Romanian American National Heritage Awards 3rd edition - 2019
Presented by the American Romanian Cultural Society, with the endorsement of the Embassy of Romania to the United States and Alianta organization.
With an increased participation from last year the jury has been impressed by the number and quality of the applications. We would like to thank all participants for applying and more importantly for their dedication in support of the Romanian community cohesion. After careful consideration, we are pleased to announce the 2019 award winners. Congratulations to this year's awardees and many thanks for their service to all students who submitted applications.
Diana Sambotin - Platinum National Award
A third-time participant, Diana is a senior at Skyline High School, WA. She received the top national prize for her continuous service in the Romanian community. Her continued volunteering at Romanian in High School in Seattle, WA, and at the Center of Excellence in Bellevue, WA, has helped her connect to her Romanian heritage and the Romanian community in Seattle. She hopes that her work will help children connect to their roots and give them a deep understanding of Romanian culture and traditions. This year, she extended her language-based project by collecting over 100 English books to be sent to a children’s library in Brasov, Romania. She hopes that this contribution will help children in Romania have access to English books at a young age, in order to get a head-start on learning the language in today’s globalized world. She is also a big supporter of Romanian music and arts in Seattle, volunteering to do marketing work for the Romanian American Chamber Concerts & Arts (ROCCA).
A third-time participant, Diana is a senior at Skyline High School, WA. She received the top national prize for her continuous service in the Romanian community. Her continued volunteering at Romanian in High School in Seattle, WA, and at the Center of Excellence in Bellevue, WA, has helped her connect to her Romanian heritage and the Romanian community in Seattle. She hopes that her work will help children connect to their roots and give them a deep understanding of Romanian culture and traditions. This year, she extended her language-based project by collecting over 100 English books to be sent to a children’s library in Brasov, Romania. She hopes that this contribution will help children in Romania have access to English books at a young age, in order to get a head-start on learning the language in today’s globalized world. She is also a big supporter of Romanian music and arts in Seattle, volunteering to do marketing work for the Romanian American Chamber Concerts & Arts (ROCCA).
Forgotten Faces Team - Platinum National Award
Alex, Andreea and Andrew are High School Seniors and have been members of the Forgotten Faces Foundation since 2016. Part of the foundation work, they have been focusing on fundraising and organizing events with the goal of helping disadvantaged children in Romania, as a way to give back to their home country.
This past year a main focus of the foundation has been to help kids from one of poorest villages in Romania, Scanteia, from Iasi county. Through various fundraising events during this past year, Alex, Andreea and Andrew, in collaboration with the Three Holy Hierarchs Romanian Orthodox Church, raised over 9000 dollars. Right before Christmas, more than 50 impoverished children from Scanteia received much needed gifts of clothes, shoes, books, toys and sweets. From the fundraising funds, 1000 dollars were donated to the Saint Leontie Orphanage in Radauti to go towards their winter utilities bill. At the end of the summer the members of the foundation organized a Back To School event and spent 5000 dollars towards school supplies, clothes and shoes for children in need from Scanteia.
The activities and work done by the members of the Forgotten Faces Foundation helps them be more in touch with their Romanian heritage while also building and maintaining a strong Romanian community here in America.
Alex, Andreea and Andrew are High School Seniors and have been members of the Forgotten Faces Foundation since 2016. Part of the foundation work, they have been focusing on fundraising and organizing events with the goal of helping disadvantaged children in Romania, as a way to give back to their home country.
This past year a main focus of the foundation has been to help kids from one of poorest villages in Romania, Scanteia, from Iasi county. Through various fundraising events during this past year, Alex, Andreea and Andrew, in collaboration with the Three Holy Hierarchs Romanian Orthodox Church, raised over 9000 dollars. Right before Christmas, more than 50 impoverished children from Scanteia received much needed gifts of clothes, shoes, books, toys and sweets. From the fundraising funds, 1000 dollars were donated to the Saint Leontie Orphanage in Radauti to go towards their winter utilities bill. At the end of the summer the members of the foundation organized a Back To School event and spent 5000 dollars towards school supplies, clothes and shoes for children in need from Scanteia.
The activities and work done by the members of the Forgotten Faces Foundation helps them be more in touch with their Romanian heritage while also building and maintaining a strong Romanian community here in America.
Ana Ilinca Hagiu - Gold National Award
A first-time participant, Ilinca Hagiu is a sophomore at The Overlake School. She is excited to be able to contribute to the Romanian community. She volunteered at the Center of Excellence in Bellevue, WA, helping to teach young children Romanian and about Romanian culture. Her work included helping to set-up and supervise the class, as well as working one-on-one with the students. She loves working with children, and this was a unique opportunity for her to connect her heritage to the classroom. She hopes that her work in the past year has helped to provide a connection for young children to their families’ traditions and culture, and she is looking forward to continuing her work in the coming year.
A first-time participant, Ilinca Hagiu is a sophomore at The Overlake School. She is excited to be able to contribute to the Romanian community. She volunteered at the Center of Excellence in Bellevue, WA, helping to teach young children Romanian and about Romanian culture. Her work included helping to set-up and supervise the class, as well as working one-on-one with the students. She loves working with children, and this was a unique opportunity for her to connect her heritage to the classroom. She hopes that her work in the past year has helped to provide a connection for young children to their families’ traditions and culture, and she is looking forward to continuing her work in the coming year.
Daniel Popa - Gold National Award
Daniel received the Gold National Award for his exemplary volunteer work through the American Romanian Cultural Society in Seattle, a nonprofit which organizes cultural and educational events, promoting Romanian heritage. He was a teaching assistant for the Romanian in High School program, a course focused on improving reading, writing and speaking skills of the students, combined with lessons about Romanian culture, history, and geography. Daniel worked individually with students to ensure they were able to keep pace with the rest of the class, read and understand difficult passages, and write essays and letters. He hopes that he has helped give other students an interest in the Romanian language and culture because he values family heritage, tradition, and language. Daniel is an 11th grade student at Nikola Tesla STEM High School in Redmond, WA.
Daniel received the Gold National Award for his exemplary volunteer work through the American Romanian Cultural Society in Seattle, a nonprofit which organizes cultural and educational events, promoting Romanian heritage. He was a teaching assistant for the Romanian in High School program, a course focused on improving reading, writing and speaking skills of the students, combined with lessons about Romanian culture, history, and geography. Daniel worked individually with students to ensure they were able to keep pace with the rest of the class, read and understand difficult passages, and write essays and letters. He hopes that he has helped give other students an interest in the Romanian language and culture because he values family heritage, tradition, and language. Daniel is an 11th grade student at Nikola Tesla STEM High School in Redmond, WA.
The complete list of awardees, including regional winners below.
Participant |
School |
Award |
Diana Sambotin |
Skyline High School, Sammamish, WA |
Platinum, National |
Forgotten Faces Team
|
|
Platinum, National |
Ana Ilinca Hagiu |
The Overlake School, Redmond, WA |
Gold, National |
Daniel Popa |
Nikola Tesla STEM High School, Redmond, WA |
Gold, National |
Victor Ene Stefan Ene |
|
Platinum, West |
Ana Oltean |
Interlake High School, Bellevue, WA |
Gold, West |
Isabel Avery |
Edina High School, Edina, Minnesota |
Platinum, Midwest |
Cella Maria Kove |
New Canaan High School, CT |
Platinum, East |