Congratulations to senior Madeleine (Mado) W., who recently received a Certificate of Accomplishment from the Princeton Prize in Race Relations, NYC.

 

Mado attended the May 2, 2018, awards ceremony along with her mother and history teacher Sandra Smith. At this ceremony, Mado gave a brief speech about her work with the Spence Multicultural Awareness Coalition (SMAC)—a group she co-heads that raises awareness about racial and cultural diversity within the School. One of the many SMAC activities that Mado helped plan and lead this year was two assemblies following the mass shooting at Pulse nightclub in Orlando. The first assembly focused on the victims and the events of that night in June 2016. For the second assembly, Mado invited students of color and those who identify as LGBTQ to talk about their reactions to the shooting. Students were also able to discuss their responses to the shooting in large and small groups following the assemblies.

 

“White and straight students truly listened, attitudes changes and white student engagement in racial justice activities increased significantly in the following months,” said Mado, who was nominated by Grade 12 Dean Kelleher Jewett.

 

Smith shared the news of Mado’s award in an Upper School Gathering on May 15.

 

“I know that Mado, in collaboration with her classmates and fellow SMAC members, has already begun to pass this baton of inspiration for more Spence students to seek ways to bring social activism into our school walls and beyond,” Smith said.

 

The Princeton Club of New York promotes “harmony, understanding and respect among people of different races by identifying and recognizing high school age students whose efforts have had a significant, positive effect on race relations in their schools or communities.” The Club awards 10 certificates of accomplishment to high school students in New York and also names a top prize winner, which was Nupol Kiazolu from Nelson Mandela School for Social Justice this year. One of the Club’s goals is to “encourage others to join in these or similar efforts and to undertake initiatives of their own.”