On Tuesday evening, students from across Schuylkill County were recognized for their efforts to foster understanding, appreciation of diversity, and acceptance in their schools and communities during the annual Arnold Delin Award ceremony held at Penn State Schuylkill.
The Arnold Delin Award, named in honor of the late Arnold Delin—a passionate advocate for equity and justice—celebrates students who actively participate in Schuylkill County Youth Conference activities and demonstrate a commitment to inclusivity through their actions.
Arnold Delin, originally from New Hampshire, became a respected community leader in Schuylkill County. As the Regional Chairman of the Anti-Defamation League, he dedicated his life to fighting hate and discrimination. Through educational outreach, he helped launch professional seminars, cultural enrichment programs, teacher scholarships, European study tours, and annual student visits to the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C. He firmly believed that education was the most powerful weapon against hatred.
Continuing his legacy, Delin’s wife Dolores and son Scott were present at the awards ceremony. Dolores served as the guest speaker and emphasized the beauty and strength of diversity in her address.
“Diversity is what made America,” she said. “Without diversity, we would be a very uninteresting country. Our differences are what make us beautiful.”
Each high school in Schuylkill County selects one junior or senior student to receive a $500 Arnold Delin Award, intended for post-secondary education expenses. Students who choose to attend Penn State Schuylkill are also eligible for a $500 matching scholarship.
The 2025 Arnold Delin Award recipients are:
- Blue Mountain – Maura Ann Dagon
- Marian Catholic – Aidan Mikovits
- Minersville Area – Rebecca Zula
- Nativity BVM – Brody Sophy
- North Schuylkill – Molly Reed (first junior recipient for North Schuylkill)
- Pine Grove Area – Allison N. Fisher
- Pottsville Area – Jaeda Aluesir Powell
- Schuylkill Haven Area – Brenda Holguin (first two-time winner for Schuylkill Haven)
- Shenandoah Valley – Angelique Zamudio Carmen
- Schuylkill Technology Center – Danika Jean Samler
- Tamaqua Area – Lindsey Ann Gerhard
- Tri-Valley – Mia A. Artz
In addition to her individual recognition, Brenda Holguin of Schuylkill Haven also accepted the Delin Trophy, awarded to the school with the best presentation at this year’s Schuylkill County Youth Conference. The trophy will be proudly displayed at Schuylkill Haven Area High School for the next year.