GOVERNOR RISCH HONORS IDAHO’S BRIGHTEST
STARS AWARD RECIPIENTS

Individuals and businesses recognized by the Governor and First Lady

BOISE – The Governor and First Lady presented the Brightest Stars Awards at the Grove Hotel in downtown Boise today. This is the 6th year for the Brightest Stars Awards, which honor those who work on behalf of families and children in the communities of Idaho.

“These awards are a wonderful way to acknowledge and reward those individuals around the state for their dedication to the children of Idaho,” Risch said. “These many worthy nominees inspire others around the state to get involved in improving the lives of our children.”

The 6th Annual Brightest Stars Awards are presented in five categories: Individual, Small Business, Nonprofit Organization, Corporate and Communities of Promise that are setting the standard for service to Idaho’s children and families. This year there were 101 nominations received for all categories, the most ever.

The ceremony packed the Grand Ballroom of the Grove Hotel with nearly 600 people. Included in the crowd were nominees, their families, legislators and all of those associated with this event from around the state.

Prior to the ceremony nominees were given tours of the Statehouse as well as having their picture taken with Governor Jim Risch and First Lady Vicki Risch. All nominees received a Certificate of Recognition and a Brightest Stars lapel pin. Following the awards ceremony participants returned to the Statehouse where the five honorees hung and lit their star on the Statehouse Christmas Tree.

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Editors: Profiles of the Brightest Stars Grand Prize Winners, and finalists follow:

Individual Category

Anne and John Riley – Grand Prize Winners
Anne and John Riley have provided important services to the community of Orofino for 15 years. The Rileys have spearheaded the planning, building, staffing and programming of a teen center on the edge of the Orofino High School campus. This has been, and continues to be, a community effort with adult volunteers, and a teen management team.

In addition to the teen center, the Rileys, with the backing of the Clearwater Youth Alliance (CYA) operate a daycare program called CHEEP, Childhood Early Enrichment Program focusing on all the areas of the children's development from social, emotional, and physical, as well as the intellectual. Anne and John Riley, and a small group of others initiated this program.

The Rileys are now working with AmeriCorps*VISTA volunteers to develop a partnership with the University of Idaho in an Intergenerational Community Service-Learning "Across the Life Span" program. This program is working to engage Active Available Adult of All Ages (with particular emphasis on attracting elders) to instruct and mentor youth. The purpose of this program is preventative and reciprocal relationship based to increase self-efficacy for all age participants, leading to making better choices, and to develop empathy and civic and personal responsibility

Right now these programs are directly serving, on almost a daily basis, over 200 youth. This is growing as they expand their programs to interest a larger span of youth. The Orofino-University of Idaho partnership will lead to programs in different areas we cannot now offer. These new "programs in planning" will also reach into the 5th-8th grades, which present programs do not now directly serve.

What is amazing about the Rileys is they do this in addition to both working two full time jobs. Anne is a Science teacher at Orofino High School and John is a Physician Director and a Psychiatrist in Training at the State Hospital.

Anne and John Riley are Brightest Stars because of their consistent, over many years, caring and giving of themselves. This giving is many faceted: compassionate caring, attention, time, ideas, vision, funds, and their home. They always include, never exclude, which is why they are Brightest Stars.

Dr. Geoff Williams - finalist
Dr. Geoff Williams, a diplomat of the American Board of Plastic Surgery with subspecialty training in the treatment of pediatric facial deformities, has served over 50 volunteer surgical missions, most of them at his own expense, to 18 locations in 9 foreign countries. Dr. Williams provides free surgery to third world children suffering from treatable disfigurements.

Dr. Williams founded Children's Surgical Foundation (ICSF) that not only provides free surgeries for children with deformities, but also trains the local doctors on a one-on-one basis in their own environments. The motto of Dr. Williams and ICSF is "Everyone Was Born To Smile."

Dr. Williams has personally performed over 300 surgeries for children in the developing world. His latest mission to Bolivia resulted in 50 children receiving surgery and a follow-up mission has been scheduled
Idaho needs a hero and Dr. Williams is the perfect candidate. He has proven that one person can make a difference.

