The Media Center’s Local Hero Awards series has recognized five people from the Mid-Peninsula in 2015 for making outstanding contributions to the community or overcoming significant hardship. The videos tell their inspiring stories. They will air on cable TV . Alternatively, you can click on each hero’s name below and watch individual profiles right now.
MARIBEE SMITH has taken school volunteering in the Ravenswood School District to a whole new level, taking on the role as personal mentor and life coach for some students.
KENIA MIRANDA fled violence in Mexico to become an undocumented immigrant – at the age of 8. She now helps others who have suffered the same plight.
PETER FORTENBAUGH left a prestigious New York consulting career and a Silicon Valley VP position to become the Executive Director of the Boys and Girls Club in East Palo Alto.
SAMI HARTLEY uses her personal knowledge and experience with mental illness to educate our local youth community about suicide prevention.
TY DELDRIDGE calls upon traumatic experiences from her own childhood to help the most needy in East Palo Alto in her job as Community Collaborations and Health Care for Homeless Manager at the Ravenswood Family Health Center.
How our Local Heroes were Selected
Nominations for the Local Heroes Award were solicited from the public. A Media Center committee selected the winners based on several criteria. In addition to outstanding achievement or contribution to the community, we were looking for people with engaging stories to tell for our televised series. We also chose people who would reflect the enormous diversity of our communities. Our winners vary in age, gender, ethnicity, geographical location, profession or field of interest, and type of contribution.
If you know someone who’s articulate (who can tell their own story) and is deserving of recognition, why not nominate them? Send your nomination by email to heroes@midpenmedia.org.