Honor Miss NY Outstanding Teen

Senate Resolution No. 4126 BY: Senator COMRIE CONGRATULATING Cayla D. Kumar upon the occasion of being crowned Miss New York's Outstanding Teen WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to act to honor today's young people, the leaders of tomorrow, whose character and achievements exemplify the ideals and values cherished by this great State and Nation; and WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to congratulate Cayla D. Kumar upon the occasion of being crowned Miss New York's Outstanding Teen on Saturday, April 7, 2018; prior to this competition, she won the Miss Bronx's Outstanding Teen Pageant; and WHEREAS, With this monumental win, Cayla D. Kumar will represent New York State in the Miss America's Outstanding Teen competition in July, to be held in Orlando, Florida; and WHEREAS, The Miss New York's Outstanding Teen Organization recognizes young women around the Empire State for their talents, scholastic achievement and community service; by the young age of 15, Cayla D. Kumar has already donated more than 4,100 hours of her precious time and energy to serving others; and WHEREAS, Cayla D. Kumar also cooks meals for families of sick children at the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Long Island, and raises funds for children's cancer research through her Gold Ribbon Project: Curing Pediatric Cancer initiative; and WHEREAS, Cayla D. Kumar finds time in her busy schedule to participate in various pageants on the local, state, national, and international levels, where she takes great pride in serving as an advocate for pediatric cancer research; classically trained in Indian dances from the Sadhanalaya School of Dance and the Natraj Center for the Performing Arts, she performs Bollywood dances for the audience; and WHEREAS, Cayla courageously decided to channel grief into action after she witnessed first-hand the heartbreaking reach of cancer when she lost her great-grandmother to breast cancer; and WHEREAS, Following her victory in the inaugural Young Voice of New York City talent competition, Cayla was crowned as the first-ever youth ambassador to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, an institution dedicated to defeating the scourge of pediatric cancer, where she found kindred dreamers and leaders in her pursuit of the same goal; and WHEREAS, By the age of 13, Cayla Kumar had raised $25,000 for St. Jude Hospital, and, possessing a heart and soul eternally restless in endeavoring to triumph in the long march toward a cure and a more hopeful tomorrow for the youngest and sickest among us, has dedicated herself to raising a total of $2.7 million for that same hospital, which shines, like she does, as a beacon of hope for countless families forced to find hope when it is scarce; and WHEREAS, Currently, Cayla D. Kumar is a student at Archbishop Molloy High School, in Briarwood, New York; after she graduates in 2020, she plans to attend Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Maryland, in hopes of becoming a pediatric oncologist; and WHEREAS, Cayla's fortitude and resolve in working indefatigably to eradicate this increasingly rampant disease was further bolstered after her seven-year-old cousin was recently diagnosed with a brain tumor; and WHEREAS, For her steadfast and unremitting commitment to her community and her passion for eradicating pediatric cancer, Cayla D. Kumar is the recipient of five Presidential Volunteer Service Awards; in

2015, she received the New York State Governor's Recognition Award, 3C Award, and Public Advocate of New York City Award; and WHEREAS, Cayla D. Kumar is an exemplary young woman who will undoubtedly leave her mark on the lives of those she has touched personally through her promotion, leadership, and passion for her community and fellow New Yorkers, and it is clear that in the many years she has left she will do all she can to shape our collective humanity to be more compassionate, loving, and responsive to the needs of those who suffer; and WHEREAS, The children of New York's immigrants and the young women of New York State have both contributed greatly to the cause of history's progress, breaking down traditional barriers and beating expectations, and Cayla Kumar, being both a young woman and a first-generation American, carries on this long tradition of activism and leadership into the newest generation of those for whom future successes are all but inevitable; and WHEREAS, Cayla D. Kumar exemplifies the potential inherent in our young women; she is an outstanding role model for her peers and for the young people with whom she works and stands with poise and purpose to face the challenges of new experiences; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to congratulate Cayla D. Kumar upon the occasion of being crowned Miss New York's Outstanding Teen, with the anticipation of her continued exemplary representation of the people of this great Empire State; and be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to Cayla D. Kumar.