Newtown Lions Present Leo Of The Year And Trull Awards

The Newtown Lions Club recognized three outstanding high school students by presenting the Leo of the Year Award to Erica Federman, and Trull Awards to Brian Pennarola and Jennifer Iassogna.

The Leo of the Year Award was granted for outstanding leadership to the Leo Club and participation in community and school activities. Erica Federman is the current president and driving force of the Leo Club. She is a member of the Best Buddies program and president of the Newtown Youth Creating Aids Awareness for Peers (NYCAAP).

She frequently attends the town’s Wellness Committee meetings and is working on changing the school’s health curriculum and diet plans. Erica is a member of the Guidance Honors Association and National Language Honors Society. She was also vice president and state secretary of the Future Business Leaders of America.

The Trull Awards are given to the male and female members of the junior class who have been nominated by teachers and guidance counselors as outstanding and well-rounded students. It is named for the first president of the Newtown Lions Club, George R. Trull, who led the club in 1949. The award recognizes achievement in academics as well as extracurricular activities. This year’s winners were Brian Pennarola and Jennifer Iassogna.

According to Deidre Croce, Brian Pennarola’s guidance counselor, he “is an all-around amazing human being and deserves any recognition bestowed upon him.” He is an outstanding scholar, finding himself at the top of the class and winning a National Latin Award Gold Medal in 2005. He has participated on the baseball team, and the indoor and outdoor track teams, and was an intern at the SMART camp for three summers. He was a finalist in the West Point Bridge Design contest for two years, coming in third and fourth place.

Jennifer Iassogna has been a member of the swim team for the past three years and will be captain her senior year. She was treasurer of her class for three years and is a member of the Guidance Honors Association. She works on the school newspaper, where she is currently an editor and will be editor-in-chief her senior year. As a member of the orchestra, she played in four shows including Les Miserables, and has performed at Carnegie Hall. She spent two summers at work camp in New York and is an altar server at St Rose.