St. Anthony's High School Junior Kalifa Davy is presented with a citation by Town of North Hepstead Councilwoman, Viviana Russell for her recognition by the Women's Fund of Long Island as the 2012 Shapiro-McCormick Young Woman Leader Award. She accepts this citation with her mother, Mrs. Paula Davy (left).
At her school, Kalifa is a member of the Sports Medicine Club, Jazz Band, Symphonic Band and United Cultures Club. She plays on the school's nationally ranked varsity basketball team and has traveled to China to play with her high school orchestra. She was awarded the Duns Scotus Academic Award for high academic achievement and is a proud 11 year member of Girl Scouts of Nassau County where she has attained the rank of Ambassador Girl Scout.
Kalifa’s need to make a difference is evident in her volunteer activities. She has raised and donated $4,000 to provide scholarships to students attending historically black universities, assisted families impacted by Hurricane Katrina, and volunteers at local day care centers in her community as well as in the Nassau University Medical Center Pediatrics Department. This past summer, she secured a highly competitive internship with Winthrop University partnering with the Brooklyn-Queens Long Island Health Program.
“Kalifa’s passion and dedication to improving the lives of those in need in her community and across the globe is truly commendable,” said Stacey Scarpone, Executive Director of the Women’s Fund of Long Island. “We are thrilled to be honoring such a remarkable young woman.”
As a recipient of this award, Kalifa will receive a $1000 Young Woman Leader Service Grant made available through WFLI’s partnership with the United Way of Long Island’s Dreams for Youth Scholarship Program. Earlier this year Kalifa participated in a demonstration at the United Nations to bring recognition and awareness about the atrocities occurring in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This global plight has inspired her to reach out to others to bring attention to the genocide and violence against women and girls. Kalifa plans to used her grant towards educational programming and the creation of a documentary that would bring awareness to these atrocities.
