In preparation for the culmination of the Davie Respect Initiative Challenge, five Davie community members volunteered to serve as the selection panel who will be evaluating all the submissions and choosing the ten $1,000 winners.   

With the final date for submission coming up on Sept. 10, the panelists are looking forward to reviewing the many great ideas submitted.

Meet the panel:

Julius Suiter:  Retired Davie High School principal and coach with many years of mentoring and supporting youth in Davie.  “Anything I can do to help our young people.”

Towfik Shehata:   Founder and owner of Venezia Italian Restaurant.   Venezia has supported youth activities and sports in DC for many years.  Shehata  has been an ardent supporter of the DRI from the first moment he heard about it.

Brandi Reagan:   Founder of Dragonfly House, whose mission is to “reduce the devastating long-term effects that all forms of child abuse has on children, their families and society.”  “I can’t wait to see all the creative ideas our young people come up with.”

Asia Moore:  Moore and her family have been actively involved in Davie County for many years.  She graduated from the Early College and is always looking for ways to make DC a better place for all.

Stephen Leighton, MD:    Having mostly retired after 40 years as a family physician, he dedicates most of his time to service work in the community. Among his other activities, he is an active member of the local Civil Air Patrol Squadron, working with youth and senior (adult) members.

In addition to the primary panelists, several backup panelists have been identified.

The selection panel will evaluate submissions in terms of:

Effectiveness:  looking for the potential impact on individuals, on Davie County and on the larger society.

Feasibility:   how practical the project proposal is.   Can it be done, is it realistic, and what might be the potential for success.

Originality:   how does the project take the concept of respect to a deeper level.

Substance: the qualities of clarity, thoroughness, finish or polish, and whether the project is already being implemented.

For more information about the Davie Respect Initiative go to www.davierespect.com.  Take part in a challenge designed to develop projects to enhance the demonstration of respect in Davie County.

Davie residents age 12 to 21 are eligible to apply, as individuals and as members of groups based in Davie.   Ten awards of $1,000 will be given away.