We thank those companies who committed to support our efforts as sponsors of the 2010 Polaris Awards

Click here to see a complete list of sponsors.

For information about future Polaris sponsorship opportunities, contact Cathy Tracy at 860.951.6161 x14 or email at cathy.tracy@leadershipgh.org

2010 Polaris Awards

The annual Polaris Awards is Leadership Greater Hartford's major fundraising event that recognizes individuals who provide a powerful light and example for others to follow. These Polaris Leaders demonstrate the vision, courage and innovation in undertaking important community endeavors that produce lasting and meaningful results.

We named this award for the Polaris Star, or North Star, considered to be one of the brightest lights in our sky. Known for guiding pioneers, explorers and travelers on their journeys.

Proceeds from this event allow Leadership Greater Hartford to continue researching and developing new programs and providing tuition assistance to participants of current programs.

Below is a list of the winners for the 2010 Polaris Awards.

2010 Polaris Award Winners

Steven Adamowski
Superintendent of Schools - Hartford City School District

Steven Adamowski has told people that when he made the decision to come to Hartford in late 2006, he thought he had one more superintendency in him. He was drawn to Hartford, which, according to him, was “the poster child of the achievement gap.” He was attracted to Hartford because he thought it was a place where he could make a difference and where his efforts could be successful.

He has certainly done just that. Under his leadership the achievement gap between city students and their suburban neighbors has narrowed significantly.  Since his arrival in November 2006, the performance of city students on the Connecticut Mastery Test and the Connecticut Academic Performance Test has risen by record levels, surpassing the statewide gains for the past three consecutive years. Adamowski credits Hartford parents, teachers and principals for their tireless work and for joining him in his belief that you can have high-performing schools in low-income areas.

Key to that success was an overhaul of the district into a system of high-performing high school academies for Nursing, Law and Government, Engineering and Green Technology, Culinary Arts, Journalism, and Insurance and Finance. New schools at the elementary level have been put in place, and low performing schools closed or were redesigned. The system is dedicated to using data to inform and improve decision-making at all levels. There is a sharper focus on quality teaching and quality leadership. Under his leadership the school system has embraced a strategic plan with a theory of action that will take it forward to a future of continued improvement.

As the Hartford Public Schools move forward and build on his legacy, he charges all the stakeholders to “remember why we are here- it’s to save lives.” He says that by teaching kids to be strong readers and learners, we are saving lives. We are saving children who, in high schools which previously had a 30% graduation rate were most likely to become dropouts with limited prospects for future success. Instead we can send them on to college, to a responsible job and to a place in the community. “No matter how poor, children can be successful, simply because they went to a good school.”

The community is grateful to Steven Adamowski for his leadership, vision, skill and dedication to the students and families in this city, and for making good on his promise four years ago to make a difference.

Nicola Allen
Neighborhood Beautification Leader

Perhaps you are one of a handful of people who missed the April 23 article in the Hartford Courant about Hartford resident Nicola Allen. If so, you missed an amazing account of one woman’s tireless efforts to bring beauty to a neighborhood. Nicola has transformed a once blighted street into an oasis of color and greenery, and in doing so has encouraged, inspired and touched the hearts of all who have heard her story.

It wasn’t easy. At first, Nicola knew nothing about gardening. She bought some books, begged others for their gardening books, read as much as she could, asked many, many questions, planted, and planted some more. It took six years for her garden to establish itself.

After her own garden was established, she and her husband Aldwin decided to remove the chain link fence that surrounded their property, ignoring the warnings of her neighbors that their plants will be stolen or that children would ride their bikes through the gardens. Neither has happened. Not only have her plantings remained intact, she has convinced many of her neighbors to do the same. Those same neighbors have joined with her in planting their own gardens. With Nicola’s help, 20 of the 28 homes on Burton Street now have large gardens of annuals and perennials that beautify the neighborhood from April through November.

Nicola has even helped residents start gardens on neighboring streets: Sigourney, Edgewood and Lenox.  All but seven of the Burton Street homeowners have removed their fences. Now, instead of seeing chain link barriers with their trapped litter and their inherent “keep out” message, residents and visitors are greeted by a barrage of colors and blooms. Says Nicola, “Before the gardening started, the street was barren. Now, with the gardens and without the fences, the neighborhood is calmer, more peaceful and more inviting. Whatever your background or neighborhood, whether you are an owner or renter, it doesn’t matter--- nobody is going to walk away from something beautiful. We are a great neighborhood. We talk to each other and help each other. It’s so beautiful! I love living here!”

Nicola’s work is an example of outstanding leadership--- determination, hard work, patience, and the ability to inspire a shared vision. She is a leader whose planting has yielded far more than the stunning flowers that greet you in her neighborhood, and whose influence and inspiration has spread well beyond Burton Street.

 

Walter Harrison
President - University of Hartford

Over the past 12 years, the University of Hartford has experienced a period of expansion and vitality that is unmatched in its history. Several major buildings have been constructed. Many facilities and residence halls have been renovated. The University has shown steady increases in undergraduate enrollment and in the number of degrees awarded. Through the outstanding leadership of University President Walter Harrison, the University has grown exponentially in its stature as a vital institution contributing to the health and strength of the capital region.

President Harrison has always taken pride that the University of Hartford is “a private university with a public purpose.” In his time as President he has expanded on that notion. The University’s vibrant relationship with the Greater Hartford community is a hallmark of his tenure. He believes that the connections which the University has forged with the city and the region are good for both the University and the community. “The best way for our students to learn is to be engaged with and connected to the world outside our walls, while welcoming the community to use all that we offer,” he says.

The founders of the University envisioned it to be a center of education and culture for Greater Hartford. Under President Harrison’s leadership, the University of Hartford has grown in this commitment to become a valued resource for individuals, families, businesses and communities throughout the region.  The University is an active participant in educational reform in Hartford and has become a recognized leader in helping to improve public schools. It is the only private university in the nation with two public schools on campus- the University of Hartford Magnet School and the University High School of Science and Engineering. Recently, the University signed an affiliation agreement with Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center to create an innovative partnership to benefit learners, researchers, practitioners and, ultimately, patients. President Harrison remarked that the agreement gives the two institutions, located just a mile apart, a platform to launch all sorts of interesting initiatives, and noted that, “Sometimes the most revolutionary transformations start closest to home.”

Walter Harrison is indeed a guiding light that shines well beyond the walls of the University of Hartford. We thank him for his leadership, commitment and energy in making Hartford, which he calls “a wonderful place,” even better.