On Monday June 11 in the Wagner Room at NCHS the first Wilburn Fellowship Awards were given to NCHS students. The awards were hosted by Moaiz
Daya, Warner Depuy and Richard Webb.Former principal Tony Pavia also
returned to honor a program that he helped launch. Gary Wilburn’s widow Bev Wilburn was introduced to the assembly and gave out the awards to the student winners.
The 2012 Wilburn Fellows are Alexandra Klapper, Gita Abhiraman and Jessica Kao for their project Widening the Scope.
The recognition of other Finalists included Emma Grayson, Bringing Cultures Together One Plate At A Time and Julia Tuttle for Educational Programs and Volunteerism in Ghana. All applicants were recognized in the ceremony: Alexandra Barasch for her project Global Good; Alexandra Cohen, The Image of Dr. Wilburn in the Faces of Many; Molly James, Isabelle Herde and Michael DeMattia, World Read Aloud; Kelly Saiz, Maggie O’Rourke, Tess Litchman and Elizabeth Kilbride, NCHS September 11 Memorial, and Lily Kazemi and Alyssa Thompson for Special Needs Outreach Project. Closing
remarks were made by Wilburn Fellowship founding member Moaiz Daya.
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The Wilburn Fellowship is inspired by the life and continuing legacy of the Reverend Dr. GaryA. Wilburn and created by local New Canaanite Warner Depuy.
Reverend Wilburn was the highly esteemed senior pastor of the from 1995 until 2007 when he was diagnosed with ALS. After a courageous battle with the dreaded disease, Gary passed away in 2010. The website for the Fellowship is www.thewilburnfellowship.org.
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The Program Fellowship
Mission: To foster understanding of humanity's differences, whether of
gender, race, ethnicity, nationality, religion or culture, such that those
differences can be respected, embraced and celebrated. The Wilburn Fellowship
will be awarded each year to the New Canaan High School student or team that
best captures and promotes the mission of the Fellowship through a project
that: Brings people of difference together. Advances knowledge of, promotes
respect for and enables celebration of those differences. Demonstrates the
value and positive impact that emanates from such differences. Advocates unity
and cooperation to make the school, the community and the world a better place.
