PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Future journalists are getting help to jumpstart their careers, all in the memory of a former KYW Newsradio reporter.
For decades, reporter Al Novack’s voice could be heard on KYW. But when he wasn’t on the air, he volunteered with his local fire department.
“[He was] fascinated by fire trucks at a young age,” said his daughter, Melissa Novack-Hamilton. “He grew up and decided to join the Wissahickon Volunteer Fire Department.”
Novack kept both journalism and emergency services close to his heart up until his death last June. He was 79 years old.
On Thursday, his family honored him by giving two students from his alma mater, Wissahickon High School (Class of 1963), $1,000 scholarships in his name.
“There is one for broadcast journalism and one for emergency services,” Novack-Hamilton said.
Petra Lee, who plans to attend Middlebury College this fall, won the journalism scholarship.
“It’s definitely an honor,” she said. “College is expensive. I’m really just humbled to be one of the recipients.”
Novack-Hamilton said she cannot think of a better way to honor her father.
“This was his heart and community was his heart, and I know he’s smiling down on us today knowing that his legacy will continue here where he got his start,” she said.
