BCC employee honored as model for African-American children


Vol. 18, No. 14	Dec. 10, 1998

BCC employee honored as model for African-American children

Sylvester Johnson receives his award from Vicky Carter.

Sylvester Johnson, Bob Carpenter Center, was honored at the 10th annual Black Achiever in Business and Industry Awards Dinner, held Dec. 2 in the Bob Carpenter Center. He was nominated by center director, Domenick Sicilia, and the award was presented by Vicky Carter of Mellon Bank.

Sponsored by the Walnut Street YMCA and the First Union National Bank, the Black Achiever Program began in 1971 in Harlem to help youth to develop life-coping skills and educational goals by actively becoming involved with adult role models and mentors, designated as achievers by their employers.

The Black Achiever Program is now part of the YMCA's national program.

The Wilmington-area program received support from major corporations, banks, businesses and industries.

Those honored by their employers and the Walnut YMCA serve as exemplary models for African-American children, are interested in serving the community, are enthusiastic about the positive impact they can have on children and contribute 40 hours of volunteer time to the program in 1999.

To date, 444 achievers have been honored and are involved in the YMCA mentoring program, and more than 900 youth have participated.

Photo by Duane Perry