Springfield Scholar Athletes (SSA) recently celebrated the program’s launch at Putnam Academy. Participating in the ribbon cutting from L to R: Superintendent Daniel J. Warwick, Mayor Domenic J. Sarno, Principal George Johnson, Scholar Athletes’ Chairman & CEO John Fish and Executive Director Rebekah Salwasser, SSA Site Manager Trudi Lebron, Putnam students Jonathan Garcia and Kiana Figueroa, and Boston Scholar Athletes’ Senior Facilitator Roxy Pirnia.

Springfield is well represented by Tony Pettaway and two of its finest, along with Commissioner Helen Caulton-Harris, School Committee member Rosa Perez, City Councilor Justin Hurst, State Representative Angelo Puppolo, Mayor Domenic Sarno, School Committee Vice Chair Denise Hurst and City Councilor Orlando Ramos

2014 Ubora Award recipient Jerald “Jay” Griffin (seated center) with previous award recipients, standing from left: Dr. Albert Garner (2011), Chester Gibbs (1999), Jesse Lanier (2004); seated from left: Bettye Webb (1996), Geraldine Garner (2011), Griffin (2014), Barbara Lanier (2004), and Denise Jordan (2007).