Jarek RutzHeadlines, Health
The deadline to submit for the organ donor awareness contest is Wednesday, April 30. (Photo by CatLane/iStock Getty Images)
Delaware high school students have a chance to win scholarships while raising awareness about a life-saving cause.
The Delaware Organ and Tissue Donor Awareness Board has announced the launch of its 2025 Organ Donor Awareness Video Scholarship Contest, with up to $5,000 in total scholarships available.
The annual contest invites students in grades 9 through 12 to create a one- to two-minute public service video on the importance of becoming a designated organ and tissue donor.
Submissions will be judged on creativity, accuracy, and positive messaging. The deadline to enter is April 30, 2025.
Winners will be selected from each of Delaware’s three counties. First-place winners will receive a $1,000 scholarship, while second-place winners will earn $500.
“In our state, less than 50% of Delawareans are designated organ and tissue donors on their driver’s licenses or state IDs,” said Jill Fredel, chair of the Delaware Organ and Tissue Donor Awareness Board and a kidney donor. “With National Donate Life Month in April, we want to encourage more young people to say ‘yes’ to becoming designated donors, a status they are likely to keep for the rest of their lives. This scholarship contest offers high school students a way to use their creativity, confidence and compassion to communicate the importance of organ and tissue donation to other young people.”
Students are encouraged to include interviews with transplant recipients in their videos to deepen the message and connect with viewers.
The contest coincides with National Donate Life Month in April, a time dedicated to honoring donors and raising awareness about the need for organ and tissue transplants.
The initiative is a collaboration between the Donor Awareness Board, the Delaware Department of Education, and Gift of Life, a nonprofit that supports organ donation across Delaware, eastern Pennsylvania, and southern New Jersey.
To learn more about the contest or to submit a video, click here.
Raised in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, Jarek earned a B.A. in journalism and a B.A. in political science from Temple University in 2021. After running CNN’s Michael Smerconish’s YouTube channel, Jarek became a reporter for the Bucks County Herald before joining Delaware LIVE News.
Jarek can be reached by email at [email protected] or by phone at (215) 450-9982. Follow him on Twitter @jarekrutz and on LinkedIn.
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Raised in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, Jarek earned a B.A. in journalism and a B.A. in political science from Temple University in 2021. After running CNN’s Michael Smerconish’s YouTube channel, Jarek became a reporter for the Bucks County Herald before joining Delaware LIVE News.
Jarek can be reached by email at [email protected] or by phone at (215) 450-9982. Follow him on Twitter @jarekrutz and on LinkedIn.
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Delaware State Police have arrested 36-year-old Ian Tolson and 34-year-old Jaaron Tolson, both from Dover, Delaware, for felony gun and drug charges following search warrants at two Dover residences. On April 9, 2025, members of the Kent County Drug Unit, Kent County Governor’s Task Force, and the Delaware State Police Special Operations Response Team, executed search warrants at a house on Harmony Lane and a house on State Circle, both in Dover. The search warrants were obtained following an investigation of Ian and Jaaron Tolson for the distribution of illegal narcotics from the properties. Before executing the search warrant on State Circle, detectives saw a red Cadillac Escalade, driven by Jaaron Tolson, leave the residence. Detectives conducted a traffic stop on the Cadillac, and Jaaron Tolson was taken into custody without incident. Ian Tolson was taken into custody at the Harmony Lane residence without incident. A search of the State Circle property led to the discovery of the following items: 2 – 9mm handguns and ammunition Stolen .45 caliber handgun and ammunition Approximately .02 grams of crack cocaine Digital scale A search of the Harmony Lane property led to the discovery of the following items: 9mm handgun and ammunition Approximately 34.30 grams of crack cocaine Digital scale A computer inquiry revealed Ian Tolson is a convicted felon and is prohibited from possessing firearms and/or ammunition. He was arrested and taken to Troop 3, where he was charged with the crimes listed below, arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 2, and committed to Sussex Correctional Institution on a $105,500 cash bond. Possession with Intent to Deliver a Controlled Substance, Tier 3 (Felony) Possession of a Controlled Substance, Tier 3 (Felony) Possession of a Firearm Previously Convicted of a Violent Felony (Felony) – 3 counts Possession of a Firearm or Ammunition by a Person Prohibited with a Prior Drug Conviction (Felony) Receiving a Stolen Firearm (Felony) – 2 counts Endangering the Welfare of a Child – 2 counts Possession of Drug Paraphernalia A computer inquiry revealed Jaaron Tolson is a convicted felon and is prohibited from possessing firearms and/or ammunition. He was arrested and taken to Troop 3, where he was charged with the crimes listed below, arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 2, and committed to Sussex Correctional Institution on a $77,000 cash bond. Possession of a Firearm Previously Convicted of a Violent Felony (Felony) – 3 counts Possession of a Firearm or Ammunition by a Person Prohibited with a Prior Drug Conviction (Felony) Receiving a Stolen Firearm (Felony) – 2 counts Endangering the Welfare of a Child – 2 counts Possession of a Controlled Prescription without a Prescription Possession of Drug Paraphernalia The post Search Warrants in Dover Lead to Arrests for Gun and Drug Offenses appeared first on Delaware State Police – State of Delaware.
Incident Number: 50-25-13006 Date/Time: Sunday, April 13th, 2025 at 10:13 a.m. Location: Lincoln Street Dover, DE Contact: Dover Police Department Public Information Officer Master Corporal Ryan Schmid Email: [email protected] Narrative: The Dover Police Department has arrested Isiah Worthy, 28, of Dover, on graffiti charges following an incident that occurred early Sunday morning. The investigation began at 10:13 a.m., when Patrol Officers were checking the area of Simon Circle attempting to locate a suspect of an unrelated complaint. While there, a Patrol Supervisor was approached by a complainant/witness who advised that someone was writing in black magic marker on City owned poles and signs. The witness provided a description of the suspect and the last known direction of travel. The responding Officer located Worthy, who matched the witness description, walking in the area of Loockerman Street and South Kirkwood Street. The ensuing investigation revealed that Worthy had defaced a City of Dover Electric Pole and a Stop Sign in the area of Lincoln Street. It was also discovered that Worthy had an outstanding warrant. Worthy was taken into custody and transported to Dover Police Department where he was processed and arraigned. It should be noted that the graffiti included references to the KKK but the context and intent of the reference is still undermined. After Worthy’s release, additional graffiti reports of similar style began to be received by the Police Department. The most concerning was the defacing of the marquee sign of one of our Downtown places of worship. The Department believes that there may be more victims related to this graffiti spree, particularly in the Downtown area. The Patrol Unit is scanning for more damage locations and the Dover Police Department Criminal Investigation Unit is continuing this investigation. Additional charges may be forthcoming based on investigative findings and a potential determination by the Department of Justice. If you have any information on this case, or were a victim of this incident, please contact Detective Goad at 302-736-7143. As it relates to the initial graffiti case, Worthy was released on OR bond after resolving his warrant. He has a pending court date on the following charges: -Graffiti -Possession of Graffiti Implements Worthy is presumed innocent until proven guilty. Isiah Worthy Dover, DE
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