State honors Highlands Youth United

Over 50 members of Highlands Youth United were honored at a gathering on October 3 with the New York State Senate Empire Award. They and their families attended a ceremony held at the American Legion Hall.

This award is given by members of the Senate for special recognition to New Yorkers who have contributed to their communities. It was Senator James Skoufis who nominated the youngsters, ranging from elementary to high school, for the award. He attended the ceremony, passing out the certificates, presenting the group, as a whole, with a framed certificate award, and even playing a little bit of table tennis with some of the children.

The youth group, organized by Highland Falls’ Sallie Dorsch with the help of Monique Wolf and others, has “worked hard in the last two years providing multiple fundraisers and events for the community: Community Fun Day, fundraisers for Ukraine, a Halloween haunted house fundraiser for American Legion Post 633, and fundraised and collaborated with the Holiday Hop and a Christmas parade,” Skoufis said.

Many of the children in the group also rallied for the community when the July 9, 2023 floods hit, stuffing sandbags, sorting and organizing donated food and other supplies, providing small treats for victims of the flood and relief workers and more.

The children who received certificates were: Kimaria Jarrett, Kemaya Jarrett, Andrew Liyim, Colin Monaghan, Abigail Sawicki, Quinn Manning, Ava Lopez, Katie Dorsch, Lilla Surowka, Ainsley Schnack, Jasper Cobb, Erin Smith, Tristen Wolf, Veronica Wolf, Marilyn Wolf, Eva Lennon, Ryan Flynn, Mickey Flynn, Sophia Mitchell, Juliet O’Connell, Adair Gust, Alyssa Hurtado, Shane Dodge, Mason McCutcheon, Sawyer Barr, Katelyn Bilodeau, Isabella Valdivia, Sukura Tesoro, Keith Rhodes, Emilie McGonigal, Valerio Polanco, Illana Sanchez, George R. Moreno III, Ben Yankovich, Mila Buchheim, Addison Falk, Lila Flynn, John Flynn, Lily Flynn, Jake Flynn, Olivia Jersey, Georgios Fatsis, Mickey Flynn, Davion Sum, Matthew Lewis, Kyle Liyim, Aaliyah Murchison, Jamari Knight, Aspasia Fatsis, Simon Surowka, Adrianna Oliquio, Clare VanPelt, Alicia Pattern, Ana Sanabria, Angel Williams, Ashley Moran, Yasmin Morano, Ava Mandile, Bella Montellese, Bray Callahan, Chloe Caraballo, Cooper Rogers, Samantha Wolf, Alicia Pattern, Jorge Bravo, Samantha VanPelt, Sakura Tesoro, Josue Griffith and Korina Loya.