| |
CWLA Announces National Service Awards to Kids Who Have Helped Other Kids
Bonnie Brae Drum Corps a Winner
For more information, contact
Joyce Johnson
Phone: 804/492-4519
Cell: 703/980-7641
E-mail: jjohnson@cwla.org
February 20, 2009, Arlington, VA -- The Child Welfare League of America (CWLA) announced the annual recipients of its peer-to-peer service award. The "Kids to Kids" National Service Award is given in recognition of youth who have reached out to help their peers in the community.
Lainee Burnette of New Haven, Ct; Jonathan Freeman of Tampa, FL; and the Bonnie Brae Knights Drum Corps of Liberty Corner, NJ will be presented with the awards at CWLA's National Conference in Washington, DC on February 25, 2009.
The Bonnie Brae Knights are a marching drum line composed of 12 drummers and 2 staff advisers. They perform rhythms composed by their former musical director, Brother William, inspiring audiences to clap along. Founded in 2004 by a Bonnie Brae resident, the Knights have performed for local, state, and national audiences. Because Bonnie Brae is one of New Jersey's oldest and largest residential treatment centers for abused, neglected and abandoned youth, the Knights invitation to perform in the Presidential Inaugural Parade was of great significance for members of the drum corps, the residents and others like them along the parade route.
The Bonnie Brae Knights was among the first 49 groups invited to participate in the two-hour Presidential Inaugural Parade on January 20. Inaugural planners received a record 1,382 applications, up from the usual 300 to 400.
When they waited long hours in he cold and still performed, they represented and inspired every child who has ever touched the child welfare system by showing everyone that "yes" they could stand strong and perform before the nation. As they marched there were a number of youth on the side yelling "Hey Bonnie Brae, you represent me. I am in foster care. I live in a group home, etc". Bonnie Brae became that youth voice on Inauguration Day. It took a lot of courage and strength for those young men to do what they did and. It is for this show of courage and strength that the Bonnie Brae Drum Corps has been chosen to receive the CWLA Kids to Kids National Service Award.
"Today's youth are faced with so many challenges we feel it is important to acknowledge and honor those that have selflessly taken the time to care for and about the needs of others," said Christine James-Brown, President and CEO of CWLA.
Founded in 1916 Bonnie Brae is a private, nonprofit, accredited residential treatment and special education center for seriously emotionally disturbed boys, ages 8 to 18, from throughout the State of New Jersey. Located on a 100-acre main campus Bonnie Brae provides a safe, supportive, therapeutic and educational environment for approximately 98 adolescent males whose needs cannot be met by their families, schools and communities.
Since 1920, The Child Welfare League of America (CWLA) has been the nation's pre-eminent membership-based organization dedicated to ensuring that disadvantaged and vulnerable children are protected from harm and have the tools and resources they need to grow into the healthy and happy adults we want them to become. CWLA is the trusted authority for professionals who work with children and the only national organization with public and private member agencies working across all sectors of the children's services field.
 Back to Top  Printer-friendly Page  Contact Us
|
|
