Award Recipients

Our annual gala recognizes individuals who see a problem or need and become part of the solution. This year’s Heroes For Hope Gala recognizes individuals who are EVERY DAY HEROES. The Elizabeth Bass Golding Award is named in honor of our founder, who almost 50 years ago set out on a mission to help the “Lost Children” of Long Island. Her legacy lives on in the work that Hope For Youth continues to do, and this award acknowledges those individuals whose work reflects our founder and the organization’s mission. We congratulate all our awardees and applaud their accomplishments!

The 2018 recipients of the Elizabeth Bass Golding Award are the following:

Fred Skolnik. A Partner in the Corporate and Securities Law Practice Group at Certilman Balin Adler & Hyman, LLP and he is a Board Member of Mentor New York. Through his passion for inspiring youth, he co-founded the LIKE (Lawyers Involved in Kids’ Education) program. This volunteer program establishes mentoring relationships between the law firm’s attorneys, staff and other volunteers with potentially “at-risk” elementary school students. It seeks to develop vocabulary and analytical skills, confidence and self-esteem in the mentees through word games and relationships. Fred has been administering the LIKE program since 2004 and says that this experience is “the best hour of his week.”

Brian K. Ziegler. A Partner in the Corporate and Securities Law Practice Group at Certilman Balin Adler & Hyman, LLP. He is a Board Member of Mentor New York, is a past Co-Chair as well as an honoree of the organization. As a co-founder and participant in the LIKE program, Brian has inspired his colleagues to join him in supporting at-risk youth by establishing mentor relationships. Brian firmly believes that his own mentoring relationships developed over the 14 years of the LIKE program have served as positive influences on the young people he has had the privilege of meeting.

Quyen Rovner. A school social worker at Walnut Street School. Quyen works diligently to assist all youth and goes above and beyond for those who need extra support. As the program coordinator for the LIKE program for the past 14 years, she has been instrumental in guiding youth towards educational, vocational and social goals. Each year Quyen and her school co-coordinators collaborate with school staff, mentors and volunteers to provide a variety of mentoring programs and opportunities for students. Quyen and her team seek to ensure that students meet specific criteria and are placed in a mentor program that is appropriate for them. Within those programs, Quyen and her team provide social skills training to the children and meticulously match students with mentors to allow the mentor/mentee relationship to develop organically.

To read more about how mentoring can help teens click here.