Title Sponsor of the
12th Parents Step
Ahead Parent of the
Year Awards
By Beana Ramirez
(L-R) Larissa Rodriguez
– Sr. Sales Director,
Frito Lay North America
and PSA Board Chair;
Vicki Smith, Corporate
Social Responsibility,
Nissan North America,
Inc.; Keynote speaker
2016 CNN Hero Jeison
Aristizabal, and Lupita
Colmenero, PSA President
and Founder.
For several consecutive years, Nissan has been the title sponsor
of the Parents Step Ahead (PSA) Parent of the Year (POY)
Awards, where parents are recognized not only for their
contribution to the education of their children but for the contributions
they make to their schools and the community. Thanks to Nissan
and additional sponsors, community leaders, academic leaders,
corporate executives, families and students came together on
December 8th in Dallas, TX to celebrate the 12th PSA POY Awards to
honor parents whose involvement in their children’s education distinguish
them above all others. The 2017 Parent of the Year honorees included:
Gloria Campos and Bertha de la Cruz from Bowie Middle school,
Imelda Mendez from Farine Elementary, Martha Oro from Sudie
Williams Elementary, Mayola Bartola Balero from Brandenburg
Elementary and Corey A. Cole, from Sam Houston Middle School.
Since 2006, PSA has honored and empowered parents and
legal guardians from school districts throughout North Texas.
To qualify for the POY Award, parents or guardians are required
to be active volunteers at the schools where PSA hosts parent
programs during the year. Each school is asked to nominate
up to 10 parents for the award. To complete the nomination
process, parents need to submit a letter stating the importance
of parental involvement in schools, and to talk about their life,
challenges and achievements. Their son or daughter are also
required to submit a letter stating why their parents deserve
to be selected as “Parent of the Year.” A panel of judges
comprising of local and national community and corporate
leaders select the winners.
For the past four consecutive years Nissan has been the title
sponsor of this program. “Nissan is committed to supporting
the education of children, and Parents Step Ahead works with
their parents, empowering them to help their children succeed
in school. Together, our partnership makes a real difference in
helping students reach their full potential,” says Vicki Smith,
senior manager, Nissan Corporate Social Responsibility.
In addition to their award and several other prizes, the 2017
POY were pampered on their special day, thanks to the
generosity and commitment of JCPenney, who provided the
honorees, their children as well as the keynote speaker with
a head-to-toe look to wear to the event along with a beauty
makeover by consultants from the retailer’s Sephora, inside
JCPenney and The Salon by InStyle.
(L-R) Lupita Colmenero, PSA President and Founder; Imelda Mendez,
“We believe it is up to the parents to build the strong
Parent of the Year, Odalys Mendez, and Debbie Gordon, Community
foundation needed in their children’s future because they are
Relations Liaison, Educational Testing Service.
30 www.latinastyle.com LATINAStyle Vol. 24, No. 1, 2018
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