A Pennsylvania man who came to the United States as a child and was once recognized by former President Barack Obama is now being held in federal custody following a routine court appearance.

Darwin Contreras, 27, has lived in the United States since he was 7 years old, and was a recipient of the President’s Education Awards Program, his wife, Elizabeth DeJesus, told Newsweek.

Newsweek has obtained a copy of the award dated January 2012, during Obama’s presidency.

“This boy was turning into an athletic man with dreams of pursuing soccer as a career. His senior year, he unfortunately had to drop out and get a job. So instead, he picked up track and field,” DeJesus told Newsweek.

“He motivated his teammates to go hard during practice and to never stop. After graduating from high school, he got a job and continued to work hard,” she added.

Tricia McLaughlin, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), told Newsweek that ICE agents detained Contreras during a court hearing for driving under the influence.

“His criminal history includes convictions for theft and possession of marijuana. This criminal illegal alien admitted to law enforcement that he is in the country illegally,” McLaughlin said.

The arrest comes as the White House is attempting to carry out what it calls the largest deportation operation in U.S. history as part of the President Donald Trump’s hard-line immigration agenda.

Contreras’ journey to the U.S. from El Salvador was marked by trauma, his wife said. During both of his border crossings, he witnessed harrowing scenes, including dead bodies and acts of exploitation.

On his second attempt, instead of being reunited with his mother, he was met by authorities and a caseworker, and spent time in detention before being placed in a foster home. He eventually reunited with his mother, and he went on to grow up in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, where he attended school and thrived.

In elementary school, he received awards for his academic efforts, and in middle school, he earned a Presidential Fitness Award from then-President Obama. He later turned to sports, excelling in track and field and being named MVP during his senior year after initially having to leave school to support himself.

After graduating from high school, Contreras began working full-time, supporting himself and eventually becoming a father. Later, he met DeJesus, now 22, and the couple married in March of this year. Both work at the same restaurant, and Contreras was in the process of applying for his citizenship when he was detained.

On June 24, after attending a court proceeding related to the Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (ARD) program, Darwin was taken into custody by ICE agents who were waiting at the courthouse. DeJesus recalls the agents wearing “something you can get from Walmart” and being given no immediate information on where her husband was being taken. Later she learned he had been transported to Pike County Correctional Facility.

DeJesus said ICE’s actions have disrupted not only their lives, but have left her husband in a deteriorating mental and physical state.

“At first, when he got there, he was not adjusting well, he was not OK, his mental health was not good,” she said.

As they await the hearing date, she continues to advocate for Contreras’ release and hopes his long-standing ties to the U.S., their marriage, and his contributions to the community will be taken into account.

Day 2 of the 2025 AAU Junior Olympics is in the books and the best young athletes from around the country will continue to showcase their talents on day three, Monday, July 28.

Competing at Humble High School just outside of Houston, Texas, the AAU Junior Olympics are where the future stars of track and field shine, showing off their speed and talent. 

In part one of this two-part series, athletes from the Commonwealth campuses delivered record-setting seasons and performances.

However, that trend continues across Pennsylvania as even more Nittany Lions left their mark in 2024-25, proving that their athletic impact, despite uncertain futures amid closures, is anything but temporary.

Here are the stars from the remaining Commonwealth campuses.

Hazelton: Eddie Wess – Baseball

For Hazelton, its baseball program stood out with many candidates, despite a season full of downturns.

Yet, Eddie Wess emerged as a key contributor due to contact and power in the batter’s box. Despite falling short of leading his squad in average, the senior still hit .343 and had a team-high four home runs. He led the team in RBIs with 19 doubles with nine.

Lehigh Valley: Jack Montesdeoca – Men’s Soccer

A team captain, Jack Montesdeoca starred from the midfield with both goal scoring and passing. The senior’s eight goals were good for second on the team, but four of them were game-winning, which led the blue and white.

Along with that, the Easton, Pennsylvania, native supplied a top-three USCAA figure with 13 assists.

Mont Alto: James Sibert – Baseball

Leading the Nittany Lions with a .467 batting average, 12 home runs and 48 RBIs, James Sibert proved monumental for a 35-18 finish for Mont Alto.

A win in the losers’ bracket of the USCAA Small College World Series saw the Strasburg, Virginia, native’s squad advance to the championship, where they fell 8-3 to Salem University.

New Kensington: Samara Ayodele – Women’s Soccer

New Kensington had its first women’s soccer All-American honorable mention ever in the form of Samara Ayodele, who netted nine goals and two assists in eight games.

The freshman from Laurel, Maryland, was instrumental in what was the program’s first season. She scored two goals in its first win, a 9-0 triumph over Penn State Beaver.

Schuylkill: Issac Lane – Men’s Basketball

A 2025 USCAA All-American, Isaac Lane did the majority of Schuylkill’s scoring with a 20.1 per game average paired with a team high 7.9 rebounds per game. During his senior season at Penn State, the senior also earned Co-PSUAC Player of the Year honors.

