Sussex Consortium students who volunteer at Beebe Healthcare receive recognition from Lewes and Delaware officials

Everyday, students from the Sussex Consortium volunteer at Beebe Healthcare. While learning important job skills, these students assist in several departments, as well as with Beebe Medical Auxiliary fundraising efforts.

Lewes Mayor Ted Becker, together with the Lewes City Council, recognized the students for their outstanding community service by presenting them with the Mayor’s Top Project Award, which is through the Jefferson Awards LEAD360 Challenge.

The LEAD360 Challenge was launched nationally in 2010 by the Jefferson Awards Foundation to recognize outstanding youth service projects. This year’s projects were in the areas of Hunger and Poverty, Education and Literacy, and Health and Wellness.

Eight Sussex Consortium students representing a team of 40 students received the award at the recent Lewes City Council meeting. Each student received an award certificate.

The week following the ceremony in Lewes, two Sussex Consortium students traveled to Wilmington where they were recognized at the Jefferson Awards Ceremony for their participation in the LEAD360 Challenge. Attendees included Gov. Jack Markell, Attorney General Matt Denn, and the state's two U.S. senators, Chris Coons and Tom Carper.

“They are amazing volunteers at all levels,” said Lee Halloran, Volunteer Services Manager at Beebe Healthcare. “They are a truly dedicated group of students who make an important difference at Beebe. We consider them part of our team.”

This year, 41 youth service projects were submitted statewide in Delaware. The City of Lewes's two projects, Sussex Consortium and the Cape Henlopen High School Green Team, engaged 500 volunteers, contributed 27,760 hours of service and impacted 1,600 lives. This had a financial impact of $625,988 to the City of Lewes and surrounding areas.

The Sussex Consortium students who attended the awards ceremony were: Avante Dennis, Brittany Reese, Taylor Hough, Ryan Davies, Kevin Williams, Joe Parker, Connor Hartman and Esha Akemba.

Students from the Sussex Consortium have been at Beebe since 2009. They assist in Nutritional Services, Central Supply, Environmental Services, Same Day Surgery, Human Resources, the Auxiliary Craft Group and the Beebe Thrift Shop. 

For information on the Jefferson Awards Foundation, please visit: www.JeffersonAwards.org.  The award, often described as a Nobel Prize for community service, was created in 1972 by former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Sen. Robert Taft Jr., and Delaware native Sam Beard.

For more information on the Lewes City Council event, please visit: http://www.ci.lewes.de.us/index.cfm?ref=33200&ref2=124