Ten women were honored by the YWCA Ames-ISU chapter at their annual Women of Achievement Awards Ceremony for their work within the community.

“I am extremely pleased with the turnout,” said Angela Merrick, executive director of YWCA Ames-ISU. “The crowd was engaged and enjoyed all of the empowering speeches.”

The Women of Achievement Awards Ceremony in the past nominated only three women. The three awards given out were: a Women of Achievement award, a Rising Star award, and a scholarship winner. Typically, only the scholarship winner spoke at the ceremony.

This year’s awards recognized women from the categories of education, community activists, student leaders, non-profit, youth empowerment and a scholarship. Each of the recipients gave a speech about their personal journeys through leadership and activism as they accepted their awards.

An important aspect recognized by the recipients was how their work is not done just by themselves. The women acknowledged those within their support systems.

“It’s really amazing to be able to do the work but none of it happens without teams,” said Mara Spooner, vice chair for Ames Pride, one of the Community Activist Award winners. “I am so grateful for the teams I get to work with and that makes us all our best.”

Spooner said she works closely with the gender and sexual marginalized communities. She currently helps organize the Ames PrideFest and other events.

The next Community Activist recipient recognized for the evening was Edna Clinton, NAACP Ames chapter president. Clinton discussed how she grew up in a diverse family during The Civil Rights Era and served within her community since 1972.

Her involvement included working with the Department of Corrections as a facilitator, along with serving at the Center for Creative Justice as a volunteer probation officer and taking part in creating the first Ivy College of Business diversity management course.

First recognized Education Award winner, Alissa Stoehr, lecturer in sociology, said her activism included educating people on human trafficking and how to eradicate it.

“It’s hard to talk about this day in and day out,” Stoehr said. “But as a human being, an educator, an activist, and a researcher it’s important that we do.”

The second Education Award recipient was Monic Behnken, associate professor of sociology at Iowa State and an elected official on the Ames School Board.

She said she has dedicated her studies in examining psychiatric people and how they take part in the legal system. Behnken said her work can be frustrating but also exciting and emphasized the importance for young people to recognize they are the next voices that will be heard.

One of the two Student Leader Award winners Nichelle’Le Carrington, graduate in electrical and computer engineering, spoke on her role as one of the very few women of color in the graduate level in the College of Engineering.

Her leadership included coaching a group of six Ames Middle School girls in the First Lego League, which challenges students to design and build robots.

According to First Lego League’s website, the concepts performed develops STEM skills that are essential in STEM related careers.

Carrington said the group of girls called themselves the “Girls of the Galaxy” and received recognition at state and regional levels.

Nancy Gebhart, the final Education Award winner, emphasized the importance of art in society. Gebhart described how art in education is beneficial and is a way to show diverse representation. During her acceptance speech Gebhart was accompanied by her six-year-old daughter Lydia, who she said was her motivation for wanting to display diverse representation within the arts.

Ruth Buckels, the Non-Profit Award winner, was recognized for her work against human trafficking and advocacy for children. Buckels said her goal at Iowa State is to change people’s lives and that the children she serves as a foster mother motivate her.

Janvi Rastogi, the Youth Empowerment Award winner, credited her upbringing as a child of Indian immigrants for her work. She told those in attendance about her father passing when she was young, leaving her mother to be a single mother in an unfamiliar country.

With Rastogi’s mother inability to speak English, her mother struggled with finding a community to reside in and eventually left and went back to India. For Rastogi, she said her mother’s experiences encouraged her to create inclusive programs at the Ames Public Library to provide opportunities and community for local children.

“People need community for their well being,” Rastogi said. “I think kids, especially with marginalized identities, need it most.”

The scholarship winner this year was Paige Robinson, a freshman in elementary education at Iowa State.

Currently Robinson is involved with the YWCA through their Girls Power program as a mentor. She said she was paired with a girl from Ames Middle School and was excited for the opportunities she has found through the mentoring program and believed she has developed qualities that are beneficial to her aspirations of being a teacher.

Tia Carter was the final Student Leader Award recipient. Carter gave an acceptance speech discussing her journey prior to Iowa State and during her time at the university.

Carter said she struggled with racism on campus, insecurities and her previous battles with mental health concerns.

“I have a voice that matters, I was silent for my entire life,” Carter said. “[Now] I will speak for those who are silent or afraid to speak up because others spoke for me.”

Merrick said she hopes the next award ceremony it will be just as impactful as this year’s, but with more in attendance.

“I would also like to thank our sponsors, YWCA members, and everyone else who make it happen,” Merrick said.