Mr. Rory O’Donnell accepts the Youth Ally Award at a Pep Rally on Feb. 11, 2022.
For Thrives, a Youth Ally is:
- Someone who shows up for youth where they’re at – in school, after-school, at special events, and in the towns where they live.
- Someone who helps youth amplify their voices by providing them with opportunities to explore current issues/events and to advocate for those they are passionate about.
- Someone who can and does speak to the needs of and challenges youth face today, when they are not present to speak for themselves.
Simply put, wherever Leland & Gray students are, Mr. O’Donnell is there. For students in his classes, he works hard to bring relevance to classroom lessons by making connections with real world experiences and providing opportunities for local civic engagement. If you are a student and play a sport, an instrument, do theater and/or attend any major school function, you can be sure that Mr. O’Donnell is there! And as an advisor for the Student Council, Mr. O’Donnell joins youth in advocating for the entire student body. Finally, Mr. O’Donnell frequently attends local meetings, including Thrives Advisory Board as a School Sector Representative, to share his insight and knowledge about the needs of and challenges faced by our young people today.
While the West River Valley and Leland & Gray are fortunate to have a plethora of youth allies, this year’s selection committee really appreciated that community members recognized how Mr O’Donnell shows up – with positive energy, a willingness to laugh at himself and always looking to put a smile on someone’s face. After the heightened stress and uncertainty so many of us have experienced as a result of the pandemic, that special ability to make us smile, put Mr. O’Donnell on top!