Youth Heroes

Connecticut has many hard-working and caring young individuals who help to make our great state a better place. This section of Senator Lieberman's website showcases our finest students and their achievements. Every two months a new person will be awarded the title of Connecticut Youth Hero. Please click here to recommend a student for inclusion!

Profiles

Senator Lieberman is pleased to honor Jack Sullivan and Sam Kyzivat from Simsbury as Connecticut Youth Heroes in recognition of their work to raise money and awareness surrounding breast cancer.

Sam and Jack are both sixth graders, attending schools in Simsbury in Connecticut's Farmington Valley. Jack Sullivan became inspired when he saw his grandmother wearing pink ribbons while attending his October soccer game, the same month as Breast Cancer Awareness month. Jack learned that his grandmother's mother, (Jack's great grandmother), and her sister, (Jack's great aunt), had breast cancer. Jack's mother, Cathy Sullivan, says that Jack "has an inherent nature to help others and fix problems" and he thus came up with the idea of selling pink soccer balls to raise revenue for curing breast cancer and increasing visibility.

In August 2007, Jack enlisted his best friend from nursery school and current soccer teammate, Sam Kyzivat, to put his concept into action. Jack initiated a deal with Soccer Unlimited New England in Avon, CT and they worked with the boys to find the right ball that would work within their budget. They went to coaches' meetings via Simsbury Soccer to spread the word and through family and friends. They also sold balls at large soccer clinics and the clinic's website helped their project gain visibility. Teams around the area started calling and purchased the pink soccer balls for their entire team. At the Hartford Walk for a Cure, Jack and Sam sold 100 balls in three hours, and overall have sold 1000 pink soccer balls in Connecticut, raising nearly five thousand dollars and counting! This effort is only the beginning for Jack and Sam--they have loftier goals of hoping to have a website and seeing pink soccer balls selling across the entire United States!

At the statewide Hartford headquarters of the Connecticut Affiliate of Susan G. Komen For The Cure, Senator Lieberman presented Jack and Sam with Connecticut Youth Hero certificates in honor of their ingenuity and commitment in support of curing breast cancer. Senator Lieberman talked about a different world years ago when we did not talk about breast cancer. The Senator remarked how far we have come today so that eleven year old boys can speak of the battle against breast cancer and spread awareness. The Senator commended the boys, given their age, on their investment in saving lives and ending breast cancer forever. Senator Lieberman spoke of the strides that have been made in allowing people with breast cancer to live longer and fuller lives and the advances in medication, complimenting Sam and Jack in helping to further those results.

Jack and Sam surprised the Executive Director of the Connecticut Affiliate of Susan G. Komen For The Cure, Anne Gilberto, with a check to enhance the organization's work. Anne reached out to Jack & Sam on behalf of her organization, extending support to broaden their efforts to Connecticut soccer organizations throughout the state.

Jack and Sam not only showed their skills as accomplished young entrepreneurs and activists, they also proved to be talented young broadcasters. The local NBC affiliate was present, producing the boys' story for primetime news. As the television camera rolled, the boys spoke comfortably into the microphone while being interviewed about their inspiration and mission regarding breast cancer awareness and expressing appreciation for being honored with Senator Lieberman's Connecticut Youth Heroes award.

Morgan O'Neil -- October 2007
Founder of "Ribbons with Love"

Sophie Cai -- December 2006
2006 U.S. Physics Team

Kiran Pendri and Jonathan Sellon -- April 2006
Intel Science Talent Search Finalists

Laura Goldhamer -- January 2006
Wesleyan University student, bio-diesel consumer

Travis Blinn, Allison Roberto, and Ethan Falla -- July 2005
CT Juvenile Diabetes Foundation Delegates

Elizabeth Kelly and Sadie Hartell -- June 2005
National History Day Honorees

Mtani of Hartford, Connecticut -- May 2005
Reading Education Assistance Dog

Will Michael of Bethel, Connecticut -- April 2005
Connecticut Naturalist