbishop Molloy High School and is a
testament to the types of students attending
our school. We couldn’t be more proud.”
By Carlotta Mohamed
Yasmine Sanchez
November 2019
Queensborough
Community College
Bayside, New York
A Queensborough Community College
student was recognized for making
a positive impact through soccer at the
fi fth-annual Sports Humanitarian Awards
last week.
Rising junior Yasmine Sanchez won the
inaugural Billie Jean King Youth Leadership
Award, which the tennis legend herself presented
to Sanchez and three other students.
Winners of the Billie Jean King award are
youth who “use the power of sport as a
catalyst for change and make a positive
impact on society.”
Sanchez led the design, implementation
and management of a free, fi ve-week summer
program called Soccer Bloc. Through
New York City Football Club’s Youth Leadership
Council, the program connects over
500 people from all fi ve boroughs.
Soccer Bloc employs 50 teenagers who
teach young people a curriculum on social
topics through the lens of soccer. Those
in the program learn about diversity and
inclusion, healthy lifestyles, safety awareness,
self-identity and leadership.
In addition to Soccer Bloc, Sanchez
teamed up with the Manhattan District
"#$%
Attorney’s Offi ce to expand the Saturday
Night Lights program. She aims to bring
this violence prevention and youth development
program to the same zone as Soccer
Bloc.
According to ESPN, Sanchez’s goal
is to “create positive pathways to engage
youth, helping them grow physically and
mentally into their early adulthood.”
ESPN and Bristol-Myers Squibb Company
presented and sponsored the fi fth annual
awards, which recognized the efforts
of athletes, leagues, teams and members of
the sporting community.
Yasmine Sanchez and Billie Jean King
during the 2019 Sports Humanitarian
Awards presented by ESPN
Photo by Eric Lars Bakke/ESPN Images
The sports media company granted
$1 million to honorees’ selected charities.
More than $1 million was raised through
the net proceeds from the awards, which
went toward The Stuart Scott Memorial
Cancer Research Fund at the V Foundation.
“Cancer research is advancing at an
incredible pace, but we need to do more to
ensure each person who is diagnosed with
cancer is able to receive the best possible
care,” said Susan Sweeney, president and
head of U.S. Commercial at Bristol-Myers
Squibb. “We’re proud to support the Stuart
Scott Memorial Cancer Research Fund at
the V Foundation, which is making great
progress in its goal to improve outcomes
for underserved cancer patients.”
By Jenna Bagcal
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TIMESLEDGER,12 NOV. 29-DEC. 5, 2019 QNS.COM
/QNS.COM