Russell Brodeur - finalist
Russ Brodeur is a 77-year-old retired attorney who has elected to spend his retirement years by volunteering as a guardian ad litem for children and disabled and elderly adults in the court system in Bonner County. For almost 15 years, Russell has volunteered to serve as Guardian ad Litem (GAL) for children of indigent parents in high conflict custody cases. Russ started working in the Bonner County courts as a CASA volunteer in Child Protective Act cases. CASA does not provide services for children in high conflict custody cases or for vulnerable adults in guardianship cases. Russ volunteered to serve as a GAL for children and adults in those cases at no charge. He conducts an independent investigation and evaluation about what is in the children's best interests, often revealing facts that otherwise would not have been revealed in the adversarial process. He also serves as GAL, guardian, and conservator for disabled and elderly adults in guardianship and as conservator of cases.

Bonner County’s Brightest Stars are those persons who make a difference in the lives of those least able to help themselves; those persons who quietly, competently and tirelessly serve the community without seeking compensation or recognition in return. That is what Russell Brodeur does for Bonner County every day. He is truly a community star.

Organization Category

Lemhi County Parent Project – Grand Prize Winner
Lemhi County Parent Project is a highly structured parenting skills program created to help parents prevent and intervene in the most destructive of adolescent behaviors. The Parent Project meets the specific needs of parents with strong-willed or out-of-control children, offering practical no-nonsense solutions to the problems parent’s face today.

The long term goals of the Parent Project is to demonstrate the importance of love and affection, demonstrate and utilize alternative discipline methods, demonstrate and utilize methods for reducing family conflict, recognize, confront and intervene in drug and alcohol use, recognize, confront and intervene in gang involvement, and to develop personal action plans. If parents accomplish these goals and apply them to their daily lives, they will be able to save their children.

This group started from scratch. Three teachers, Laurie Dupree, Sheryl Amar, and Betsy Nottestad saw a need in their community and were determined to do something about it. Laurie stated that it is not enough just to work with kids at school to help them with their problems. She said that if the children with problems are ever to be successful, there must be a change in their environment, which means working with the parents to educate them about how to make positive changes in their lives for the whole family. This program does not tell them how to parent, but gives the parents the tools to use to save their own kids.

This program was nominated because families who are angry, unhappy, sad, afraid, and do not believe they can do anything about their circumstances, come out of this program with a positive sense of hope and believing in themselves again. This program literally saves the lives of the children involved.

St. Michael’s BabySteps Program - finalist
BabySteps Prenatal & Parenting Education Program began at St. Michael’s Cathedral in February 2003. Now in its fourth year of operation, Baby Steps has welcomed nearly 500 limited-income women, along with their families into a program of education and support to promote healthier pregnancies, babies and families by increasing knowledge, empathy and support. Operating with just one half-time manager, a large number of passionate and committed volunteers makes the program come alive for the 100 plus men, women and children who visit each week. The impact of BabySteps happens at the individual level, the family level, and the community level. The impact is realized through out the community when each family is supported and strengthened. Some of the impacts include better utilization of health programs such as those offered by our hospital and health care partners because BabySteps participants are encouraged and rewarded for actively engaging in prenatal and infant wellness programs; families are referred to other appropriate resources like Early Head Start, counseling and smoking cessation programs – all of which support strong families.

Even though BabySteps engages parents for just the first year or so of a child’s life it may have a lasting impact. Parents who develop skills to support their child’s early development are more likely to stay engaged and support their child’s continued learning. The outcome for each child lies in greater possibilities and realized potential – when abuse is prevented each child has the possibility to develop more fully. When children are cared for by nurturing adults, they are more likely to become adults who nurture children.

A St. Michael’s volunteer who helps orient volunteers and supports and enrolls Baby Steps’ participants nearly every Thursday recently wrote: "Many of the women in the program are really lonely and feeling isolated when they first come here. But then they meet all of the other women, and they compare notes about their babies and parenting. They start to make meaningful, supportive friendships. I think the program is successful because it's meeting real needs. If you've helped one person, you make a difference. But here, we help so many. It's really rewarding to give these babies a good start in life". A volunteer who is new to our community and congregation recently told me she knew she found a home when she began volunteering at Baby Steps.

