Duke TIP Announces 2008 Bruce J. Heim Foundation Endowment Leadership Merit Award Winners
August 2008
DURHAM, N.C.— Three students Ellie Morse (TN), Jordan Schwartz (GA), and Stephanie Tzouanas (TX) were recipients of the Bruce J. Heim Foundation Leadership Merit Award for their exceptional leadership performance at the 2007 Duke TIP Leadership Institute. Future recipients for this prestigious award will be selected each year from the Leadership Institute.
Ellie Morse attended Duke University TIP Leadership Institute as an eleventh grader. Her Legacy project, “Invisible Children/Schools for Schools,” promotes support of students who are being educated in the war-torn area in northern Uganda in East Africa. She organized a club at her high school and through the members’ efforts raised awareness in the community and funds in excess of $10,000.00. The funds will go to the Lacor Secondary School in Uganda. She has set up student leaders to continue running School for Schools at her high school next year.
Jordan Schwartz attended Duke University TIP Leadership Institute as a ninth grader. Her Legacy project, “Partners in Prose,” was formed to provide books for the Park Street Elementary School in her home town. Financial support came from The Children’s Bilingual Theater and a Nestlé grant. Participation by teachers and students at her high school helped to sponsor a Read-A-Thon. From the proceeds, they were able to purchase 15 books for the library. Jordan believes careful planning and brainstorming with volunteers helped her to achieve her project.
Stephanie Niki Tzouanas attended the Duke University TIP Leadership Institute as a ninth grader. Her project, “H. E. A. L.” (Helping Empower Another’s Life), was dedicated to preventing hospitalization from becoming a limitation for pediatric patients. The club she formed at her high school volunteered to tutor pediatric patients at area hospitals. The project has evolved to include working with patients on craft projects and play activities. It has benefited from contributions from the community and local businesses. The club will continue to function next year at Stephanie’s high school.
Ellie, Jordan, and Stephanie were invited to the 2008 Duke TIP Leadership Institute to receive a TIP Leadership Award Certificate from the Heim Foundation executive director, Ms. Barbara Pailet. As Scholars in Residence over two days, each of the three outstanding TIP alumni delivered a compelling presentation about their year-long community service projects to inspire the 2008 Leadership Institute participants. Each of the three recipients received a scholarship prize and all travel expenses were paid by the Bruce J. Heim Foundation.
 Ellie Morse, Jordan Schwartz, Stephanie Tzouanas, and The Bruce J. Heim Foundation’s Executive Director, Ms. Barbara H. Pailet |
The Duke TIP Leadership Institute encourages students to deepen their commitments to service, philanthropy, and civic engagement, no matter where their academic or career paths may lead. The Institute utilizes the latest methodologies in leadership education to offer students an understanding of leadership through accelerated classroom instruction and service experiences in the community.
The Bruce J. Heim Foundation’s generous support of Duke TIP dates back to 1992 thanks to the outstanding volunteer leadership efforts led by Executive Director Ms. Barbara H. Pailet. The Heim Foundation was established in 1986 to provide financial assistance to causes that help people, especially young individuals or small groups, who have demonstrated potential for excellence in an area of interest. The Foundation hopes that such assistance will allow the recipients to improve, develop, and concentrate on their talents, thus providing additional impetus for future success. It also hopes to nurture a spirit of gratitude and reciprocity in the recipients that will stimulate them to support, and become involved in, similar philanthropic causes.
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CONTACT: Deborah-Kay Hughes
(919) 668-9132
dkhughes@tip.duke.edu
www.tip.duke.edu