Friday, June 14, 2013 marked J. P. Mascaro & Son’s 7th annual Respect Program award ceremony and celebration dinner, held at Mascaro’s corporate headquarters in Audubon.  The program, which was developed by the family owned business seven years ago, is designed to educate elementary school students about the importance of respect in their lives, including respect for the environment. This year, the Respect Program visited over 34,000 students in 147 different elementary schools.

For the 2012-2013 school year, the Respect Program awarded a total of nearly $38,000 of grant money to schools that applied and submitted original lessons demonstrating educational initiatives relating to character education.  Last Fall, the program awarded to schools $18,000; Spring winners of the Respect Program Education Grant include Calypso Elementary, $5000; Holy Cross Catholic School, $2240; Delaware County Intermediate Unit, $702.85; Western Salisbury Elementary, $494.89; Lehigh Parkway Elementary Center, $500; Owatin Creek Elementary, $2000; Juniata Park Elementary, $2500; Schuylkill Valley Elementary, $2000; St. Genevieve School, $1000; and West Reading Elementary Center, $2500.  

Representatives from these selected schools were presented their grant checks at the award ceremony Friday night by Education Coordinator, Katie Mascaro. “This is my second year working with the Respect Program. I am thrilled to be part of such a wonderful team that makes a lasting impression in schools and is committed to supporting education,” said Ms. Mascaro.  

Heading the award ceremony was Lindsay Mascaro Ptaszenski, Director of Education and Community relations at J.P. Mascaro & Sons.  “This is the third year we have offered the Education Grant Program. To date, we have awarded $100,000 of grant money to many deserving schools,” said Mrs. Mascaro Ptaszenski.

Also attending the dinner with their families were 19 winners of the Respect Program’s 2013 poster contest. Close to 370 students in second through fifth grades participated in this contest; these students had the opportunity to create posters that creatively expressed what respect means to them with the hopes of receiving the grand prize of a new laptop computer. “The posters were so creative this year that we decided to award a grand prize to one student in each grade.  We were proud to see that so many students were able to portray the message of respect through their artwork,” said Mascaro.

Grand prize computers were awarded to Gavin Zikria, 2nd Grade; Nicholas Santos, 3rd grade; Demetri Sullivan, 4th grade; and Aileen Murray, 5th grade.  Second place winners were awarded family memberships to the Philadelphia Zoo: Victoria Lapa, 2nd grade; Jaida Gumby, 3rd grade; Nadia Zikria, 4th grade; and Madison Chulick, 5th grade. Third place winners received family memberships to the Franklin Institute: Jami Garrison, 2nd grade; Ashley Kitch, 3rd grade; Laila Ivory, 4th grade; and Samantha Ponatovski, 5th grade.  Honorable mention prizes were awarded to Ruby Baker, Rice Elementary; Hailey Landis, Salford Hill Elementary; Maia Arbel, Greenberg School; Rahmir DeShields, Owatin Creek Elementay; Sarah Frakes, Planet Abacus Charter; and Nicole Timko, Audubon Elementary.

Also honored at the ceremony were two winners of the Respect Program’s new “Star Student of the Year” award. Teachers and principals were able to nominate model students with good character and who standout as respectful members of their schools and communities. These students received an honorary plaque, a prize valued at $250, and a $250 donation in their name to their choice of charity. This year’s star students are Matthew Mattia from St. Andrew School, who donated to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Genesis Familia from St. Peter School, who donated to Redemptoris Mater Seminary.