By James Olsen, CPS
The Stratford Partnership for Youth and Families recently organized two remarkable events that aimed to recognize accomplishments and empower students. The partnership is dedicated to fostering a supportive and nurturing environment for the youth of Stratford, promoting their well-being, and encouraging their active involvement in the community. Let’s take a closer look at the significant happenings that took place on May 25th and June 7th, 2023.
Annual Town Hall Meeting
On May 25th, the Annual Town Hall Meeting was held to celebrate the partnership’s accomplishments over the past year. The event was a momentous occasion where the Stratford community came together to acknowledge the impactful work carried out by the organization.
One of the highlights of the evening was the presentation of the MEDALS (Making Extraordinary Differences and Leading Stratford) awards. These awards recognized individuals and organizations that have gone above and beyond in making a positive impact on the lives of Stratford’s youth. Among the recipients were outstanding members of the community, including John Ramos II, Lynne Goetz, and Erica Carola from the Stratford School Readiness and Child Care Advisory Council, as well as Janet Lengel, Doug Grabe, Pam Robertson, Ricky Rivera, and Lezli Albelo from nOURish BRIDGEPORT. While Candice Nortrup was also honored, Bob David’s recognition was not accompanied by a picture.
The evening reached its pinnacle with the announcement of the recipient of the prestigious Dudley W. Orr Asset Champion Award. Dr. Linda Gejda and Yasmin Sokunle were recognized for their exceptional contributions to advancing the partnership’s asset-building mission.
Asset Building Classroom Training
On June 7th, the Asset Building Classroom Committee of the Stratford Partnership for Youth & Families organized a transformative training session. The event welcomed 32 fifth-grade students and their teachers from various schools across the district. By empowering these young minds with valuable life skills, the partnership aims to instill a sense of purpose, belonging, and self-assurance within each student.
Students from Johnson House, Eli Whitney, Franklin, Lordship, Nichols, and Second Hill Lane actively participated in the training, making the event successful. Based on the positive feedback and outcomes from this session, the committee has ambitious plans to extend this training to students in fifth, seventh, and tenth grade in the upcoming academic year.
