Awards, Nov 09, 2006

The following awards have been presented for work in advocacy, fund raising, nonprofit leadership, philanthropy, and other areas:

Education. The McGraw-Hill Companies (New York) has presented its 2006 Harold W. McGraw Jr. Prize in Education, which honors individuals dedicated to improving education in the United States. The recipients, who each received $25,000, are:

— Norman R. Augustine, retired chairman and chief executive officer of Lockheed Martin (Bethesda, Md.), who recently led the National Academies Committee on Prospering in the Global Economy and helped produce a report that encourages improving math and science education in kindergarten through 12th grade.

— Wendy Kopp, founder and president of Teach for America (New York), a group that recruits recent college graduates |to teach in urban and rural public schools.

— Vincent D. Murray, principal of Henry W. Grady High School (Atlanta), who has successfully led efforts to |improve graduation and college-matriculation rates at this inner-city public school.

Health. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (Princeton, N.J.) has announced the recipients of its Gulf Coast Community Health Leadership Awards, a one-time prize to honor the directors of groups that provided services to people in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma. Following are the winners, who will each receive $120,000 to enhance their organization:

— Joe Dawsey, executive director, Coastal Family Health Center (Biloxi, Miss.), a group that provided health services to victims during the storms.

— Kim Dilosa, founder and executive director, Youthanasia Foundation (New Orleans), who helped keep youngsters busy as their families went about rebuilding by engaging the youths in the production of citywide entertainment shows.

— Elise Hough, executive director, United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Houston, which provided hospital beds, lifts, walkers, wheelchairs, and other equipment for people with disabilities who were displaced by the storm.

— Vien Nguyen, pastor, MQVN Community Development Corporation (New Orleans), who gave shelter to poor and elderly residents who could not evacuate, organized boat rescues of stranded victims, and provided water, power, and worship services for more than 6,000 people.

— Beverly Wright, executive director, Dillard University’s Deep South Center for Environmental Justice (New Orleans), whose group focused on environmental clean-up efforts in low-lying areas of the city to protect the health of the minority and low-income people who live there.

Public service. The John F. Kennedy Library Foundation (Boston) and Harvard University’s Institute of Politics (Cambridge, Mass.) have announced the recipients of the 2006 John F. Kennedy New Frontier Awards, which recognize community leaders under the age of 40 for their commitment to public service. Eric Garcetti, president of the Los Angeles City Council, received an award for his leadership on affordable housing, economic development, and environmental issues. Jane Leu was honored for her work as founder and executive director of Upwardly Global (San Francisco), a nonprofit group that helps legal immigrants establish professional careers in the United States.