Girls Inc. announces 10 honorees

Girls Inc. of Chattanooga announced the names of 10 women who will be honored at its annual UnBought & UnBossed Awards breakfast during a reception for the honorees and the Girls Inc. members who selected them.

The UnBought & UnBossed Awards honor Hamilton County women who, through their career and/or community service, have improved the lives of girls and women.

The breakfast will be held April 29 at The Chattanoogan and emceed by Alison Lebovitz. Girls Inc. national president Judy Vredenburgh will be the featured speaker.

Nominations for UnBought and UnBossed Awards are taken from the public, then honorees are selected by teen members participating in Girls Inc.'s Women's History Project. The honored women are considered role models by the girls who chose them.

The 10 teens who selected the honorees were Chasity Edwards, Ivy Academy; Daphne Merrell and Tianna Roberts, Central High School; Alexis Eaton and Alana Moore, Chattanooga School for the Arts and Sciences; Kierra Toney, Lookout Valley High School; Camisha Tapscott and Breaunna Conner, Tyner High School; Tia Russell, Ooltewah High School; and Janelle Tonge, Brainerd High School.

This year, in honor of Girls Inc.'s 50th anniversary, the community was encouraged to nominate Girls Inc. alumnae for the award, according to Shannon Colbert, Girls Inc. manager of development and communications.

Colbert said two of this year's honorees are alumnae: Uneva Shaw and Karen McReynolds.

"I am delighted and humbled to be chosen this year," said Shaw of her recognition.

According to Girls Inc. information, Shaw joined Girls Inc. at age 6 in 1961. In later years, she became Girls Inc.'s board chairman.

Janelle Tonge, a senior at Brainerd High School who selected Shaw, said, "I'm glad to have picked someone who has achieved what I want to ultimately do when I graduate college. I know this program is going to change my life. I believe it already has."

Girls Inc. serves more than 23,000 girls ages 6-18 in Hamilton County. For more information about Girls Inc. or the awards breakfast, call 624-4757 or visit www.girlsincofchatt.org

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