Washington State Jefferson Awards
Congratulations to the 2013 Winners!
Thank you to everyone who nominated
someone this year for a 2013 Washington State Jefferson
Award. We had more than 200 amazing nominations submitted,
and - as our own Nicole
Browning, who served on the selection panel, can attest -
judges had a tough job choosing only five winners.
Together with Seattle City Club, KING 5, Microsoft, Starbucks, Safeco, and Banner Bank, we are pleased to
announce the 2013 Washington State Jefferson Award Winners!
They are:
 Jared Costanzo
In 2010, a local school board in Richland Washington decided to
restrict access to extracurricular activities to students due to a
Gay-Straight-Alliance club request. Students were no longer
allowed to meet after school together in clubs. Jared
Costanzo, then student representative on the Washington State Board
of Education, decided to form a student coalition called the
Student Voice Project in order to fight for student rights.
Facing adversity, Jared along with several other students, met with
two local superintendents in order to resolve this major
issue. One week later, the school board voted to reverse
their policy, reinstating student rights. After this
major success, Jared and the Student Voice Project expanded the
organization statewide in order to achieve the goal of spreading
student voice and representation. Three years later, Jared
has established the Student Voice Project headquarters, located in
Washington D.C. and has expanded the project to the national level
with a student coalition network with more than 20 states
represented. |
| |
 Karen Krejcha
Although she grew up feeling incredibly different than other
children around her, Karen was an energetic young girl who
envisioned changing the world. She was labeled as a genius, a
tomboy and an imaginative spirit, yet inside she felt confused and
socially awkward. Of course, Karen didn't realize back then
that she was on the autism spectrum. It wasn't until her 40's
that Karen was diagnosed after her two sons (2 and 8 at the time)
had received their own diagnoses of autism. However, once she
was diagnosed, life made a whole lot more sense. Karen
co-founded Autism Empowerment, a 501(c)3 non-profit based out of
Vancouver, WA in June 2011. She currently serves as the
volunteer Executive Director. Her vision promotes Acceptance,
Enrichment, Inspiration and Empowerment within the Autism and
Asperger communities locally, nationally and worldwide. |
| |
 Michael Mowat
Mike knew there was a way to provide food assistance with dignity
to low income neighborhoods that had limited or no access to a food
bank. As a volunteer board member for FISH Food Banks of
Pierce County, he knew the challenges that many families were
facing and he wanted to find an innovative solution that did not
require bricks and mortar, but could also serve people in an inside
space to shield them from cold and rainy weather. After
conducting research on different mobile food bank models, he
realized that the best solution would be a moving van that was
converted into a food bank on wheels. In June 2011 Mike, with
a cadre of volunteers, spent months converting the van with
shelving, lights, heat, a freezer and a generator. Every day
Mike stocks the food shelves to make sure they have enough food to
distribute that evening and every Saturday he washes the trailer -
he even drives the truck and trailer to each site. Currently
this food bank is located in five different sites Monday through
Friday. It is able to go where there are the greatest
demands. He has fostered partnerships with three of the local
school districts to host the food bank after school. Schools
were chosen because they are located in neighborhoods, many in low
income areas, and they have parking lots. |
| |
 Julia Sheriden
As far back as 1982, Julia has been advocating on behalf of women
veterans in seeking equality with their male counterparts within
Veteran's Affairs. Julia completed U.S. Marine Corps basic
training at Parris Island, SC in 1978. After thirty months
she achieved the ranking of Sergeant but due to disabling injuries
was unable to re-enlist. Today and for the past 25 years,
Julia Sheriden is an advocate on behalf of injured and disabled
veterans, in particular veterans who have suffered military sexual
trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder, and brain injury.
Currently she is the President of Outreach and Resource Services
for Women Veterans (OARS), based in Seattle, WA. She has
helped numerous female and male military veterans over the
years. She uses a holistic approach when working one on one
with veterans by encouraging them to work toward the highest
quality of life they can reach after their military careers. |
| |
 Olowo-n'djo Tchala
Olowo-n'djo arrived in the U.S. from Togo, Africa with a sixth
grade education, and within five years he had graduated from U.C.
Davis. Before graduating he started a project to support
women in his home country. In Togo women, like his mother,
were denied educations as girls and opportunities as adults.
Olowo-ndjo recognized that their traditional knowledge of
handcrafting shea butter was a unique skill and product. He
also saw that with the right marketing and drive, shea butter could
generate enough income to support these women and their families
and communities. He saw that poverty and gender inequalities
could be alleviated without hand-outs or foreign aid. With
this vision, Olowo-n'djo organized a women's cooperative in Togo to
produce shea butter, which he would market to the U.S. Ten
years later, the shea butter cooperative based in Olympia, WA is
the biggest private employer in central Togo. They have over
400 members and employees in Togo, and employ 55 people in
Olympia. |
What's
Next?
Watch
Stories about the 2013 Washington State Jefferson Award winners
will be featured on Evening Magazine on KING5 at 7:00 p.m., on
Monday, March 18th and available for streaming online after the
show.
Vote
Then, vote for your favorite Washington State Jefferson Awards
winner to represent our state at the National Jefferson Awards in
Washington D.C. in June. Voting will be open for all Washington
state residents March 18-25th on KING5.com or by calling
866-257-5533
.
Celebrate
Last but not least, join us to celebrate! All five winners will
be recognized at a breakfast on April
9, 2013 at the Bell Harbor International Conference Centerin
Seattle. The National Nominee will be announced at that time and
also featured that day on New Day Northwest on KING5. Registration
for this event is now open!
