The Arnold Delin Award, named in honor of the late Arnold Delin, celebrates students who actively participate in Schuylkill County Youth Conference activities and demonstrate a commitment to fostering acceptance within their schools and communities.
Each high school in the county selects one junior or senior to receive the award, which includes a $500 scholarship to be used toward post-secondary education. Students who choose to attend Penn State Schuylkill are also eligible for a matching $500 scholarship.
The award carries forward the legacy of Delin, a New Hampshire native who became a respected leader in Schuylkill County. As a regional chairman of the Anti-Defamation League, he dedicated his life to combating hate and discrimination. Through his efforts, he helped establish professional seminars, cultural enrichment programs, teacher scholarships, European study tours, and student visits to the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C., emphasizing education as a powerful tool against hatred.
Continuing that legacy, Delin’s wife, Dolores, and son, Scott, attended the ceremony. Dolores Delin served as the guest speaker, sharing both personal experiences and the values that guided her late husband’s work.
Reflecting on her early years in Schuylkill County after moving from a Jewish community in New York in 1955, Dolores spoke about encountering anti-Semitism and exclusion, including being barred from local clubs and seeing students penalized for missing school during religious holidays.
Despite those challenges, she emphasized the importance of connection and understanding.
“When you get to know people, you realize that we are more alike than unalike,” she said, quoting Maya Angelou.
The Delin family also reinforced the importance of treating others with dignity and compassion. A message from Arnold Delin, shared during the ceremony, highlighted his belief that all people should be treated equally.
“No matter what the color is, the culture, their race, heritage, family upbringing, or way of life, people should be treated as family and equally,” the message stated.
The foundation established by Arnold and Dolores Delin more than two decades ago continues to support that mission. The Arnold Delin Foundation works to combat bigotry and discrimination in Schuylkill County by funding anti-bias training through the Anti-Defamation League and sponsoring educational trips to the Holocaust Museum to teach students about the consequences of hatred and intolerance.
The program now reaches 15 schools across the region, including both high schools and vocational institutions. Over the past 24 years, the foundation and its partners have awarded approximately $170,000 in scholarships.
During the ceremony, the mission of the Anti-Defamation League was also highlighted, emphasizing the importance of standing up against hate in all forms.
“The mission statement declares to stop the defamation of Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment for all as well as fighting anti-Semitism and all forms of bigotry.”
In addition to the individual awards presented, North Schuylkill’s Molly Reed accepted the Delin Trophy on behalf of her school. The award is given to the school with the top presentation at the Schuylkill County Youth Conference. The trophy will be displayed at North Schuylkill High School for the coming year.
2026 Arnold Delin Award Recipients
| School | Recipient | Parents |
|---|---|---|
| Mahanoy Area | Josmeilyn Arias | Josefina & Luis Rosario |
| Marian Catholic | Jacob Tom | Josh & Tiffany Tom |
| Minersville Area | Marley Zimmerman | Kari Beury |
| Nativity BVM | Hailey Mills | Terese Mills |
| North Schuylkill | Molly Reed | Amanda & Justin Reed |
| Pine Grove Area | Cheney Wolfe | Ane Weaver & Clint Wolfe |
| Pottsville Area | Magdelynne Colna | Jennifer & David Colna |
| Schuylkill Haven Area | Jenna Bishop | Ryan & Tara Bishop |
| Shenandoah Valley | Jayden Mulkusky | Crystal Bower & James Mulkusky |
| Schuylkill Technology Center | Summer Walters | Angela Walters |
| Tamaqua Area | Kelsey Lusch | Keven Lusch & Megan Lusch |
| Tri-Valley | Ophelia Edwards | Diana Lowell & Isaac Graves |
