NCEA is proud to continue the NCEA Youth Virtues, Valor and Vision Award Program that formally recognizes extraordinary young people in our Catholic schools who through their selfless service, innovation and commitment to social justice are changing the world.

The NCEA Youth Virtues, Valor and Vision Award program is made possible, in part, through the generosity and support of Cross Catholic Outreach, a Catholic ministry who believes in and celebrates the young people in our Catholic schools who are making a profound difference even at a young age to a myriad of underserved constituencies. For more information about Cross Catholic Outreach please go to www.crosscatholic.org.

This year NCEA received an outstanding response to the Call for Nominations from across the country. Each student nominated was truly amazing. These top ten student awardees embody the virtue, valor and vision exemplified by the many students in our Catholic elementary and secondary schools who are changing the world. Many thanks to the selection committee for their excellent work in vetting each student nomination.

NCEA is pleased to announce the following recipients of the 2019 NCEA Youth Virtues, Valor and Vision Award. A formal press announcement was made during Catholic Schools Week 2019.

Jordon Gyapong

Grade: 11
Age: 17

Iona Preparatory School
New Rochelle, NY
Archdiocese of New York

Project:

Jordon is a bright and confident young man whose talents and interests are many. He started his school's aviation club, worked hard to procure a stateof - the - art flight simulator for the club, and is also pursuing a pilot license.

He is vitally active in campus ministry and assists in liturgical music. He has made an impact on his classmates in peer ministry, sharing his experience and lending a hand to younger students in whatever capacity they need. As a member of the Human Rights Club, he is dedicated to serving and advocating for the poor and marginalized.

Jordon has spent much time creating videos that focus on various global needs/ His videos have highlighted environmental problems such as pollution, as well as issues of poverty in Peru and immigration at the U.S.-Mexico border. His selflessness has led him to use these videos to tell the stories of those in need and enabled our entire school community to learn more about issues our world faces.

Jordon has also been deeply involved in serving others personally. He chartered a new service-based club called Latinos Unidos, which focuses on service to the local Latino community, especially where there is need for tutoring children, shelving food and putting warm coats on those who are without. He has also felt called to take his missionary spirit beyond the U.S. Jordon attended his school's Peru immersion trip and spent 10 days working with the poor and marginalized in Lima. This summer, he will travel to Haiti for another immersion, where he will bring supplies and help run a summer camp for children in need.

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