SUNY Orange announces 2024 Sojourner Truth Award recipients

SUNY Orange announced that 645 students in grades six through 12 attending Orange County high schools will receive 2024 Sojourner Truth Awards on Friday, March 8 at 6 p.m. in the Physical Education Center.

The College’s Sojourner Truth Awards Program honors students who have been nominated by school guidance counselors and principals for having demonstrated excellence in areas such as athletics, citizenship, creative arts, diversity, English language arts, foreign languages, perseverance/effort, sciences, and technology.

Sojourner Truth, for whom the program is named, lived in the mid-Hudson Valley after escaping slavery. She was born around 1797 in Hurley and named Isabella Bomefree (later spelled Baumfree). Until about 10 years old, she spoke low Dutch and never learned to read or write. She was sold four times before being given her freedom in 1828, along with her daughter. In 1843, she changed her name to Sojourner Truth to reflect a literal tie to her mission of traveling to show people their sins and tell them what is true. Truth is one of the most effective and powerful speech-makers of her time.

In addition to recognition as a 2024 Sojourner Truth Award winner, four students will be selected to receive a $2,500 SUNY Orange Foundation Sojourner Truth Awards Scholarship to study at SUNY Orange.

To learn more about this program, visit SUNY Orange’s Sojourner Truth website at sunyorange.edu/stap or call the Office of Student Services at 845-341-4000.

The following students earned this recognition from the Monroe-Woodbury Central School District:

Monroe-Woodbury High School

Zion Barnes, English Language Arts

Rikayla Bingham, Athletics

Yvonnemae Campbell, Athletics

Emely Carranza, Perseverance/Effort

Emeline Clark, Athletics

Nia Clay, Athletics

Nathaniel Coulanges, Athletics

Emely Flores, Perseverance/Effort

Amaya Grant, Athletics

Sophie Marseille, Citizenship

Jankarlos Mendoza, Athletics

Aimee Meza, English Language Arts

America Rios Rosas, Perseverance/Effort

Mendy Ross, Athletics

Alex Sanchez Sanchez, Perseverance/Effort

Monroe-Woodbury Middle School

Victoria Alegria, English Language Arts

Anastasiya Baccas, Citizenship

Francia Banegas Diaz, English Language Arts

Angela Castillo Zepeda, Perseverance/Effort

Diana Diletchuk, Perseverance/Effort

Kayla Dixon, Mathematics

Johnathan Franceour, English Language Arts

Matthew Fuentes-DeGeorge, Mathematics

Junior Gonzalez Amaya, Perseverance/Effort

Fernanda Hernandez Martinez, Citizenship

Nirvens Jean-Baptiste, Sciences

Destiny John, Mathematics

Abraham Julmiste, Perseverance/Effort

Crystal Lopez-Galicia, Sciences

Taven Luzincourt, Perseverance/Effort

Hailey Martinez, Perseverance/Effort

Damaris Miranda Duarte, Perseverance/Effort

Roxana Nolasco Hernandez, Perseverance/Effort

Nana Yaa Ofori, Perseverance/Effort

Nia Paksashvili, Perseverance/Effort

Jennely Peralta Nolasco, Perseverance/Effort

Kourtney Pierre, Perseverance/Effort

Karen Pineda Ruiz, Sciences

Alan Ramirez, Perseverance/Effort

Josbelin Rodriguez Pavon, Perseverance/Effort

Kaira Samuel, Citizenship

Alex Sanchez Delcid, Perseverance/Effort

Jorge Veloz, Citizenship