Fox Lane Junior Honored With JR Tesone Public Health Award

BEDFORD, NY — Fox Lane Junior Jacob Feldman was praised by Westchester leaders for his work with the President’s Junior Leadership Council at Northern Westchester Hospital.

The Bedford Corners teen was awarded the Westchester County Board of Health’s "J.R. Tesone Youth Public Health Service Award" for being a dedicated volunteer with the President’s Junior Leadership Council at Northern Westchester Hospital. Feldman gained a reputation for understanding the importance of combining both empathy and humor in his volunteer work. He is known to sometimes wear a rubber chicken hat to help ease children’s fears when facing a COVID-19 vaccine shot.

NY State Assemblyman Chris Burdick presented Feldman of Bedford Corners with his well-deserved award for his work with the council, a student group committed to improving the health, safety and well-being of youth in northern Westchester. Among his other efforts, Feldman supported youth mental health by developing a school wellness curriculum. He also served with the Feeding Westchester mobile food pantry and entertained children at a pediatric COVID-19 vaccine clinic.

"Jacob has been an inspiration to everyone he meets and to our community," Northern Westchester Hospital Director Derek Anderson said. "We are so proud to have such a dedicated and thoughtful young man involved in our hospital efforts to improve the health of children and ultimately families in Northern Westchester County. I suspect this isn’t the first, nor last award and accolade Jacob has and will receive in his life."

The Board awarded a 2022 J.R. Tesone Youth Public Health Service Award to the Yonkers Partners in Education Tech Squad as well as to Feldman. The 22 high school students who comprise the YPIE Tech Squad coached dozens of senior citizens on how to use their computers, smart phones and iPads to connect with family and friends during the pandemic, and registered homebound seniors for in-home COVID-19 vaccines.

Together with County Executive George Latimer, the Westchester County Board of Health presented the 2022 Public Health Awards, recognizing outstanding contributions to public health in Westchester by three adults, 23 students and six organizations.

Latimer acknowledged the work of the Westchester County Department of Health and others and declared a Public Health Appreciation Day to "honor the contributions of public health professionals, volunteers and community partners to improving the health of our county, call upon us all to support great opportunities to adopt preventive lifestyle habits and acknowledge National Public Health Week."

Board of Health President Robert Baker, MD presented the 2022 Dr. Harold Keltz Distinguished Public Health Service Awards to Petula Griffith, RN and to the Westchester Library System. Griffith, a White Plains nurse, provided pro bono foot, nail and skin care to seniors, homeless individuals and residents at a women’s shelter in White Plains. The Westchester Library System was recognized for its innovative Westchester Breathes program, which delivered Zoom workshops on breathing, mindfulness and movement techniques designed to reduce toxic stress and trauma among residents and vulnerable populations.

"We are grateful to all the honorees and to our community partners for their dedication to helping the Health Department promote, protect and improve public health in Westchester," Baker said. "This is an inspiring and accomplished group we are proud to honor."

For the crucial response to the COVID-19 pandemic, for informing and protecting their school communities, Westchester school officials were honored with two Special Recognition Awards presented to the Chief School Administrators of Southern Westchester and the Chief School Administrators of Northern Westchester.

Westchester Medical Center was the recipient of a Special Recognition Award for its crucial COVID-19 pandemic response, which included vaccinating, testing and compassionately caring for Westchester residents.

"I am grateful to you for your leadership and collaboration, and I value our ongoing partnership with Westchester’s leading medical institutions and your talented staff," Health Commissioner Sherlita Amler said, presenting the Commissioner’s Award to Westchester Medical Center Chief Medical Officer Renee Garrick.