Homewood Grade School Teacher Selected for Promise Award
Posted On: March 28, 2009
The Young Preservationists Association of Pittsburgh has selected Dawn R. Webb Turner to be the 2009 Promise Award winner.
The Promise Award was presented at YPA’s Preservation Awards Reception, March 28, 2009, at the Carnegie Museum of Art.
YPA’s Promise Award, started in 2005, will go to one person, organization or place that is undertaking a new preservation initiative that represents great promise for advancing historic preservation in southwestern Pennsylvania.
Ms. Webb Turner’s work with YPA over the past year as a volunteer to develop the Pittsburgh region’s first African American history tourguide, as well as her efforts to preserve the National Negro Opera Company first home, and her extensive experience, education, and community involvement makes her an ideal awardee.
Ms. Webb Turner is currently a third-grade teacher at Pittsburgh Faison Arts Academy in Pittsburgh’s Homewood neighborhood. A Pittsburgh native, Ms. Webb Turner is a graduate of Westinghouse High School.
She received undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Pittsburgh, graduating Cum Laude. She has held positions as a Branch Manager for Three Rivers Bank and Assistant Vice President for PNC Bank. Ms. Webb Turner is currently developing the George A. Webb Sr. Learning Institute that will teach financial education and entrepreneurship to elementary-school aged children and older. She is also the Steward of Homewood North under the Clean Pittsburgh Commission, and started the “Let’s Clean Up Our House Committee,” a group of youth, residents, and block club members who are dedicated to cleaning up areas in the community.
Previous Promise Award winners have included The Union Project (2005); Braddock Mayor John Fetterman (2006); Sandee Umbach, director of Wash Arts (2007); and Tansy Michaud, a senior at Norwin High School (2008).
Preservation Video Awards Announced
Posted On: March 28, 2009
On Saturday, March 28, the Young Preservationists Association of Pittsburgh awarded $500 to four student-produced videos about saving historic sites in southwestern Pennsylvania. The winning videos were selected among entries for YPA’s Preservation Video Contest, begun in December 2008.
Each of the four videos was produced by young people under the age of 25 who are students at schools in southwestern Pennsylvania. Conest awardees include a student at Pittsburgh Filmmakers, 16 middle school students from Riverside Middle School in Ellwood City, a college student at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and a high school student at Ringgold High School.
Each of the videos is a call to action to save threatened historic sites. The short videos were uploaded to YouTube, the video-sharing website. Pennsylvania State Senator Jim Ferlo sponsored the financial awards for the students.
See a program from the Preservation Awards Reception: Preservation Awards Reception
Watch all four videos here:
First Place ($250):
Site: Paramount Pictures Film Exchange, City of Pittsburgh (Soho)
Winning Student: Drew Edward Levinson
School: Pittsburgh Filmmakers
Nominating Teacher: Lorraine Heidekat
Second Place ($125):
Site: “Save the Strand,” Strand Theater, Zelienople, Butler County
Winning Students:
Bethany Bettencourt
Selena Blair
Michaela Burr
Alex Deep
Connor Domhoff
Tyler Falk
Christian George
Austin Hall
Rachel Hunter
Justin Kording
Morgan Marion
Cole McDonough
Austin Ridgley
Hailey Vey
Chelsea Alberth
Kayla Hart
School: Riverside Middle School
Nominating Teacher: Mrs. Rebecca Erin
Third Place ($75):
Site: Old Indiana County Courthouse, Indiana, Indiana County
Winning Student: Brandon Roudebush
School: Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Nominating Teacher: Dr. Erick Lauber
Fourth Place ($50):
Site: The Longwell House, Monongahela, Washington County
Winning Student: Caci Lignelli
School: Ringgold High School
Nominating Teacher: Mr. Don Roberts