Ossining Student to Receive Martin Luther King Jr. Youth Award

Ossining High School junior Isaac Newman is one of seven students that African American Men of Westchester will recognize on Martin Luther King Jr. Day for having a positive impact on their communities.

Isaac will receive the Social Action Award at the organization’s 18th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Legacy Youth Awards luncheon in Tarrytown.

“I’m very grateful that I was able to receive the award, and I feel more accomplished,” he said. “I was able to tell others what I am doing, and they recognize it as someone who’s trying to better the world in a sense.”

African American Men of Westchester, which was established more than 30 years ago, provides scholarships and offers programs that teach young people, women and families about the importance of education, teamwork, discipline, environmental responsibility and more.

The group is recognizing Isaac for his volunteer work. As part of his Science Research Program project, he helps Howard Hillstrom at the Hospital for Special Surgery with his project on transtibial (below-the-knee) amputees. Isaac is reviewing literature, looking for subjects to participate in the project and helping organize research.

Dr. Hillstrom, a biomedical engineer, is researching the muscle energy and metabolic energy expenditures that the amputees expend using a new methodology he developed, according to Isaac.

Isaac also volunteers to assist with his church’s religious education program. He is the hall monitor and also helps with children.

“I love being around kids,” he said. “My summer job was as a camp counselor at Ryder Park.”

Isaac is considering a career in orthopedics, a branch of medicine that he has been interested in ever since he dislocated his shoulder in seventh grade.

“I went to the orthopedist, and I remember him explaining everything to me and I was so fascinated by it that I said, ‘OK, this is what I want to do with my life,’” he said.

In addition to academics and work in the community, Isaac participates in basketball, track (the 400 meter, the 800 meter and the mile) and cross country. He won the Ossining MATTERS 5k Run last September.

School Principal Stephen Hancock said he is proud of Isaac, whom he described as one of OHS’ “superstars.”

“Isaac is through and through just a generally caring, amazing person,” said the principal, who was an assistant principal at Anne M. Dorner Middle School when Isaac was a student there. “It didn’t surprise me when I got here to hear about his success not only as an athlete but also in science research.”

(Photo: Ossining student Isaac Newman and OHS Principal Stephen Hancock.)