Bridges Academy - finalist
The Bridge Academy is an alternative high school in Coeur d ‘Alene. In only the 4th year of operation, the dedicated staff has helped over 300 students realize their dream of receiving a high school diploma. This is the only school of its kind in the state of Idaho. The students do most of their schoolwork on donated computers and are pulled out a few times a week for writing, literature, speech and government classes. One of the main reasons that the school is so successful is the staff. The staff is very unselfish and get along well together. Their positive attitude is infectious to the students. Every student is greeted when they come through the door and every teacher genuinely cares about these kids and wants them to succeed.

Small Business

Lake City Ford, Tom & Lynn Addis – Grand Prize Winner
For over 30 years, Tom and Lynn Addis, owners of Lake City Ford and Tom Addis Dodge, have developed and supported programs to assist people in need in Idaho. They have consistently been among the largest supporters of Christmas for All, a nationally recognized program to help people of all ages in need during the Christmas Holdiays. They have given major support to the DARE program, Kootenai County’s Secret Witness Program and provided major support for the rehabilitation of an officer injured in the line of duty. Tom and Lynn have provided major funding for higher education as well as North Idaho College Foundation and a number of programs at the University of Idaho. They sent their plane to Louisiana to evacuate people who had been severely impacted by the storm. As stated by the nominator, “Tom and Lynn are the most caring people we know.”

Heritage Auto - finalist
Heritage Auto Repair, through its owners Tony and Becca Zanders, generously offers free automotive services and repairs to those who cannot afford it. Single-mother families, at-risk youth, and veterans are among those who benefit from the Zanders’ caring nature. They also voluntarily provide coaching and mentoring to students from BSU’s vo-tech program that wish to learn and practice auto repair skills in a real business garage setting. The Zanders also donate time and expertise to the greater community by serving on a variety of local, regional and national boards, commissions and advisory groups.

Heritage Auto Repair played a major role in the development and continuation of the “Wishing for Wheels” charitable program. Each quarter, Heritage Auto teams with radio station KTSY and a Boise auto provider to identify a needy family or individual who desperately needs a car. Heritage gives the donated cars a detailed inspection and makes any necessary repairs or adjustments for free. Once the car is road-ready, they surprise the needy family with the gift of an automobile with no strings attached. One memorable recipient was a single mother who needed a car to care for her young daughter with leukemia.

Heritage Auto Repair represents the ideal blend of entrepreneurial spirit and community involvement. The Zanders share time, expertise and attention with those who need it most. Whether providing cars to families without transportation, mentoring vo-tech students at their worksite, or offering free oil changes to single mothers and veterans, they quietly contribute to the betterment of our community in a myriad of ways.

Walter Times Two - finalist
This small business partnership of a mother & daughter has strived to improve the lives of all children in the Minidoka & Cassia county area. This past year, they spearheaded a clothing exchange unit for kids in foster care. This unit allows foster parents to be able to acquire clothing when children are brought to them, many times in the middle of the night with only the clothing on their back. These two women also have created a Christmas Present Program for kids in foster care. For the past 12 months, they have been making quilts, hats, scarves, and gathering books, clothing, and other gifts to make the lives of kids better.

Alice and Deb are tireless in their pursuit of expanding their message of "Making the world a better place, one quilt at a time" by recruiting other quilters, not only in their respective counties, but also across the western United States. To these two remarkable women, as long as the end result benefits children, it matters not the locale that benefits.

These two are not only Brightest Stars, but truly an inspiration to everyone they meet. Their enthusiasm for what they do is contagious, and the best part is that kids benefit. Children are our future and every single one of them deserves only the best. Alice and Deb help make their lives a little better and their dreams a whole lot brighter.

Corporate Nomination

KTVB Channel 7 – Grand Prize Winner
KTVB News Channel 7 has set a high standard of excellence in service to others in this valley. They are seen as great partners by nonprofits, businesses and government agencies alike. They deserve to be the Governor's Corporate Brightest Star not only for their long-standing commitment to the citizens of Idaho, but because they set such a high standard for themselves and expect others to strive to meet the mark.

