October 2017 - Honoring those living the way Reuben would
Bella Vidaña received the award for loyalty.
“The REMember Foundation asks, “How long is a lifetime?” For Reuben, it was 20 years. But his memory? That lives forever.”
In October, we decided to honor our friend's memory by creating five awards based on the values that we think of when we remember him. They are: valient, loyal, empowering, playful, and passionate. We then nominated individuals who embodied those values on a daily basis. These are those leaders:
Photo courtesy of Alexis
ALEXIS:
VALIENT: "Alexis is a first generation college student. She recently studied abroad in Japan. Not one to be easily discouraged by adversity, she raised all of the money for her trip on her own. She was a rare example of student who was deeply motivated to reach her goals." — Nominated by Andrea Moreno. Read about her trip here.
Photo courtesy of Saun
SAUN:
LOYAL: "Saun has been deeply involved in youthwork for over 20 years, epitomizing what it means to dedicate your life to your work. She is loyal to all of the young people that she meets, and she's willing to help no matter the situation or time of day." — Nominated by Jeremy Kazanjian-Amory. See an article about her work here.
Photo courtesy of Johnny
JOHNNY:
EMPOWERING: "I truly admire Johnny’s diligence, commitment, and integrity. Through his personal and professional activities, Johnny is thoughtfully dedicated to the cause of improving the lives of others whether that is teaching or action through civic engagement." — Nominated by Ryan Patterson. Check out his website about helping educators address trauma in the classroom.
Photo courtesy of Joe
JOE:
PLAYFUL: "It was impossible to be around Joe and not smile. He has a joy for life and a natural desire to share that joy with others. Whether with colleagues, students, or strangers, Joe brightens the world every day." — Nominated by Dan Marion. See his math videos here.
Photo used with permission from Bella
BELLA.
PASSIONATE: "I am not sure I have ever met someone who brings more passion to what they do than Bella. Every day she strives to create a supportive environment for her 9th graders, whether by dancing with them, or working with them one-on-one to make sure they feel truly heard." — Nominated by Jeremy Kazanjian-Amory. Check out her Instagram.