Scranton: Alex Brinkman – Baseball

After transferring from Keystone College this offseason, Alex Brinkman led Scranton in all major categories such as batting average, RBIs, home runs and position player fielding percentage. The Jefferson Township, Pennsylvania, native was honored as a PSUAC All-Conference team member.

Shenango: Faith Sullivan – Track and Field & Golf

A two-sport star, Faith Sullivan took home awards both on the track and the golf course.

At the USCAA Track and Field championships, the North Jackson, Ohio, native won Shenango’s first ever title with an 800m time of 2:29.08, while also finishing third in the 1500m.

As for golf, Sullivan finished fourth with Shenango at the 2024 PSUAC Championships, and was honored as the Student-Athlete of the Year for golf.

Wilkes-Barre: Jedidiah Ashton – Men’s Basketball

In his senior year, Jedidiah Ashton improved his points per game total to a team high of 18.7, becoming the program’s scoring record holder. This achievement earned the Brooklyn, New York, native the PSUAC Player of the Year award and a USCAA First Team All-American honor in a season where he also averaged a team-high 8.7 rebounds per game.

York: Ben Zimmerman – Men’s Soccer

Clinical shooting propelled Ben Zimmerman through 2025 with 12 goals in 13 games, setting a team-high mark.

The New Park, Pennsylvania, native helped his squad to a 9-2-3 record and ended as a USCAA First Team All-American.

MORE SPORTS COVERAGE

Australia’s athletics team at the FISU World University Games has officially closed out its most successful World University Games campaign in history, topping the medal tally with 10 medals on the back of some outstanding performances.

Pleasingly, a host of New South Wales Institute of Sport (NSWIS) Scholarship holders were in the thick of the action, contributing to five of the Aussie Uniroos’ medals.

Michael Perry, NSWIS State (athletics) Performance Advisor, said the University Games, of which the athletics component was staged in Bochum, Germany, has traditionally proven to be a tremendous ‘steppingstone’ for athletes.

“The World University Games has been a steppingstone for athletes to do on to world competitions,” said Perry, who competed for Australia in the Triple Jump event at the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games. “It gives them a taste of what to expect.”

The 2025 edition of the FISU World University Games saw approximately 8500 athletes from 150 nations compete in the multi-sport event in the Rhine-Ruhr region of Germany. The athletes competed in 18 sports, including athletics, swimming, water polo, rowing and 3 x 3 wheelchair basketball among others.

NSWIS medallists at the 2025 FISU World University Games

Connor Murphy – Gold, Triple Jump (16.77m +1.2)

Kristie Edwards – Gold, 4 x 100m Women’s Relay (43.46)

Allanah Pitcher, – Silver, (Women’s) Team Race Walk

Isaac Beacroft – Silver, (Men’s) 20km Race Walk

Desleigh Owusu – Bronze, Triple Jump  (13.86m) PB

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 27, 2025) — The U.S. Women’s U21 National Team completed its undefeated run to win the gold medal at the 2025 NORCECA Women’s U21 Pan American Cup with a 3-0 (25-18, 25-14, 25-13) championship match victory over Chile on Sunday in San Jose, Costa Rica. The U.S. finished the tournament without losing a set in its five matches and won its third straight Pan Am titles, after winning in 2022 and 2023.

“I’m happy for the group to come together over two weeks and play well in the final against a good Chile team. Everyone contributed and I was glad how they kept their focus the whole match. We played our best volleyball at the end,” said U.S. head coach Heather Olmstead. “It was a great tournament, and Costa Rica did a great job hosting it. We are just really grateful to be here and to represent the USA.”

The U.S. finished with large margins in kills (42-15), blocks (10-2) and aces (8-2). Chile committed 11 fewer errors (26-15). The U.S. hit .516 for the match with 42 kills and just nine hitting errors in 64 attacks, while limiting Chile to a .000 hitting percentage on the same number of attacks.

Middle blocker Favor Anyanwu and opposite Jadyn Livings shared match-high honors with 13 points each. Anyanwu led all players with four blocks, adding eight kills, and the championship-clinching ace. Livings was the only player to reach double digits in kills (12) to go with a block.

Outside hitter Brooklyn DeLeye scored eight points on seven kills and a block, and middle blocker Ayden Ames totaled six points on three kills, two blocks and an ace. Libero Ramsey Gary led all players with 11 digs. Setter Stella Swenson delivered a match-high three aces.

A Glover block and back-to-back Swenson aces started a 7-0 U.S. run that turned a two-point lead into a nine-point margin, 13-4, in set one. DeLeye produced a kill that put the U.S. up 22-12 before Chile scored the next four points to prompt a U.S. timeout. The teams split points the rest of the set. DeLeye led all players with five points on four kills and a block.