Doug Armstrong and KTVB Channel 7 News developed the Enough is Enough Anti-drug Campaign which brought in a national speaker and raised the awareness of the impact of drugs on our youth. Another program they helped developed was the Community In Action to educate people about healthy relationships. Other programs they have helped expand include the annual Great Toy Drive to collect toys for children at Christmas, Wednesday's Child to find homes for foster children, and March for Marriages a month long campaign to highlight local couples with strong and stable marriage relationships.

Other programs they are involved in supporting include: Operation Wish Book (they collected 20,000 new books for Salvation Army), helped raise $2.2 million for Hurricane Katrina relief efforts and the Southeast tsunami relief efforts, Red Ribbon Week (live coverage, PSAs, school visits), Festival of Trees, Learn, Laugh and Lunch event to benefit the Women's Healthcare Fund (provides free mammograms), and the Every 15 minutes program for the Meridian High School.

Communities of Promise

Caldwell’s Promise - Grand Prize Winner
Through the Mayor’s Youth Advisory Council, young people here are directly involved in decisions about the community and are the lead agency for Caldwell’s Promise. The Mayor's Youth Advisory Council (MYAC) is an official youth organizational council adopted by the City Council of Caldwell and established in the fall of 1999. This council was created to engage and involve the youth in their community in the decision making process. To give youth the opportunity to have a voice in their future – to help them understand that their future is choice, not chance. It also provides the opportunity for interaction between youth and adults to better understand each other's perspectives in the development and creation of a bright and successful future. The primary purpose for the creation of this Advisory Council and for Caldwell’s Promise is to fulfill the essential need for a sustained infrastructure that will strengthen families, improve outcomes for children and youth and sustain this community’s quality of life.

In their past 7 years this council started small with approximately 5 members and now has 45 members who come together on a bimonthly basis. Each meeting is vital and the group works jointly with the Mayor to address local current issues and brainstorm how to improve city conditions for the future generations and the present community.

In response to the Search Institute survey results in 1999, Caldwell police department created programs targeted towards young people. They developed the Idaho Youth Games to educate children about the dangers of drugs and to keep them active. Initially 300 youth participated in 12 different sports activities and in 2005, over 900 youth participated in 15 activities.

Caldwell’s young people are becoming more engaged. In 2004 there were 136 youth volunteers and in 2005, there were 256 youth volunteers.

Accomplishments of the Mayor’s Youth Advisory Council and community volunteers include:
Fundraising for and the development of the Caldwell YMCA
Planning and design of Indian Creek
Distributing shoeboxes filled with necessities for Hurricane Katrina Teens
Working with the Salvation Army to help over 600 needy families
Development of a 45-Acre Park that is 100 % youth designed.
Sharing best practices with other cities in Idaho and across the nation on youth engagement and empowerment.
Caldwell’s Promise was recognized as America’s Promise “100 Best Communities for Young People” in 2005 along with 4 other Idaho cities.
Serving as mentors in the schools – working with junior high and elementary students to teach children about the dangers of drug, alcohol and tobacco abuse.
Fundraising efforts and serving as volunteers on the restoration of Caldwell’s old railroad depot.
Design and development of Caldwell’s downtown revitalization project and many more…

Caldwell’s Promise has been extremely fortunate to have a leader such as Mayor Garret Nancolas whose passion for young people surpasses many and who has truly been an inspiration for local youth as well as an example for many cities in Idaho. Mayor Nancolas has recently been traveling across the state providing training on Mayor’s Youth Advisory Councils, the importance of youth engagement and empowerment and the benefits for cities in engaging youth in local decision-making.

And just as young people are involved in the community, the whole community is involved on behalf of young people.

Bonneville Youth Development Council’s Promise - finalist
In 1998 the Bonneville Youth Development Council was established to focus on community efforts to help at-risk youth. The goal of BYDC was to address concerns of people who work directly with high-risk youth; review existing prevention, intervention and correction programs; and recommend actions to improve the lives of adolescents. In 1999 BYDC adopted the 40 Developmental Asset framework, in order to use Search Institutes research to better understand the youth in Bonneville County. Then in May 2004, BYDC became a Community of Promise to further the efforts of the coalition.

