Every year, the Eugene Policelli Service Award chooses outstanding high school seniors and adults who work or live in the South Windsor community and who have made a difference in the town through volunteer service.
The South Windsor Board of Education encourages anyone in the South Windsor community to nominate someone who has volunteered their time to help better the town. The nominee has to be a resident of South Windsor or work/volunteer within the community. If the nominee is a student, they must be a grade 12 student.
Over all the years, there have been 35 students and 40 adults that have received this award. These awards have been around since 2003 in honor of Dr. Eugene Policelli. Dr. Policelli was on the South Windsor Board of Education from 1985 to 1998, and is known for his outstanding work, which inspired this award.
In 2024, two citizens received this award: Lisa Kopper and Sarah Stoddard. Both of these women went out of their way to better South Windsor with their volunteering.
Kopper ran a Girl Scout troop, and was an immense help to the troop. She volunteers at the Farmers Market and the South Windsor Historical Society where she has helped spread awareness for Heritage Day events.
Stoddard was an active member of the South Windsor For The Local Kids club (SWFLK). The club has raised $8,500 for the CCMC with the help of Stoddard’s fundraising. She has dedicated her time at South Windsor High School to helping people in need.
On Tuesday, May 6, 2025, the 2025 recipients were selected. Lisa Maneeley and Jessica Waterhouse were the 2025 recipients of the Citizen Award and Tiernan Cabot and Aarush Kalia were the 2025 recipients of the Student Award. There was a celebration after the ceremony at South Windsor High School with refreshments.
Kalia – a current SWHS senior as well as a recipient of the award – said that he was surprised in the best way to receive the award.
Kalia’s service is focused on education. More specifically, he helps build libraries in juvenile detention centers, making sure the books reflect a variety of experiences and backgrounds. He tutors students through the Love Uganda foundation, creating math topic maps to help support their learning. He also coaches the Timothy Edwards Middle School math team, helping them place first in the state, and is the captain of the SWHS math team.
“I’ve helped lead our team to several big wins, as well,” Kalia said.
Nominated by Daria Plummer, a past recipient of the Policelli award herself, Tiernan Cabot received the award due to his outstanding contributions to South Windsor and surrounding communities.
In addition to his active role in the SWHS theatre department, Cabot founded the Hartford Bags of Love nonprofit organization, which works to assist unsheltered families in the Hartford County area.
While Tiernan has stated how honored he is to receive this award, he feels there are many to thank for his success. Cabot highlights his parent’s involvement in his nonprofit organization, expressing his gratitude for their guidance and generosity.
Each person who received the Policelli award has made a lasting impact on South Windsor and surrounding communities, this year’s recipients are no exception.
