Soroptimist of Stuart’s annual awards celebration

Ava Martucci, Jasmine Nunez and Sela Rosen, 2023 Youth Service Award winners

Soroptimist of Stuart’s Awards Night is always an exciting and inspiring evening. This year’s celebration took place on May 24 at the Dolphin Bar & Shrimp House in Jensen Beach. Five very special women will be furthering their educations and careers with the awards they received.

Funds for the awards are generated by various events Soroptimist holds throughout the year.

After Dr. Mary Ann Searle, SIS president, offered a welcome to attendees and member Glenna Parris delivered the invocation and led the reciting of the Pledge of Allegiance, the always exhilarating awards ceremony began.

Parameters for the Live Your Dream award recipient specify that she be a primary breadwinner with one or more dependents who will use the money to attend an undergraduate degree program or a vocational skills training program. Breanna Buchanan is the 2023 winner.  Buchanan came to the United States in 2018 for a better life but found herself in an abusive marriage. This led her to Safe Space where the door was opened for her to become employed and resume her education. She has been working for the ARC of the Treasure Coast for over a year and is going to school to become a behavioral analyst so that she can help and advocate for people with special needs.

The winner of the Women in Transition Award must be 40 or older with or without dependents, going to school to change her career path. Deanna Horne-Wade is 2023 awardee. Horne-Wade in 1999 started to study early childhood education in 1999.  She has been very involved with her church, her community and raising her children and now wants to complete her education to become a certified teacher and someday open a school for children with special needs. Despite facing hard times in her marriage and life, she feels that she is no longer being held back and can now pursue her dreams.

There were three winners of Youth Service Awards, which recognize women who make the community and world a better place through volunteer efforts such as fighting drugs, crime and violence, environmental causes, working to end discrimination and poverty or helping those with disabilities.

  • Jasmine Nunez is an outstanding student at Clark Advanced Learning Center and received the “Sunshine State Scholar” award. She had dual enrollment at IRSC. She has volunteered at United Way of MC, Big Brothers Big Sisters of MC and Molly’s House.
  • Ava Martucci as a student at South Fork High School, Ava started the Martin County Chapter of Becca’s Closet, works as Best Buddies for students with disabilities, Peer Forward with Boys & Girls Clubs of MC to help students with college preparation.
  • Sela Rosen – a senior at Martin County HS, Sela has dedicated much time to the local Girl Scouts club. In order to receive a Gold Award from the organization, she envisioned and organized a symposium on climate change. She was founder and president of the Green Club and co-founder of The American Red Cross Club.

All awards are given to women who have filled out on online application which is evaluated by members of Soroptimist of Stuart.

To learn more about Soroptimist International of Stuart, Live Your Dream Awards and other programs, visit www.soroptimistofstuart.org.

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