BYDC's Priorities
Following the 40 Developmental Asset Survey, BYDC picked six Assets to focus on. The following is a list of the six priorities.

Adult Role Models (Asset #14) - BYDC has developed an adult role model presentation and have recognized adult role models in Bonneville County. BYDC realizes that caring adults are a vital part of youth’s lives and continues to strive for ways to teach and promote positive adult role models.

Community Values Youth (Asset #7)-- BYDC has been involved with numerous workshops and events regarding the community seeing and understanding youth as an important part of our community. BYDC, the Bank of Commerce, and the Post Company have held the Extra Mile Youth Awards to honor youth in the community who "go the extra mile" to improve their community.

BYDC strives to increase youth participation in community decisions and focuses youth on civic involvement in order to work with community leaders to address issues concerning youth. BYDC has accomplished this by encouraging teens to be involved with BYDC and it’s coalition members and to provide avenues for conversations, such as school performances and town hall meetings.

Creative Activities (Asset #17)-- BYDC has many great ideas. The current partnership between Bonneville County and The City of Idaho Falls is the Outer Limits Teen Room. The teen room provides art supplies, programming, and tutors to youth in Bonneville County for free.

Parent Involvement in Schooling (Asset # 6)—BYDC has access to parenting classes and resources to parents. Parent packets are available upon request. BYDC has many ideas to expand on including a parent support group, a parent newsletter, and a parent ideas database.

Youth as Resources (Asset # 8)— BYDC supports a youth group named TRAPPED (Teens Rising Against Peer Pressure Every Day). TRAPPED’s goal is to provide awareness to the community about drugs, availability of drugs to teens, how the community can help and other issues concerning peer pressure.

Planning and Decision Making (Asset #32)—BYDC has classes and resources available to teach an array of classes concerning planning and decision making. The Bank of Commerce has taught classes on credit and saving for college or a new car.

Lemhi’s Promise - finalist
Salmon: (The birthplace of Sacagawea, population 3,100.)

This area claims the largest wilderness area in the lower 48 states. Close to 3 million acres of their land is owned by the Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service. Mayor Stan Davis has been instrumental is spreading his passion for the health and welfare of his community’s young people. The focus is on providing the 5 Promises and Search Institute’s 40 Developmental Assets within the county.

Lemhi's Promise Community Coalition is a group of community members who share a common interest in helping the youth grow into healthy, productive adults. Together they choose to fight the various challenges with community awareness and effort. They will strengthen the foundation of success for their youth by making certain that the 5 Promises and the 40 Developmental Assets, the building blocks of success, are firmly in place in beautiful Lemhi County. Lemhi’s Promise was established in 1997. In response to the results of the Search Institute Survey, Lemhi’s Promise After school program was established and 350 children in grades 1-5 have been served.

Other programs established include National Youth Day, Santa for Seniors, Red Wagon Hero Dinner and the ABC Drug Task Force. The Coalition worked with the city to develop a new skateboard park and kid-friendly skateboard area around the city.

On September 26, 2005 America’s Promise, Alliance for Youth, announced the winners of their 100 Best Communities for Young People in the United States. Salmon was named one of those 100 Best Communities.

As guests of America’s Promise, they joined other communities from across the United States to share ideas, goals, and accomplishments in fulfilling America’s Five Promises to Youth and In particular, Salmon is recognized for accomplishments in three of the Five Promises:

1. Healthy Start, “ The teen birth rate, which fell 21% in a decade, is three times lower that the National average.”
2. Effective Education: “The dropout rate in Salmon is 1% five times lower than the statewide average.”
3. Opportunities to Serve: “ More than half of junior and senior high students volunteer more than one hour a week to their community.”

Other sets which placed Salmon in the 100 Best Communities for Young People are the Innovation Center where young people and adults alike can continue their education through the use of online education, forming of strong coalition of organizations, schools, and businesses, and the student testimonies which stated,” teachers always stay after school to provide tutoring, coach teams or advise clubs.” Salmon was also acknowledged for preserving the heritage of Salmon and Lemhi County with the long running Lemhi County Fair and the Heritage Days Celebration.

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