Mariner High’s Rials receives Zonta’s Young Women in Public Affairs Award
The 2016 recipient of Zonta’s Young Women in Public Affairs annual award is Casey Rials of Bokeelia, a senior with a 4.48 GPA at Cape Coral’s Mariner High School. At Mariner she has served as an officer in JROTC and in student government as vice president, class coordinator and treasurer.
After graduation, Rials plans to attend the University of Central Florida.
The award, including a check for $250, was presented by Ellen Strobel, chair of the Zonta San-Cap selection committee, at the April 6 club meeting. In presenting the award, Strobel quoted one of Rials’ Advanced Placement instructors, who ranked her as among the finest students he has taught in 24 years: “She has strong leadership skills and work ethics, and is highly intelligent, efficient, and one of the nicest human beings.”
Established in 1990 by Zonta International, the YWPA award recognizes young women, ages 16-19, who demonstrate superior leadership skills and a commitment to public service and civic causes, and encourages them to continue their participation in public and political life.
The Zonta San-Cap award was established in honor of the late Carla Brooks Johnston, Club member and environmentalist, who served as mayor and vice-mayor of Sanibel from 2005 to 2008.
The award program operates at several levels. Rials will now compete at the Zonta Area 6 level, comprising six clubs from Sarasota to Naples, and then if successful at the Zonta District 11 level, comprising 42 clubs from North Carolina to the Caribbean, and potentially at the Zonta International level where 10 scholarships of $4,000 are awarded each year.
Since the award’s inception, Zonta programs have given over 700 YWPA scholarships.
For more information on the YWPA awards, visit www.zonta.org.
The Zonta Club of Sanibel/Captiva is a service organization of professional women working together through service and advocacy to empower women on the islands, in Lee County, and through Zonta Inter-national, around the world.
Visit www.zontasancap.com for additional information.