Leadership Greater Hartford Celebrates 25 Years of Positive Youth Development with 2013 Polaris Award Winner Coach Jennifer Rizzotti

Jennifer
Rizzotti, Head Coach of the University of Hartford Women's Basketball Program,
will be honored with a Polaris Award at Leadership Greater Hartford's Annual
Polaris Event, Tuesday evening October 1st, 5:30 to 9:00 p.m., at the Hartford
Marriott Downtown.

The 2013
Polaris Awards event is particularly meaningful as Leadership Greater Hartford will
be celebrating the 25th anniversary of Common
Ground, one of the region's most successful youth leadership
programs. Common Ground is a fifteen-week program, offered each
spring, that engages urban and suburban high school students from the Greater
Hartford area for training in leadership, diversity awareness and community
problem solving. The program focuses on youth leadership development with a
very diverse group of teens.

Three
Common Ground graduates from the past two and a half decades will also receive
Polaris Awards:  Jocelyn
Tamborello-Noble, Spanish Teacher, Glastonbury High School and current Common Ground Liaison, DeVaughn Ward,
Attorney, Law Office of DeVaughn  L.
Ward, LLC, and David Rifkin, Sophomore, University of Connecticut.  Each will share how their Common Ground
experience contributed to their leadership success today. 

Leadership Greater Hartford's Annual Polaris
Event honors local leaders for their vision, skill and courage in serving the
Greater Hartford community and being a "Polaris" - the North Star
that lights and guides the way for others to follow. Ted Carroll, President of
Leadership Greater Hartford, believes that "Coach Rizzotti is a tremendous
role model for developing and leading a group of diverse youth."  Carroll also indicated that the three Common
Ground graduates to be honored "exemplify the hopes and values that
inspired the program founders back in 1986."

Rizzotti
was one of the most highly recognized UConn stand-outs at the start of the
Husky dynasty, and went on to a successful pro career before settling in at the
University of Hartford.  A three-time
America East Coach of the Year, Rizzotti has a school-record of 276 wins, the
most among all current and former America East coaches. In June Rizzotti was
inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, one of six members of the
Class of 2013. 

A
stellar example of serving the Greater Hartford Community, Coach Rizzotti and
her players dedicate their time and energy giving back to the community even
off the court. During 2012-2013 Coach and her players could be found
volunteering their time at the Walk for Weaver (a fundraiser for a former
teammate battling cancer), the Girl Scouts of Connecticut, Tabor House, Mandel
Jewish Community Center, and the Connecticut Children's Medical Center, to name
a few.

According
to Jackie Smith, University of Hartford Class of 2011 and current Assistant
Coach, ""Coach Rizzotti knows
the importance of giving back to the community, and makes it a priority not
only for herself but for her family, staff and players. She never makes
community service feel like a chore. It’s always viewed as a great opportunity
to give back to those less fortunate. She has always set a great example for
everyone in her program. I’m very thankful that I was given the chance to give
back as a player, and that I can continue to service our community as a
coach."

Coach
Rizzotti will be Introduced by special guest presenter Joe D'Ambrosio, named
seven-time Connecticut Sportscaster of the year, also known as “the Voice of the Huskies". 
In
her keynote address Rizzotti will share why contributing to positive youth
development is critical for all.

For
information about 2013 Polaris tickets, sponsorship and auction opportunities
register online at www.leadershipgh.org
, or contact Katy Bannister at 860.951.6161, ext. 18 or katy.bannister@leadershipgh.org.

Leadership
Greater Hartford is the most comprehensive nonprofit community leadership
organization in the country. It offers leadership training to individuals
ranging from high school age to retirees, with community service projects
featured in nearly all of its programs. 
These projects and the program graduates continue to have lasting impact
in the Hartford region.  For more
information about how to be a participant or sponsor with Leadership Greater
Hartford, call 860-951-6161 (x18), email info@leadershipgh.org,
visit www.leadershipgh.org, or like
it on Facebook.