Everyday Heroes Winners
Honor Roll
The Jersey Journal
Everyday Heroes / Newspapers In Education Awards
2007 Honorees
- Teen Hero: A tie — Mariel Teschlog of Bayonne and Christopher Hidrovo of East Newark
Mariel, a student at St. Dominic Academy in Jersey City, has helped raise money to fight hunger and cancer, while Christopher, student athlete at Harrison High School, has helped raise funds for service projects and has volunteered with special needs kids at a residential summer camp. - The Mike Rowan Award: Cultivating Tomorrow’s Leaders Through Athletics: Joseph Maione of Hoboken
A recently retired Hoboken police officer and hockey coach at St. Peter’s Prep in Jersey City, Maione overcame a double stroke two years ago to train and mentor young people again. The award is named for veteran Jersey Journal sportswriter and editor Mike Rowan, who succumbed to cancer at age 56 in 2006. - Building Brighter Futures: Colleen Hitchell of Bayonne
A volunteer with Hudson County Court Appointed Special Advocates for the past two years, Hitchell has found homes for several adoptees. - Betty Foley Memorial Award: Gerso Quintana Jr. of Secaucus
As district manager of customer operations at Public Service Electric & Gas, Quintana has opened up the company’s customer service centers in Bayonne, Hoboken, Jersey City and Union City to those in need, by collecting food, coats, toys, books and donations for worthy causes. The award is named for a late Jersey Journal staffer who volunteered for local civic and religious causes. - NIE Teacher: Christina Polychronis of Jersey City
Polychronis uses The Jersey Journal and other newspapers in her Snyder High School, Jersey City, classroom to stimulate her students’ creativity. - Community Service: Carol Harrison-Arnold of Jersey City
An attorney who runs her own consulting firm, Harrison-Arnold has become a driving force behind the revitalization of Astor Place and Monticello Avenue in Jersey City. - Honorary: The Rev. James Loughran Award: Elizabeth Reavey
A student at St. Peter’s College in Jersey City and an activist in social justice causes, Reavey was given an award for embodying the spirit of the Rev. James Loughran, the college president who died suddenly in late 2006 and was a judge for and strong supporter of the Everyday Hero Awards..
2006 Honorees
- The Mike Rowan Award: Cultivating Tomorrow’s Leaders Through Athletics: Clifford and Joyce Andrews of Jersey City.
- Promoting a Healthy Hudson: Emma Quintana of Kearny.
- The Betty Foley Memorial Award: Joseph Fredericks of Weehawken.
- Community Service: Agnes Ballon of Jersey City.
- Teen Hero: A tie — Cassandra Fiadini of Bayonne and Arthur Long of Jersey City.
- Working for a Safer Neighborhood: The A. Harry Moore Task Force of Jersey City.
- Newspapers in Education: Gerald Lyons of Jersey City.
2005 Honorees
- Newspapers in Education, Susan Connolly, School 2, West New York
- Business With a Conscience, Lee Sims Chocolates, Jersey City
- Inspiring Confidence in Young Women, Saundra Robinson Green, Jersey City
- Community Service: Frank Pinto, North Bergen; Lillian Hernandez, Jersey City
- Teen Hero: Una-Marie Antczak, Bayonne
- Betty Foley Memorial Award: April Harris, Hoboken
- Arts in Action, L. Robert Johnson, Weehawken
2004 Honorees
- Newspapers In Education Award: Marilyn Donovan, School 9, Jersey City
- Community Service: Sallie Daise, Jersey City
- Teen Hero: Mary Maisonet, Jersey City
- Building Better Neighborhoods: Rosalyn Browne, Jersey City ; Rennae Pelayo and Lance Goulbourne
- Protecting Our Children: Carmella DeSimone, Bayonne
- Overcoming Adversity: Adrien Miesha Murrell, Jersey City
- Betty Foley Memorial Award: Eva Robinson, Secaucus
2003 Honorees
- Newspapers In Education Award: Carol Sheil, Jersey City
- Teacher Who Inspires: Michael Corcoran, Bayonne
- Teacher Who Inspires: Luisa Marcos, Union City
- Community Service: Antonio Nardini, Bayonne
- Teen Hero: David Reyes, Kearny
- Selfless Senior: Joyce Davison, Jersey City
- Betty Foley Memorial Award: Maria E. Malavasi, West New York
- Betty Foley Memorial Award: Glenn Matthews Sr., Jersey City
2002 Honorees - Heroes Of Sept. 11
- Peter Bitwinski, Bayonne
- Gerald Simpkins, Jersey City
- Wilson Pacheco, North Bergen
