Mary Jo Formoso named ‘Everyday Hero'

At the October Bowling Green PTA meeting, the EM Kiwanis Club and the Bowling Green K-Kids jointly presented Mary Jo Formoso with the New York District Kiwanis Everyday Hero Medal for her continuing voluntary service to the students of Bowling Green Elementary School.

Mary Jo, a junior at EMHS who is fluent in Spanish, has recently begun her third year of voluntary tutoring of Spanish-speaking students who have recently immigrated to the United States. Mary Jo provides these students with a warm and friendly smile as well as being a positive role model who can assist them in learning English as well as curriculum content. To date, Mary Jo has completed approximately 150 hours of community service.

The New York District’s Everyday Hero Medal was created by 2006-2007 Kiwanis Governor Joe Corace to honor those who regular go “above and beyond” in the service of others. Mary Jo certainly fits the criteria for this honor because of her continuing commitment to serve students who can often be frightened and alone in a place where few speak their native language.

As EM Kiwanis Service Leadership Chair and Immediate Past president, Rich Santer explained to the parents, teachers and students who attended the PTA meeting the significance of the award. He was followed by K-Kids President Kasha Bhatia who described Mary Jo and explained the importance of the community service she provides to these non-English speaking students.

“While Kiwanis has many programs to develop leadership and the spirit of service in young people such as the K-Kids in elementary schools, the Builders Clubs in middle schools, the Key Clubs in our high schools and Circle K in colleges and universities,” Santer said, “we also seek to recognize and support those fine young people who like Mary Jo serve their community in others ways.”