2016 Liberty Bank Youth In Action Award Recipients

Ryan Bell of Wallingford, and Theodora Stanley of Guilford, were chosen as the recipients of the 2016 Liberty Bank Youth In Action Award.

Established in 2011, Liberty's Youth In Action Award is designed to recognize students in grades 6-12 within the bank's market area who have distinguished themselves through volunteering, fundraising, and advocating for nonprofit organizations. Bell and Stanley were selected from among many students who were nominated for the award by schools and youth organizations in their communities. Each was able to direct a $1,000 donation from Liberty Bank to a nonprofit organization of their choice.

Ryan Bell is a freshman at Mark T. Sheehan High School in Wallingford. For the past six years, Bell has been raising money for Heifer International, whose mission is to end hunger and poverty and to care for the Earth. Through the gifts of livestock, seeds, trees, and training in sustainable agriculture, Heifer International helps millions of people become self-reliant. Bell chose to direct the $1,000 from Liberty Bank to Heifer International to put him around $200 away from his goal of raising $50,000.

Theodora Stanley, 'Teddi', is a junior at Guilford High School and is involved in the Community Dining Room, DOMUS, Life Haven, Special Olympics and Best Friends Club, Guilford High School Interact Club, and Youth Advisory Group (YAG) to name a few. She is very passionate about changing the stereotype that is fixed to homelessness and has been organizing collections for nonprofits in her community including Columbus House and New Reach. Stanley chose to direct $500 of the $1,000 donation to Columbus House, $250 to New Reach, and the remaining $250 to Amistad Catholic Worker.

Liberty Bank President and CEO, Chandler J. Howard, himself a longtime volunteer with many awards for community service, praised the award winners and nominees, saying "We want to honor you for everything you've done to make people's lives better. You've proven to us that it doesn't matter how young you are - you CAN make a difference."

Pictured: Theodora Stanley and Chandler J. Howard; Ryan Bell

Visit the Liberty Bank Foundation website for more information.