- Mike Ambrosio, North Bergen
- Debra Munker, North Bergen
- Deputy Chief Leonard E. Mackesy, Kearny
- Denise Feiler, Jersey City
- Abdel Reyes, Jersey City
- Lia Friedman, Jersey City
- Rhonda Robinson, Jersey City
- William Hilger, Jersey City
- Thomas F. Molta, Hoboken
- Hoboken Volunteer Ambulance Squad
2001 Honorees
- Fighting the Good Fight: Larry Bennett, Harrison
- Community Service: Jeanette McRae Braswell, Jersey City
- Teen Hero: Ricky Feliz, Hoboken
- Cultivating Tomorrow’s Leaders: Beatriz Esteban-Messina and Jim Messina, Union City
- To the Rescue: James Mock, Bayonne
- Betty Foley Memorial Award: Louis Squitieri, Bayonne
2000 Honorees
- Quality of Life: Dorcey Winant, Jersey City
- Mentoring: Wilkis Figuereo, Bayonne
- Community Service: Viola Richardson, Jersey City
- Teen Hero: Billy Bludgus, Bayonne
- Teen Hero: Mercedes Gonzalez, West New York
- Selfless Senior: Dorothy Seyter, Union City
- Betty Foley Memorial Award: Patti Gerris,
Harrison
1999 Honorees
- Family First: Cesar Camacho, Jersey City
- Community Service: Meera Jaffrey, Jersey City, and Monya McCarthy, Jersey City
- Selfless Senior: Ernest Baker, Kearny, and Florence Grossman, Bayonne
- Teen Hero: Michael Ruzek, Jersey City
- Betty Foley Memorial Award: Esther G. Lee, Jersey City
1998 Honorees
- Community Service: Ann Accetta, Hoboken
- Good Neighbors/Better Neighborhoods: Patrick Desmond, Bayonne
- Developing Sportsmanship: John Irvine, Kearny
- Teen Hero: Kevin and Robert Gonzalez, Hoboken, and Jennifer Nanna, Bayonne
- Stop the Violence: Hashim Garrett, Bayonne
- Betty Foley Memorial Award: Florence Holmes, Jersey City
1997 Honorees
- Teen Hero: Jennifer Pipher, Bayonne
- Business With a Conscience (large): Arthur Thomas, Senior VP, Securities Services Division, Merrill Lynch, Jersey City
- Business With a Conscience (small): George Charalambous, Chuck Wagon Restaurant, Union City
- Fostering Literacy: Lonnie Staley, Jersey City
- Baby Booster: Monica Boyce, Jersey City
- Community Service: Edward Barriner, Jersey City
- Betty Foley Memorial Award: Dominick Varsalone, Jersey City
1996 Honorees
- Community Service: Tom Olivieri, Hoboken
- War on Drugs and Alcohol: Luis Perez, Union City
- Building Stronger Families: Edna Hayes, Jersey City, and Joseph David Pike, Bayonne
- Teen Hero: Mustafa Rourk, Jersey City
- Weathering the Storm: John Nagel, Jersey City
- Betty Foley Memorial Award: Teresa Buckley
1995 Honorees
- Community Service: Dennis Lapinski, Bayonne
- Coping with AIDS: Kenneth Cattenhead, Jersey City
- Good Neighbor: J. Aida Fiorina, Jersey City
- Teen Hero: Yamilet Hernandez, Jersey City
- Working for a Safer Neighborhood: Arthur Corby Sr., North Bergen
- Betty Foley Memorial Award: Joseph Del Monte, Jersey City, and Barbara R. Malone, Jersey City
1994 Honorees
- Community Service: John Valdora, Bayonne
- Human Rights: Tyrone Reynolds, Jersey City
- Good Neighbor: Elvira Gilda Lambiase, North Bergen
- Expanding Teen Horizons: The Rev. John Browning, S.J., Jersey City
- Bringing the Arts to the Community: Al Preciado, Jersey City
1993 Honorees
- Community Service: Matthew Turner Sr., Jersey City
- Serving Our Country: Bartholomew F. Long, Bayonne
- Year of the Child: Wallace DeFilippo, Bayonne
- Health and Science: Anne Clavin Arias, North Bergen
1992 Honorees
- Community Service: Rev. Elijah M. Hendon, Jersey City
- Small Business: Frank Pagano, Bayonne
- Helping Recent Immigrants: Adelina Vasconcelos, West New York
- Good Neighbors: Nina Pilmenstein, Jersey City
- Service to Seniors: Rosemary Wodzanowski, Jersey City
1991 Honorees
- Community Service: Bali Valiante, Bayonne
- Peacemaker: Gary Greenberg, Jersey City
- Government Service: Karen Rodriguez, Jersey City and Antoinette Rinaldi, North Bergen
- Helping Our Youth: Walter Dean Myers, Jersey City
1990 Honorees
- Community Service: Rebecca Robinson Felder, Jersey City
- Athletics: Gene Klumpp Sr., Bayonne
- Public Safety: Chief Edward M. Doran, Harrison
- Environment: Marc Liebeskind, Bayonne
1989 Honorees
- Arts: Christine DeSimone, Bayonne
- Teaching: Raquel Y. Mercado, Jersey City
- Health Care: Brother Robert Reinke, Hoboken
- Community Service: Irene Carson, Jersey City
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