Valarie Scott  Receives Diversity Award

When entering Principal Valarie Scott’s office at Yates Elementary School, it doesn’t take long to notice the large wall above her computer, dressed with plaques and awards – mostly recognizing her volunteer efforts.  Scott is now looking for the perfect place to set the new glass trophy she recently received from the American Heart Association honoring her efforts in educating African Americans about heart disease and stroke. 

Scott, who has received more than a dozen awards for her efforts in the community and school district, was recently presented with the Diversity Award from the American Heart Association Northeast Affiliate.  The award recognized the leader’s involvement in the Association’s Search for your Heart program, which aims to educate African Americans about the risk-factors associated with heart disease.

Scott has been a volunteer for the American Heart Association for over 15 years.  As a trainer for the Search for Your Heart program, Scott is on a crusade to educate community leaders and members.    She has helped train at least 17 churches whose members are now implementing Search for Your Heart.  Scott also continues to support the Go Red For Women campaign and the Capital Region Heart Walk, a program in which she involves both students and staff at Yates.  She has also chaired the Association’s New York Affiliate Board of Directors and served on the national board. 

“I know I can make a difference and hopefully will help to change the life of at least one person,” said Scott.  “There are risk factors that contribute to heart disease such as smoking, obesity, physical inactivity, that we can do something about,” she added. 

She became involved in the American Heart Association when she was a new teacher and she saw ads for teaching materials.    “I really stayed involved because at the age of 8, I watched my grandmother suffer from a heart attack,” said Scott.  “By the age of 14, I had no living grandparents because of heart disease.”     

According to Scott, more than forty percent of African-Americans have high blood pressure and 33% of deaths can be attributed to heart disease. According to the American Heart Association, heart disease and stroke are the nation’s number one and number three killers, claiming more than 910,000 Americans a year.    

“This award is very special because diversity is like coloring with a box of beautiful crayons,” said Scott.  “Each one is so pretty individually, but together they can make a wonderful picture of life.”    Scott added, “Heart disease doesn’t recognize ethnicity so when we’re dealing with it, we shouldn’t either.” 

Among Scott’s awards is the Unsung heroine Award for her work in the area of human rights, the Douglas M. Johnson Recognition Award from the Capital District Black Nurses Association, the Golden Apple award from Schenectady School District Board of Education, and Louis Stark Memorial Award.  Scott has about ten additional awards resulting from her work with the American Heart Association.   

Scott has also been instrumental in developing the Schenectady City School District’s Diversity plan.  She and Mike Stricos, the district’s human resources administrator, have developed a plan that provides training, presentations, events including job and recruitment fairs.   Scott has served as the diversity committee co-facilitator for four years which resulted in a diversity management plan and has provided diversity training to new teachers.