Cascade Pacific Boy Scouts Honor Deena Pierott, Hacienda CDC, Roy Pittman and Glenn La Motte

Cascade Pacific Council Boy Scouts of America held the 2014 Whitney M. Young Jr. Service Awards at the Exchange Ballroom in Northeast Portland Oct. 16. The awards are named for civil rights leader Whitney M. Young.

Pat Reiten, CEO of Pacific Power was the event chair and Portland Police Commander Kevin Modica presented the awards. Modica, who along with Reiter serves on the steering committee of the Scout’s community impact program, spoke about the work underway in schools to provide opportunities for boys. The community impact program supports scouting programs in some of the county’s most disadvantaged schools, and with children of prisoners. It partners with the county’s SUN schools program, as well as with Self Enhancement Inc., and Pathfinders of Oregon.

Honored at the ceremony were:

Glenn La Motte of NAYA Family Center received the Raven Caywood emerging leader award. The award was created to honor longtime youth champion Raven Caywood, who died last year. La Motte works with youth through the Native American Youth Association promoting traditional cultural practices and values. La Motte also is a national speaker who has spoken to more than 36 tribes.

La Motte, who was surprised to be chosen for the award, was honored with a Pendleton blanket, a plaque and a special song from his wife. As she sang, she played a ceremonial drum that according to tradition will never be played again.   

Roy Pittman, longtime head wrestling coach and mentor at Peninsula Park Community Center was honored for his work with youth. Pittman has worked with more than 60,000 youth, many of them who went on to win state, regional and national titles. But Pittman’s focus is on winning at life, more than in sports, and he makes sure that anyone can participate in his program regardless of financial circumstances.

Jaclyn Hoy accepted an award for Hacienda Development Corporation. The nonprofit is honored for its contributions to low-income residents helping families with affordable housing and homeownership opportunities as well as with economic and educational support. Hacienda serves around 2,000 people, 60 percent of them Latino.

 Deena Pierott, founder of the iUrban teen program was honored for her work with youth. The iUrban teen program exposes low-income youth of color to careers and educational opportunities in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. The iUrban teen program works with non-traditional STEM learners, including African American and Latino boys and girls. Pierott was named a Champion of Change by the Obama administration and was honored at the White House last year. 

Photos by Helen Silvis