Ramsey High Schooler Awarded for DARE-ing Community Involvement

Danielle Fowler recently found herself standing behind a fancy podium inside the 35th floor of a Manhattan office building. Behind her stood a huge screen with her name and photo on it. In front of her was a crowd of some 200 professionals who attended the invitation-only Caron Institute award brunch.

The award was designed to single out an amazing high school student from the NY/NJ area who had demonstrated community leadership. Fowler was selected due to her long-term volunteer work and community efforts with the Ramsey Police DARE program.

Danielle has made waves for herself as an accomplished athlete and honor student, but it was not her own promising future that gained the attention of the folks at Caron. Danni’s more impressive accomplishment comes from her investment in the future of others.

Three years ago, Danielle became active in the Ramsey Police Department Youth Leadership Program. In addition to volunteering at events, Danielle decided to develop an anti-bullying program for the younger students. She served as a mentor, providing strength and guidance to kids in both the middle and high school.

Her uncommon courage shined through in other ways as well. She authored a revealing blog post for the RamseyRocks.org website in which she discussed the tough lessons learned growing up. She served as a Role Model, speaking to kids as young as 10 years old about how their decisions will affect their future. She also became the High School student chair for the Relay for Life Cancer fundraiser in Ramsey. But her greatest challenge came towards the end of this year.

The Ramsey High School SADD club (Student’s Against Destructive Decisions) recently fell on tough times. Plagued by low turnout and false starts, the once influential student action club ceased to exist during the 2012 - 2013 school year. Danni decided that it was time for a change. She worked with school officials, hosted meetings, engaged the school community and breathed new life into the ailing effort.

At present the club has over 20 enthusiastic members, has elected an executive board, established its own facebook group, help put drug-free messaging on the high school TVs, is planning its first fundraiser and charging hard towards it’s first big event slated for October of 2013.

When so many high school seniors are looking ahead to a life full of accomplishments, Danielle Fowler is already looking back at one heck of a legacy. Her big footprints have left a clear path for others to follow and she’s given the next generation the tools they need to pay it forward.

Greatness is surely in store for Danni, but she’s been able to gift some of that greatness to others, who will no doubt do the same. It’s no wonder the Caron Institute was so impressed with her leadership.

Incidentally, Danielle will also be receiving the first ever Raymond P. Bailey Scholarship award on June 12, named after one of Ramsey’s most cherished and influential police officers. The Ramsey Police Department congratulates Danni Fowler on her incredible accomplishments.

The above was submitted to Patch by Ramsey DARE Officer Tim Shoemaker. Submit letters to the editor to jessica.mazzola@patch.com.