A Young Heroine Among Us

By Nancy K. Crevier

“Surprised!” was Allie Clement’s reaction to being nominated and then winning the American Red Cross of Western Connecticut Community Impact Youth Award this spring. “I have never thought of myself like that — as a hero,” she said.

Allie was one of only two area youth honored along with 17 adults at the 18th Annual American Red Cross Breakfast Honoring Heroes of Western Connecticut on Thursday, April 24, at The Amber Room Colonnade in Danbury. Allie was recognized for her work in raising AIDS awareness in the schools and in the community.

The Heroes of Western Connecticut awards pay tribute to individuals in 17 communities across western Connecticut whose acts of courage and kindness inspire and motivate others. More than a dozen individuals were nominated this year, said Steve Woods, executive director for the American Red Cross of Western Connecticut, including servicemen, animal rescue workers, volunteers, and emergency responders. Selection committee members made up of American Red Cross board members, past Heroes winners, and sponsors of the event began accepting nominations in November 2007 for this year’s awards.

 “What was unusual this year was that while we have always honored someone with the Community Impact Award, we have never given it to a youth before,” said Mr Woods. “The selection committee was so impressed by Allie’s nomination that they decided to add the category of Community Impact Youth Award,” he said. The new category will be an ongoing honor, the director said.

 “The work Allie has done has an impact in the community, current and far reaching, and will have an impact for years to come,” said Mr Woods.

Allie was nominated by Suzanne Davenport, the advisor for Newtown Youth Creating AIDS Awareness for Peers (NYCAAP), which is a Newtown Youth & Family Services program.

“Allie is a co-president of NYCAAP and has led weekly meetings. On her own, Allie has been researching and sharing information with others through NYCAAP,” said Ms Davenport. “I’m just so impressed with her.”

Not only that, said Ms Davenport in her letter to the American Red Cross nominating Allie, the Newtown Senior High School student has “organized fundraisers, as well as other administrative duties to help NYCAAP run smoothly … She has given many hours teaching both her peers as well as middle school students … On top of all of her work with NYCAAP, her studies, her work on the student government as well as other organizations, she also works with Interfaith AIDS Ministry in Danbury.” Allie is the person that other NYCAAP members and their advisor turn to for confirmation of information. “She always has the knowledge at her fingertips,” said Ms Davenport.

The high honors student is also a former recipient of the Newtown Youth Service’s “Outstanding Youth Award,” and this year, organized the high school’s Red Cross blood drive.

Allie first became interested in the issue of HIV and AIDS as a freshman in high school when she took the African Studies class.

“I just fell in love with the continent. It’s hard to explain,” said Allie. She educated herself about the HIV problem in Africa and when she found out about the NYCAAP organization, she immediately joined.

In July 2006, Allie traveled with 26 other high school students to Ghana, raising the funds for the trip herself, and worked in an orphanage. While her work there was not directly related to HIV/AIDS, Allie returned with firsthand knowledge of the disease and its devastating impact, more determined than before to share her knowledge and work toward the elimination of the disease.

“One of the biggest things in NYCAAP is education,” said Allie. “I help teach the AIDS unit at the Newtown Middle School, and I would like to get into St Rose to teach, and into the biology classes at the high school. It’s important to bring this information to students because AIDS affects the whole world and it is 100 percent preventable, not like other diseases like cancer,” she said.

As a member of NYCAAP, Allie has taken part in the town health fair, the recent NHS senior health fair, and distributed AIDS ribbons with informational cards about the epidemic. The group has also made brochures about AIDS that are distributed around Newtown, said Allie. “It’s important to teach people how to protect themselves and stop this epidemic,” Allie said.

Allie will attend the University of California at Santa Barbara in the fall, where she plans to major in biology.

“I want to become an infectious disease specialist,” said Allie. Already, she is hoping to get an internship at the university with the health program, where she believes she will be able to improve the AIDS education unit.

“Allie is a remarkable leader who has made a remarkable contribution,” said NHS Assistant Principal John Tusch. “She will be missed when she graduates.”

Title sponsor for this year’s Heroes Breakfast was Fairfield County Bank. Heroes sponsors were Cartus, Danbury Hospital, Digital Video Productions, and Union Savings Bank. Friends sponsors were AT&T, Daniel P. Jowdy, Newtown Lions Club, and Webster Bank.

For more information about serving on the nominating committee for Heroes of Western Connecticut or to nominate an individual for the 2009 Heroes of Western Connecticut Awards, contact Nicole Aresenault, director of development and communications for the American Red Cross of Western Connecticut, at 792-8200 or Aresenault.RedCross@snet.net.