The $2,500 award, funded by Sue and Tom Pignone, is available to children of Montgomery County Public Schools employees. Applicants also must be graduating from high school, enrolled in an accredited post-secondary institution for the following fall, and have a demonstrated commitment to community service.

DeCicco was selected from among a highly qualified group of applicants for the initiative and ability he demonstrated in co-creating Project Change, a youth-driven community organization in Olney that provides positive opportunities for teens. One of Project Change's primary goals is to develop a drug- and alcohol-free retreat where young people can congregate, dance, and listen to music.

DeCicco received the award at a ceremony on June 14 attended by, among others, Superintendent Jerry D. Weast, the Pignones, and DeCicco's parents. His mother, Suzanne DeCicco, is a secretary at Shady Grove Middle School.