Francis C. Hammond Middle School Principal Pierrette Hall has been given the Unity Bridge Initiative’s Selfless Service Award for developing programs to empower youth and engage parents at her school.
Hall was praised for raising cultural awareness at Hammond in an unprecedented way through the establishment of community and mentoring groups.
The Unity Bridge Initiative aims to empower impoverished youth in Africa through education, health and community-based initiatives, while at the same time engaging American youth in educational opportunities to increase their leadership and global citizenship. Francis C. Hammond has particularly reached out to the large Ethiopian population in Alexandria’s West End to encourage them to engage with the wider Alexandria community.
“At Hammond, we are doing our best to reach every demographic. We try to ensure that we touch every student in our school and have been working with the Unity Bride Initiative to enable every student at Hammond to feel connected,” said Hall.
The Unity Bridge Initiative Awards showcase the notable achievements and diligence of individuals and groups that are transforming their community through innovation, technology and education.
“This award is a small testament of how Hall is leading by example to help surround students with a community of support while empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life,” said Isabel Perez, Site Coordinator for Communities in Schools of NOVA, a partner in the initiative.
Hall was nominated for the award by the Dean of Students at Francis C. Hammond, Michael Diggins, who said she was more than deserving of this award for being a dedicated professional and a visionary who works to serve others.