This month we recognize Dr. Mary Jo Podgurski, director of The Washington Hospital Teen Outreach and President of Academy for Adolescent Health Inc., as the October Dignity & Respect Champion of Greater Pittsburgh.
Nominated by Washington County Commissioner Bracken Burns, Mary Jo was selected as the October Dignity & Respect Champion for her work at the Academy for Adolescent Health and the Washington Hospital Teen Outreach.
The Academy for Adolescent Health, Inc., which Mary Jo founded in 1988, provides programs for teens and youth and works to create a community in which young people are respected and able to enjoy physical and mental wellness. The organization serves as an advocate for youth, parents, professionals, and community members to encourage wellness.
The Washington Hospital Teen Outreach holds an annual Ambassador for Respect Program in which 20,000 students participate in a "pass it on" activity that encourages recognition of respectful behavior. Each year the program centers around a different topic, including focusing on the word "respect" and what it means, listening to a speaker who talks about poverty among African Americans, a focus on self-respect and how young people think about themselves, and most recently, respecting people of all abilities.
Mary Jo is modest about receiving the award, as the passion for her work is driven by the youth, and not recognition.
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