The Y Presents Awards for Teen Leader, Community Leader and Business Impact
The YMCA of Rock River Valley recognizes local leaders each year who have made an impact in our community. The YMCA chose not to host a community dinner event this year – where the awards are typically announced. Instead, awards were presented directly to recipients with the help of our sponsors.
“We could not miss an opportunity to lift up and celebrate some amazing individuals and businesses,” said Bobby Reitsch, CFRE, Executive Director of Mission Advancement. “We are proud of these recipients and their dedication to our community. Their efforts help make the Rock River Valley a better place for us all to call home.”
YMCA Teen Leadership Award presented by Rosecrance
2026 Winner: Gwendolyn Tsaras
The YMCA Teen Leadership Award recognizes a young individual between the ages of 16 and 19 who demonstrates exceptional leadership and service within the Rockford community. The recipient receives a $1,000 scholarship in recognition of their accomplishments and community impact.
This year’s recipient, Gwendolyn Tsaras, is a student at Boylan High School and an active leader both in and outside the classroom. Tsaras is a volleyball player, an active participant in several school clubs, and a member of the Winnebago County Mayor’s Youth Leadership Council. She founded “STEM with Gwen”, an initiative dedicated to increasing STEM exposure for underserved youth and has served over 100 low-income youth in our community. In her essay she shared, “Through my continued work in healthcare and community leadership, I hope to make a meaningful difference by expanding access and advocating for health equity.”
YMCA Antonio Little Award presented by FIELD
2026 Winners: Noah Edlebeck and Brian K. Little
The YMCA Antonio Little Award honors a young man of color between the ages of 16 and 19 in the Rockford community. The recipient receives a $1,000 scholarship. This year, the committee was so impressed with two of the students that FIELD felt compelled to award two scholarships.
Noah Edlebeck, a senior at Hononegah Community High School, has demonstrated a strong commitment to leadership, service, and academic excellence throughout his high school career. He has been actively involved in numerous extracurricular activities, including Student Council, Key Club, Cross Country, and Track and Field. In his essay, Edlebeck shared his aspirations “to become a doctor who treats every ethnic, religious, and national background to the best of my care because I understand how unconscious discrimination hurts.”
Brian Little, also a senior at Hononegah Community High School, embodies the spirit of the scholarship, through his perseverance, community involvement, and leadership. Little is a two-sport athlete, participating in basketball and football, and is involved with the NAACP and Boys and Girls Club. He also works as a waiter at Henry Doorbaker’s. As he prepares to continue his education at either Upper Iowa or UW-Whitewater, Little remains committed to making a positive impact on those around him. In his scholarship essay, he wrote, “My goal is not only to succeed for myself, but to continue being a mentor and resource for others who face similar obstacles.”
YMCA Community Leader Award presented by Sjostrom & Sons
2026 Winner: Dick Leighton
The Community Leader Award is recognition for any outstanding leader who embodies excellence in their field, is an outstanding role model and exemplifies the mission and vision of the YMCA.
This year’s recipient, Richard (Dick) Leighton, is a lifelong philanthropist and dedicated servant to the Rockford community. Since moving here in 1950, Dick has had a “lifetime love affair” with the Y, serving the organization in multiple capacities – a Board Member, the Chair of the Annual Campaign, a member, and a donor. He was instrumental in securing $1,078,000 to build the “Physical Fitness Center” which has grown and evolved since opening in 1964 into what is now known as the UW Health Riverfront YMCA (former SwedishAmerican Riverfront YMCA). He strongly believes in the mission work of the Y and has remained a loyal donor since the 1950’s – never missing a year in his over 70-year giving history to the Y. Dick has invested his heart and soul into the Rockford community through his former tenure as Assistant Treasurer with Woodward Governor and Chief Financial Officer at Barber Colman, and he continues to invest in nonprofits like the Y and Wesley Willows all for his genuine love and care for people.
YMCA Business Impact Award presented by Trotter Manufacturing
2026 Winner: Goodwill Industries of Northern Illinois
This award recognizes an organization that increases the business image of the community. This organization also gives generously of its time and resources to better impact the community.
This year, we are recognizing Goodwill Industries of Northern Illinois for their continued work in our community that increases access to education, skills training, and job placement programs. Their many years of service to our region have reduced barriers for thousands of individuals to learn and develop skills that are vital to entering the workforce, or advancing in their careers. Last year also brought the Excel Center to Rockford – the first tuition-free high school for adults in Illinois – housed within the UW Health Riverfront YMCA. The Excel Center sees an average of 150 students per school term, and provides opportunities for each student to thrive. This partnership also brought a substantial renovation to drop-in childcare at the riverfront facility, increasing access to affordable on-site childcare for Y members and Excel Center students to an average of 75 kids per day.
