Washington, DC – The Jefferson Awards Foundation (JAF), America’s most prestigious and longest standing organization dedicated to activating and celebrating public service, will honor Ronald Lawrence for his amazing philanthropic work within the community. Ronald will be recognized at the organization’s 2015 National Ceremony in Washington, D.C., and give a speech regarding his community service and volunteerism.
Awards will be presented over two days of ceremonies and volunteering in the nation’s capital. Americans with the most impactful philanthropic work of the year will receive National Jefferson Awards. Honorees include celebrities, public service professionals, entrepreneurs, local grass roots heroes, and corporations – all dedicated to public service. Grassroots recipients are selected through local Media Partners in markets throughout the country. Ronald was selected by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette for his long term impact as a founder and mentor of 100 Black Men of Pennsylvania.
Ronald Lawrence grew up in Gulfport, Mississippi during a time when young Black men did not go to college. Yet Ronald’s parents insisted that for all four of their children, college was a must. As an adult in Pittsburgh, Ronald wanted to push that same opportunity for the area’s Black youth. 29 years ago, he helped found 100 Black Men of Pennsylvania, which has directly mentored over 600 students, driving 90% post-secondary attendance rates, and has positively impacted the lives of 3,200 Black students in the Pittsburgh Public Schools. Focused on the need for greater financial literacy and STEM skills, Ronald also developed two nationally-recognized programs: Dollars & Sense and Info-link 100. Dollars & Sense teaches the basics of banking and investing, while Info-link 100 teaches advanced technology skills and helps students find internship where they can utilize those skills.
Additional Pittsburgh regional honorees at the national ceremonies include JAF corporate Champion Highmark Health’s employee volunteer of the year Leslie Geier, as well as high school Students In Action (SIA) teams from Brownsville Area High School and Pittsburgh Public Schools Brashear High School. Brownsville’s Operation Falcon Revitalization project earned them the distinction of being the Top SIA Ambassador School in the country for their efforts to revitalize their downtown. Brashear is being recognized as the Pittsburgh Region’s Outstanding SIA team for their Community and Law Enforcement Curriculum project. Students In Action is the Jefferson Awards’ turnkey high school service and leadership program that trains student leaders to think big, become the driving force for effective service and create meaningful impact. SIA is in 325 high schools nationwide and has trained over 12,000 student leaders.
This year’s national Jefferson Award honorees also include high-profile philanthropists, including the Kid President team, Lauren Bush Lauren, Jeff Skoll and the Target Corporation.
“Our mission at the Jefferson Awards Foundation is to recognize and celebrate outstanding achievement in public service. A testament to this mission, we are honored to recognize these amazing individuals and organizations for their incredible work in service,” said Hillary Schafer, Executive Director of the Jefferson Awards Foundation. “We continue to believe in and activate their causes, and look forward to making an impact on a national level through our ceremony.”
The National Ceremony kicks off on Wednesday, June 17 in the Oriental Ballroom of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Washington, D.C. with Trish Regan, Fox Business news anchor, serving as Mistress of Ceremonies. The National Awards will be presented on Thursday, June 18 at the National Ceremony Gala Dinner in the Grand Ballroom of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. While in town, the recipients will also have the opportunity to meet and be congratulated by their U.S. Senators on Capitol Hill.
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