The Women’s City Club held its fifth award ceremony on Thursday, April 18, 2024. Our 2 winners, Dilanny Perez and Nebyat Gebrehiwot, each were honored with the presentation of a $750 cash award.

Dilanny and Nebyat are juniors at Union High School. To earn the award, the students were asked to identify and describe a personal role model, the one who most inspired them to achieve their own excellence. Their entries were chosen by a committee of administrators, teachers, and counselors at their school.

Dilanny wrote an essay about William D. Swenson, a lieutenant colonel in the United States Army who was awarded the Medal of Honor in 2013. She learned about bravery, loyalty, and courage, and is inspired to strive for those things in her own life.

Nebyat, who is from Eritrea in northeast Africa, made a painting of a woman from her country. She is inspired by the women of her country who strive for gender equality and work to empower other women. She aspires to be a role model of her Eritrean culture.

The girls, along with Women’s City Club president, Wendy Sturm, and Union High principal, Aaron Roussey, were interviewed by Shelley Irwin on the Shelley Irwin Show on WGVU. Listen to the interview here.

The Impact Award is funded by generous donations from the Women’s City Club members and the community. For a list of past winners visit our Impact Award page.