FHS’s Rivera wins QuestBridge award

Jerry Rivera, a Freedom HS senior, is the recipient of a full scholarship to Princeton University through QuestBridge. Ranked ninth in his class, he is also a first generation college student.

He attends Bethlehem Area Vocational Technical School and is enrolled in theAcademy for Applied Engineering program.

He will be honored at 9 a.m. Jan. 25 at Freedom HS. Guest include his family, BASD Superintendent Dr. Joseph Roy and district administrations, Mayor of Bethlehem William Reynolds, elected officials and his Freedom family. “We are excited for Jerry and want to share his amazing success with the Bethlehem community,” Superintendent Dr. Roy said.

The organization (www.questbridge.org/) is a national program that connects high-achieving high school seniors from low-income backgrounds with full four-year scholarships.

Karcher wins LVHN Muhlenberg award

Northampton Community College nursing student, Charissa Karcher of the Bethlehem area, received the Everyday Hero Award Jan. 4 from Lehigh Valley Health Network.

She is a fall 2022 nursing float pool extern at LVHN. The award is given to a student work on the nursing unit and who takes the most initiative in developing nursing skills and knowledge.

Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT names director

Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center has appointed Ashley L. Coleman has been to serve as the Center’s Executive Director. Coleman is a long time Pennsylvania LGBTQ+ community leader.

The search committee, composed of both board and staff members, included Members Board: Liz Kleintop, Jason Sizemore, Marvin Webb (Search Committee Chair); Staff: Liz Bradbury, Robin Gow, Christina Graham; and Community: Stephen Jiwanmall, Ian Wagner. The Center’s board of directors unanimously voted to appoint Coleman to the position.

Coleman was formally introduced at a community event hosted by Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center Jan. 9. “We are thrilled to have Ashley join us as theeExecutive director of Bradbury-Sullivan LBGT Community Center,” Liz Kleintop, board chair, said. “Ashley is a strong, collaborative leader bringing many competencies to the Center that will help the board and staff work toward a new vision of the Center that benefits the LGBTQ+ community throughout the Lehigh Valley.”

Coleman was with LGBTQ+ community in Philadelphia for more than 10 years and was an executive director at galaei and a senior events manager at Mazzoni Center. She earned B.S., Education; and B.A. History, degrees from Temple University. Her activism and advocacy began as a youth in the Lehigh Valley, leading Queer youth initiatives while producing large scale events for nonprofits in Northeastern Pennsylvania.