Country Club has a couple of young people they can be proud of, and they were both recently honored.
The Country Club Civic Association gave awards for community involvement to youth Community Board 10 member Jon Michael Provetto and Bronx Miss Columbus Bianca Mastropietro on Wednesday, November 18.
Both youth, from member families, spoke before the membership.
Several youth from the community also attended the meeting with their families to hear them speak, said Michael McNerney, CCCA president, who added he had never seen a CCCA meeting so well attended.
The president said it was also his first CCCA meeting where speakers received a standing ovation.
“The outpouring of people who showed up when we announced it was going to be with local youth who are doing well for themselves was fantastic,” he said. “We had several members bring their high school aged boys and girls to hear what they had to say.”
McNerney said that he and his board are considering establishing a youth council.
Several young people from the community may be interested, he said.
In her speech, Mastropietro noted that it is very significant when the people who are nearest to you single you out for your accomplishments.
She outlined why it is important for young people to be involved in their community.
“We need to be involved because we live here too,” she stated, adding that through involvement “I think young people will be more of an influence on their peers in encouraging them to do what is right by the community.”
She also stated youth also need to learn from the adults who are involved so that later they have a good idea of what needs to be done to keep the community a great place to live and work.
In addition to being 2015 Bronx Miss Columbus and receiving a college scholarship from the Generoso Pope Foundation, Mastropietro is also an avid athlete who will be playing Division 1 college softball.
Provetto was acknowledged for his participation in numerous community and graffiti cleanups, including one hosted by the CCCA in the summer, as well his volunteer service as a CB 10 board member, the first 17-year old to be appointed to that board since a change in city law allowed permitted their involvement.
He and his father, community activist John Provetto, coordinate with the 45th Precinct to clean up graffiti throughout much of the precinct’s service area.
“It is definitely nice for my neighborhood to recognize the work I have done, and to see so many familiar faces in the audience,” he said afterwards.
Both Mastropietro and Provetto attended local schools: Provetto went to St. Benedict’s, Villa Maria Academy and Salesian High School; Mastropietro to Villa Maria and Preston High School.
The Country Club community played a part in their accomplishments, said McNerney.
