Mount Student Leads with Heart: Continues Tradition - Service & Impact

Ava Lawdanski, a senior at Mount St. Dominic Academy and an Ambassador Girl Scout from Kearny, NJ, has made community service her mission, stepping up in ways that inspire and uplift everyone around her. When breast cancer survivor and activist Emma Quintana could no longer continue her beloved breast cancer awareness initiative in Kearny, due to a medical issue, Ava, who has been attending this event since she was five. took over without hesitation. Launching the 2024 “Tie Kearny Pink” Making an Impact Pink Ribbon Campaign, Ava rallied her community for a cause close to her heart.

On October 12, 2024, Kearny Town Hall transformed into a sea of pink ribbons and heartfelt stories. Survivors and supporters gathered to promote awareness, early detection, and solidarity. Distinguished attendees included Mayor Carol Jean Doyle, Council Members Marytrine De Castro, Gerald Ficeto, and George Zapata, along with Senator Angela V. McKnight, Patty Bishop from Minette’s Angels Foundation, and representatives from Emma Quintana’s organization, Mujeres Valientes (Brave Women). Rev. Peggy E. Holder of Grace Methodist Church and Girl Scout Service Unit Manager Marybeth Kennedy were also present. “It was about bringing people together to support each other and spread a lifesaving message,” Ava explains. Her efforts included securing sponsors and arranging for moving survivor testimonials. She also coordinated decorations that transformed the event into a powerful symbol of hope. In addition, she provided the audience with pink ribbons and encouraged attendees to tie them on trees.

Ava’s commitment to breast cancer awareness doesn’t stop with this campaign. Building on her efforts, she is partnering with University Hospital to bring a mobile mammography unit to Kearny for the first time on December 6, 2024, ensuring that screenings are available to uninsured and underinsured residents. “Connecting my community to these health resources is crucial,” she says. “Early detection can make all the difference, and I hope to make this an annual service.” Her initiative exemplifies the transformative impact of dedicated, compassionate service.

Her devotion has earned her widespread respect, including a proclamation from the town of Kearny recognizing her efforts during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Ava’s drive to give back stems from a lifetime of watching her mother, Mrs. Lyla De Castro Lawdanski, a community advocate, who works as a Deputy Registered Municipal Clerk in Kearny, supporting the township and individuals in leadership. “My mom has always been my role model,” Ava reflects. “Through her, I’ve learned that making a difference starts by caring for those around you.” From attending community events with her mom as a child to organizing them herself today, Ava’s journey is one of compassion, resilience, and empowerment.

At Mount St. Dominic Academy, the Dominican pillars of Prayer, Study, Community, and Mission guide every student’s journey. Ava is a shining example of these values, bringing the spirit of socially responsible leadership to every aspect of her life. Whether she is leading clubs like Project Outreach—where students make PB&J sandwiches weekly for distribution to the unhoused in Newark—supporting veterans through school club activities, or spearheading community campaigns, Ava embodies the Mount’s commitment to service and social impact. The Mount emphasizes making a difference through meaningful action, and Ava has fully embraced this cause.

In addition to her school-based service, Ava's journey with the Girl Scouts has been one of growing responsibility and impact. After earning her Bronze and Silver Awards, she is now pursuing the Gold Award with her 'Tie Kearny Pink' initiative. The Gold Award requires a minimum of 80 hours of focused effort. Her Silver Award centered on opioid abuse awareness, while her Bronze project involved creating environmentally friendly spaces in her community.

However, Ava’s involvement extends beyond her Gold Award project. Throughout her life, she has participated in Passaic River cleanups, addiction awareness walks, and community initiatives for groups like Pathways to Independence, Shatterproof, American Cancer Society, and Minette's Angels. Through the Kearny Teen Prevention Coalition, she works on substance abuse education, and she has even presented research on women’s empowerment at Kearny’s first Women’s Day initiative. “Giving back makes me happy,” she says. “If I can make someone’s day better, that’s all the motivation I need.”

For Ava, service is not just something she does—it is who she is. With the support of her family, the values instilled by the Mount, and her unwavering passion to help others, Ava’s journey of giving back continues to inspire everyone she meets. “The Mount has taught me that true leadership is about uplifting others,” Ava reflects.

“Ava exemplifies what it means to lead with compassion and purpose,” says Mount St. Dominic Principal, Dr. Karen D’Avino. “Her commitment to serving others and uplifting the community reflects the very best of what we hope to inspire in our students at the Mount.”

About Mount St. Dominic Academy: MSDA, established by the Sisters of St. Dominic, is an independent, Catholic college preparatory school dedicated to the education of young women from a variety of ethnic, religious, and economic backgrounds. Located in the heart of bucolic Caldwell, New Jersey, the Mount has been empowering young women in the Dominican tradition since 1892. Mount St. Dominic Academy is a proud member of the New Jersey Association of Independent Schools, the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), the International Coalition of Girls' Schools, the Dominican Association of Secondary Schools, the National Catholic Educational Association, and the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. The Mount is also a recipient of the 2024 College Board AP® Computer Science Female Diversity Award for its outstanding achievement in fostering high female representation in both AP Computer Science A (CSA) and AP Computer Science Principles (CSP), and earned “Gold with Access” on the 2024 College Board AP School Honor Roll, the 2023 Best of Essex Gold Medal in the "Best in Private School” category, and has been named a Niche A+ 2024 Best School, a distinction achieved by only 2.5% of schools in the country. Visit the Mount for more information.