President Honors SJ`s Anna Pecoraro

For the second time in a month, Anna Pecoraro of Egg Harbor Township received a major award for her volunteer work with various service organizations in South Jersey. Last week, President George W. Bush issued the President's Student Service Award to Pecoraro, "In recognition of outstanding community service with my special congratulations." She received a letter from the president, along with a medal and certificate. In September, the Greater Atlantic City Jaycees presented her with the Jaycees Distinguished Service Award at a reception and dinner at Resorts Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City.

Unfortunately, due to the national crisis of Sept. 11, she could not attend the ceremony. Pecoraro was at school, near the Pentagon, during the terrorist bombing. Although unhurt, she was unable to travel, since all major highways to and from Washington were closed. Her mother, Carol Pecoraro, accepted the award in her absence.

Over the last five years, Anna Pecoraro has used her musical abilities to encourage and uplift others through singing at many churches and synagogues in the Atlantic City and Princeton areas. She currently performs at Masses at both Saint Frances Cabrini and Saint Augustine's churches in Ocean City. In June 2000, Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio presented her with a Liturgical Music Award at the Diocese of Camden 2000 Eucharistic Congress Eucharistic Liturgy at the Washington Township Center for the Performing Arts. Other recitals include multiple appearances with the New York Philharmonic at Avery Fisher Hall in New York. As a student teacher, this young woman used her musical talents to teach at risk youth and worked for the past three summers at the Kid's College program of Atlantic Cape Community College in Mays Landing.

Pecoraro, a 1997 graduate of Egg Harbor Township High School is a student in the accelerated doctoral program in Clinical Psychology at the American School of Professional Psychology of Argosy University, DC Metropolitan Campus. The program is approved by the American Psychological Association. While attending school, Pecoraro resides in Fairfax, Va. and is the director of music at St. Michael's School in Silver Spring, Md.

"I've known Anna for over two years," said Steve Angelucci, former president of the Greater Ocean City Jaycees," and have seen her many unselfish deeds and instances of community service." He nominated Pecoraro for the President's Student Service Award soon after learning of it. "I immediately knew that Anna deserved this national award."

At 14, Pecoraro started college part-time. She graduated high school and went to Westminster Choir College of Rider University at 16. For the past several years, she has donated countless hours as a crisis hotline counselor. During high school, she ran a hymn sing choir at nursing homes in two counties and a music program for underprivileged children.

Although she holds a Bachelor Degree in Music from Westminster Choir College in Princeton and is an acclaimed soprano, Pecoraro chose another path. She was so moved by her volunteer experiences and the work of Dr. Albert Ellis that she changed her career direction. In spite of being a summa cum laude graduate who planned on a full-time musical career, Pecoraro decided that she could best help others as a psychologist. She took an additional course load in psychology at college to qualify for the graduate program.

Pecoraro performed her baccalaureate internship at a New Jersey program for teens with psychiatric diagnoses. She recently completed "Primary Practicum in Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy" and holds a certificate in REBT from the Albert Ellis Institute in Manhattan. She worked directly with Dr. Ellis, as he was one of her clinical supervisors during the practicum experience.

"Reading Dr. Albert Ellis' writing in junior high school inspired me more than anything else in my life," Pecoraro said. "Meeting and working with him was both thrilling and inspiring. You see, Dr. Ellis is a genius, but he is truly humble and has the best damned sense of humor I've ever seen!" She plans to apply for advanced training and possibly a pre or post-doctoral internship at the Institute. "He has taught me countless, invaluable lessons about life," she said. Pecoraro also credits her parents, Dr. and Mrs. Carl and Carol Pecoraro, as important influences.

Pecoraro conducted a national research study last year entitled "Second Generation Holocaust Survivors: Anger, Forgiveness, and Prejudicial Attitudes," under the direction of Dr. Marvin Goldstein, director of the Psychology Department and Koppelman Holocaust-Genocide Resource Center of Rider University. In May, she and Dr. Goldstein presented the study at the Eastern Psychological Association's Annual Convention in Washington, DC. She is re-drafting the study to be submitted for publication in peer-reviewed journals. She is also collaborating in designing and conducting a clinical study with one of her mentors, Mayo Clinic neuropsychiatrist Yonas Endale Geda, MD."

In her spare time, Pecoraro volunteers for the ARC of Atlantic County and is a writer for the "Generation NEXT" section of The Press of Atlantic City. Her article of August 6, 2001, focused on the stresses of the teen years and advised teenagers on ways to seek help. Pecoraro plans to pursue her vocal studies and, undoubtedly, continue to help others.

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Author: Steve Angelucci, Whoot Weekly Newspaper