Senior receives two awards
Yonah Davis recognized for accomplishments
Senior Yonah Davis accepts his Howie Stillman Young Leadership Award from Joel Glaser at Adath Jeshurun Synagogue. The award is given annually to young, Jewish leaders who are active in a Twin Cities’ youth group.
May 7, 2019
As senior Yonah Davis was told he had won the Rose Rees Peace Award, he said he was enthusiastic.
“I had heard about (the award) in the past so I just felt really excited,” Davis said.
According to Davis, he received the Howie Stillman Young Leadership Award May 5 and the Rose Rees Peace Award May 1.
“(The Rose Rees Peace Award had) a really cool event,” Davis said. “We had a moderated panel conversation with all the other recipients and there was a luncheon. It was really nice because I was able to have a lot of teachers and representatives from the school come.”
History teacher Carley Kregness, who nominated Davis for the Rose Rees Peace Award, said the event was enjoyable.
“At the luncheon, there’s always a guest speaker and then the students each get a chance to speak too and that’s the best part of it, getting to hear those student voices and their perspectives,” Kregness said. “It’s a great time and it feels good for those students to get really recognized.”
Kregness said Davis has contributed a lot towards Park, including a voter registration drive.
“As I talked with him, I discovered more and more things he’s done outside of school, too,” Kregness said. “He’s just really been a leader even before I had met him.”
Davis said the Howie Stillman Young Leadership Award had multiple applicants.
“For the Howie Stillman (Young Leadership) Award, I was nominated by my Rabbi and then there was an application where I had to write some essays, and additionally there was an interview process where I met with the committee,” Davis said.
Davis said he did not expect to win because of the many other successful community members.
“The Howie Stillman Young Leadership Award had many amazing nominees who are doing really important and really good work so it’s really an honor for me,” Davis said.
Joel Glaser, who spoke at the Howie Stillman Young Leadership Fund Annual Lecture May 5, said Davis provided curiosity towards the history of the award.
“During this year’s interview process, one of the nominees who actually turned out to be this year’s recipient asked a very interesting question, he asked the committee why we thought the event was still going on nearly 33 years later,” Glaser said. “The answer was quite easy. It was a testament to Howie. He was an amazing person who always had an infectious smile, who was always there for a friend and who inspired others so much so that 33 years later we are still honoring him.”
Davis said the honors represent more than just him.
“I never did it with the intention of getting an award, so it’s really an honor to have both of these awards and I’m really grateful to all the people that have supported me and helped me,” Davis said. “Without the support of all these people I wouldn’t have been able to have these accomplishments.”
Glaser, while introducing Davis, said parallels between Stillman and Davis were evident.
“Through his essays and his interviews, he was very clear, like Howie, that he is motivated by a genuine concern for others,” Glaser said.
