The YLX Clyde Benn Service to Youth Award, Dedicated to “Passing It On”
by Mary Walsh, Signature Class XII
In the year 2000, Youth Leadership Exchange lost a dear friend, Clyde Benn. Clyde, who was the Director of the Office of Minority Health at the Oklahoma State Health Department, was a member of Leadership Oklahoma City Class XI, the LOKC Board of Directors and a longtime friend and mentor to Youth Leadership Exchange class members.
His lifelong credo was “Pass It On”. That is, help others in the same way others have helped you. Among many efforts, he was instrumental in convincing many of his friends, adults and teens, to apply for Leadership Oklahoma City’s program.
To honor Clyde and his work with youth, the YLX board voted to begin the annual recognition of an Oklahoma City area adult who has had a sustained and intensive volunteer career working with youth.
To honor both that service and Clyde’s memory, and to respect his desire to “Pass it on”, the YLX Board of Directors created an award in his name that includes a $2500 cash gift to the charity which nominated him.
As you would expect, the criteria for the award center on the nominee’s body of work with youth: how the lives of Oklahoma City’s youth have been positively impacted by him or her, especially if there are measurable results because of that involvement; if there have been obstacles overcome by the nominee; and if there is evidence of a lasting impact due to the nominee’s efforts.
Award Recipients and area non-profit organizations that have benefitted from the Clyde Benn Service to Youth Award include:
2000 - Hurst Jones, United Methodist Church of the Servant youth groups
2001 - Rena Ellis, CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates)
2002 - Richard Rudebock, Contact Crisis Helpline (HeartLine)
2003 - Debra Thurman, Unity Baptist Church
2004 - Sue White, Westlawn Garden Neighborhood
2005 - Don Schiesz, Coffee Creek Riding Center
2006 - Eric Smith, HeartLine
2007 - Stuart Bell, Calm Waters
2008 - Jeanna Daniel, Neighborhood Alliance of Central Oklahoma
2009 - Pat Pouder, OCPD Police Athletic League
2010 - Maj. Clint Greenwood, Sunbeam Family Services
2011 - Terry Harris, John Marshall High School Foundation
2012 - Loretta Hinkle, Western Oklahoma Chapter of Girl Scouts of America
2013 - Jon Trudgeon, Boys and Girls Club of Oklahoma County
2014 - Phyllis Strong, Sunbeam Family Services
2015 - Cheryl Wilkinson, Northwest Tutoring
2016 - Glenn Norris, Special Care
2017 - Julie Hensley from NewView Oklahoma
2018 - Kuintin Rucker, Stop the Violence
2019 - Jason Hawkins, Police Athletic League (PAL)
2020 - Kathy Payne, Teen Recovery Solutions
2021 - Andrea Nondorf, Special Care
Nomination forms for this year’s Clyde Benn Service to Youth Award are available from the Leadership Oklahoma City website, www.lokc.org. The deadline for nominations is March 11, 2022. More information is available from Alex Roller, YLX Program Director, (405) 463-3340, ylx@lokc.org
