White Plains Teacher, Nonagenarian Wins Youth Service Award

Sister St. John Delany, Ph.D., of White Plains was honored by a group of colleagues, friends and admirers Wednesday with the Rosemarie Siragusa Memorial Youth Service Award.

The award, which is named after the founder of the The award is named after the founder of the county Youth Board, is given out each year to a person who demonstrates a commitment to serving youth and families.

Delany, 90, was honored inside the Westchester County Office Building in White Plains. She is a member of the Sisters of Divine Compassion who has devoted herself to the betterment of the White Plains community for many years.

Her teaching career began ago in 1941 at St. Bernard’s Elementary School in White Plains. Her students there included Billy Collins, who served as U.S. Poet Laureate from 2004 to 2006; NFL great Robert “Bob” Hyland; and Pat Casey, editor of the White Plains Examiner.

She taught at the elementary school until 1972. Afterward, she founded the Center for Literacy Enrichment and became an associate professor in the School of Education at Pace University.