Cincinnati, Ohio – February 13, 2017 – The Ursuline Education Network recently honored four Saint Ursula Academy students with 2016 Community Service Awards. Anna Dingeldein ’17 of North Avondale, Ruthie Dingeldein ’18 of North Avondale, Claire Jossart ’17 of Pierce Township, and Ellie Rueve ’17 of Hyde Park were chosen from many applicants as leaders who are making a difference in their community.
Anna Dingeldein was nominated for her initiative and leadership in creating a tutoring component to Fighting Chance, a mentoring and boxing program for Cincinnati youth. She serves as a mentor and tutor to troubled youth who are enrolled in the program. While Anna’s goal when she began was to help the kids with schoolwork, she has since realized that this opportunity has allowed her to develop friendships with those at the center, offering them encouragement and hope despite the unfortunate circumstances in their lives.
Ruthie Dingeldein was nominated because of her initiative in involving her fellow-students in tutoring at a newly opened location of Fighting Chance, Golden Gloves Gym in Over-the-Rhine. She also established a fundraising event for the organization, the first annual flag football tournament benefitting the center. She helped design t-shirts and marketing materials, assisted in the development of a website for the event, and encouraged family and friends to participate to help raise money for the Golden Gloves Gym.
Claire Jossart was nominated for her special gift of presence as a servant leader. She brings a calm presence to the children she tutors at Academy of World Languages. She prides herself on listening to the needs of the children with whom she works, becoming someone each child can trust. She knows that she is a constant in the life of a child whose life is full of uncertainties, and she values the year-long commitment to mentor the student.
Ellie Rueve was nominated for her commitment to organizations and efforts to raise the awareness of Cincinnati high school students to issues of modern human trafficking, world poverty, homelessness, and gender inequality. She is a leader in the Catholic Social Teaching Action Team (CSTAT) at Saint Ursula Academy and was instrumental in hosting the school’s Fair Fashion event, highlighting poor working conditions of women in the fashion industry. She has also been involved with the planning of weekly mission collections and canned food drives sponsored by CSTAT.
Judy Wimberg, Executive Director of the Ursuline Education Network, is proud of these four students, as well as all of the other students across the country who were honored with the Ursuline Education Network’s 2016 Community Service Awards.
Said Wimberg, “In a world where we often find it difficult to have hope, these students offer us incentives for boundless hope. Truly they are the “light of the world and the salt of the earth” that Jesus encourages his followers to be. The initiative, ingenuity, courage and compassion they exhibit is nothing short of extraordinary. With the significant contributions they have already made to the betterment of our world, we can only imagine what they will continue to do as they mature in wisdom, age, and grace.”
Saint Ursula Academy is a Catholic, college-preparatory, secondary school for young women known for academic excellence and rich tradition. Saint Ursula welcomes students from more than 90 grade schools in the Greater Cincinnati area. The Academy is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a Blue Ribbon School. The campus, located at 1339 E. McMillan Street in East Walnut Hills has been the home of St. Ursula Academy and Convent since 1910. 86% of the Class of 2016 earned college scholarships totaling more than $22-million.
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Photo Caption: Anna Dingeldein ’17 of North Avondale (top left), Ellie Rueve ’17 of Hyde Park (top right), Claire Jossart ’17 of Pierce Township (lower left), and Ruthie Dingeldein ’18 of North Avondale (lower right) were honored by the Ursuline Education Network for their community service volunteer work.