The U.S. took an early 6-2 lead on a Livings kill in the second set and then the U.S. bench showed off its dancing skills during a lengthy delay. Back-to-back DeLeye kills made it 8-3 heading into the first technical timeout. Ames served an ace to build the lead to seven points, 17-10.

Anyanwu posted a block to put the U.S. ahead 20-11. Livings finished the set with a block, her seventh point of the set. She recorded six kills. Opposite Noemie Glover scored five points on four kills and a block with middle Lizzy Andrew (three kills and one block) and outside hitter Blaire Bayless (three kills and one ace) each scoring four points.

An Anyanwu kill gave the U.S. a 10-5 lead and when Glover put a ball down, the lead grew to seven at 13-6. Anyanwu scored on a slide off the block for an 18-9 lead. Anyanwu sealed the championship with an ace, her seventh point of the set after contributing three kills and three blocks.

2025 NORCECA Women’s U21 Pan American Cup

Name (Pos., Height, Birth Year, Hometown, School, USAV Region)
1 Lizzy Andrew (MB, 6-5, 2005, Ridgefield, Wash., Stanford University, Columbia Empire)
4 Blaire Bayless (OH, 6-2, 2005, Plano, Texas, University of Pittsburgh, North Texas)
5 Favor Anyanwu (MB, 6-3, 2006, Rowlett, Texas, Southern Methodist University, North Texas)
6 Ayden Ames (MB, 6-4, 2006, Prosper, Texas, University of Texas, North Texas)
7C Brooklyn DeLeye (OH, 6-2, 2005, Auburn, Kan., University of Kentucky, Heart of America)
8 Stella Swenson (S, 6-2, 2005, Wayzata, Minn., University of Minnesota, North Country)
11 Ramsey Gary (L, 5-7, 2005, Pendelton, Ind., University of Texas, Hoosier)
12 Noemie Glover (OPP, 6-2, 2005, Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., Arizona State University, Southern California)
13 Kamryn Gibadlo (OH, 6-1, 2005, Cave Creek, Ariz., University of Utah, Arizona)
14 Jadyn Livings (OPP/OH, 6-1, 2006, Dallas, Texas, Southern Methodist University, North Texas)
16 Taylor Parks (S, 5-11, 2006, Clearwater, Fla., University of Florida, Florida)
19 Abby Vander Wal (OH, 6-3, 2006, Elmhurst, Ill., University of Texas, Great Lakes)

Alternates
Jaela Auguste (MB, 6-2, 2006, Spring, Texas, University of Florida, Lone Star)
Carlie Cisneros (OH, 6-0, 2006, Paola, KS, University of Arizona, Heart of America)
Cristin Cline (S, 5-11, Stanfield, N.C., University of Kansas, Carolina)
Taylor Harvey (MB, 6-3, 2006, Bountiful, Utah, Bountiful HS, Intermountain)
Abigail Mullen (OPP, 6-3, 2006, Kansas City, Mo., University of Southern California, Heart of America)
Molly Tuozzo (L, 5-8, 2005, The Woodlands, Texas, University of Kentucky, Lone Star)

Coaches
Head Coach: Heather Olmstead (BYU)
Assistant Coach: Keith Smith (TCU)
Assistant Coach: Megan Hodge Easy (Penn State)
Performance Analyst: Jimmy Kim (NTDP)
Athletic Trainer: Britta Pestak (Hawken School/University Hospital)
Team Lead: Kyle Thompson (Maryland)

Schedule
All times Pacific

July 22: USA def. Canada, 3-0 (25-18, 25-15, 25-13)
July 23: USA def. Puerto Rico, 3-0 (25-13, 25-7, 25-15)
July 24: USA def. Chile, 3-0 (25-18, 25-19, 25-11)
July 25: Quarterfinals: USA received bye
July 26: Semifinals: USA def. Canada, 3-0 (25-17, 25-19, 25-20)
July 27: Gold Medal: USA def. Chile, 3-0 (25-18, 25-14, 25-13)

DAVID WOODS LOUNSBERRY

OBITUARY

LOUNSBERRY, DAVID WOODS David Woods Lounsberry passed away on January 31, 2011 at the age of 53. David was born in La Jolla, CA, the son of Jack Woods and Ann Irvine Lounsberry. He was a gifted athlete, excelling in basketball and surfing. He won 15 surfing trophies and was a proud member of the Windansea Surf Club. He also enjoyed golf, waterskiing, beach volleyball and playing the guitar, composing and performing beautiful worship music. While attending Mission Bay High School David was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder. He battled this illness for the rest of his life, helped by his deep faith in God and continuing support of family and lifelong friends. He maintained a wonderful sense of humor and had a lasting and dramatic impact on many people with whom he came in contact. He is survived by his father and stepmother Jack and Peggy Lounsberry, sister and brother-in-law Kate and Gerard Kelly, aunt and uncle Suzanne and Bruce Hunter, and cousins Russell and Andrew Hunter. His mother passed away in 1983. The family will hold a private service. Memorial gifts may be made to the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill. www.nami.org