Levittown student recognized for volunteer work

The Levittown Community Council, comprising residents of Wantagh, Seaford and Levittown, presented Kristina Spano, Division Avenue High School’s senior class president, with the Youth Recognition Award on Sept. 26. 

Spano,17, received a certificate of recognition and a check as part of the award, which is given to teens who volunteer in the area. Sharlene Defendini, a counselor at Division Avenue who has worked closely with Spano on school and community service projects, nominated the her for the honor. 

“Kristina is a leader in the school,” she said. “In fact, she may be ‘the’ leader of DAHS.”

The Youth Recognition Award offers an opportunity for members of the civic organizations that make up the council to nominate a Levittown or Island Trees school district student who has made outstanding contributions to the community. The nominee must not have personally profited financially from his or her participation in volunteer projects, according to the organization, and the level of activity exhibited should be above and beyond the usual.

“This award showed me how I can expand my role to the whole community and encourages me to grow as a leader,” Spano said of the accolade. 

Citing her work as junior class president in 2015-16 and how she got involved with the annual food drive, Division Avenue Spirit Week, the “Best Buddies” program and became a peer leader, Defendini credited Spano with “raising spirit within the building.” Administrators in the Levittown School District, which takes in students from northern sections of Wantagh and Seaford, also commended Spano. 

In addition to the Youth Recognition Award, the Levittown Community Council presents the Junior Volunteer of the Year Award to outstanding middle school students every May. The mission of the group is to foster pride and unity in the Levittown/Island Trees school district communities and bring residents of Levittown and its surrounding areas together. 

For more information about the Levittown Community Council, visit the group’s Facebook page. Locals are also encouraged to contact one of the council’s co-presidents, Pat Patane or Tom Kohlman, at levittowncouncil@yahoo.com.