Machers & Shakers

Peyton Klein, a 16-year-old student at Pittsburgh Allderdice, was chosen as one of 15 teens nationwide to receive the 2018 Diller Teen Tikkun Olam Awards, a $36,000 award that recognizes teens for their commitment to social good and volunteer service. Now entering its 12th year, the Diller Teen Tikkun Olam Awards has awarded over $3 million to 99 teens in recognition of their vision, compassion, innovation and demonstrated ability to lead.

Klein was recognized for her work in starting the Global Minds Initiative, a for-youth, by-youth organization created to combat the issues of cultural intolerance and discrimination through an after-school tutoring program between English-as-a-second-language (ESL) and native English-speaking students. The program aims to embrace diversity through education, integration, celebration, and advocacy.

Since its founding less than two years ago, the Global Minds Initiative has grown from engaging 50 students, to over 500 students in 12 schools in six different states and in two countries. Additionally, 100 percent of the ESL participants showed improvement in integration among students, and 92 percent of ESL participants showed improvement in conversational English.

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David Sufrin is the 2018 recipient of the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh’s Gerald S. Ostrow Volunteer of the Year Award. The award is presented annually to recognize a Federation volunteer leader for significant service to the community and for fostering collaboration. Woody Ostrow, son of the award’s founder, presented the award Tuesday, June 19 at the Federation office. Sufrin’s volunteer accomplishments include chairing the effort to find a new location for the Federation’s office, serving as the Federation’s development chair and chairing the board of the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh.