2013-2014: Melissa Schwartz, Senior

Melissa Schwartz was one of the 24 students this year who participated in Operation Understand D.C. (OUDC), a year-long program that opens up dialogue between African American and Jewish high school juniors. The program’s mission statement is to “build a generation of African American and Jewish community leaders who promote respect, understanding, and cooperation while working to eradicate racism, anti-Semitism, and all forms of discrimination.”

Over the three-week summer journey (up to New York and through the Deep South), Melissa says she was pushed out of her comfort zone and broadened in her thinking process. She began to realize that she could create peace through understanding in communities such as her own. She appreciates the opportunities she has had and the peace-building skills she has developed through her involvement with OUDC. She now participates in workshops and gives talks in churches, synagogues, and schools. Melissa says that “OUDC has given me the chance to create peace in my community. I have led stereotype-reduction and privilege-awareness facilitations that lead to deeper conversations. As soon as the conversation begins to flow, I know that we are making a difference.”

As a result of her experience with OUDC, Melissa feels that she now sees the world through multiple lenses, such as religion, race, ethnicity, and familial background. She says that every time she is faced with an issue, she now tries to view it from every side to find the best solution. She feels that this is a quality that she will keep for the rest of her life to help peacefully defuse difficult situations.

Melissa summarizes, “It is important to acknowledge that not everyone will always agree, but OUDC helps build bridges to better understand one another, and it creates awareness that peace can come from understanding.”

2014-2015: Emily Borkowski, Junior

Emily Borkowski has taken two Peer Mediation classes where she led small-group discussions and activities. She helped organize an anti-bullying week and other activities to raise awareness and to encourage students to stand up against bullying.

It has become increasingly easy for students to bully one another through the use of social media. In response, Emily and another student came up with the idea to create a Peer Mediation Twitter Page where students can talk to mediators and also monitor student behavior online.

Sarah Clouse, her Peer Mediation teacher, says that Emily has become her go-to student in helping to mediate inter-personal conflicts and bullying situations. She says that students appreciate her excellent listening skills as well as her patient and kind demeanor. Emily is able to create a calm, non-biased environment were students feel safe.

Emily acknowledges that peace is not something easily obtained. She says she has learned that one can bring peace to others through both big and small acts of kindness and simply by being available to those who need a friend to talk with. She writes, “There are times in our life when we all struggle for acceptance—we all struggle for peace. I just hope that with my simple actions, I have been and will be able to spread peace to those who need it.”

Adrian Williams, a School Counselor at Quander Road School, adds “She is working diligently on her school studies and internship program. Her calm demeanor is an asset in an environment where emotions can rule the day. Because of her ability to remain calm and focused, Hanna has been called in to assist with mediations between other students. If there is the potential for a serious conflict, Hanna seeks assistance to resolve the issue in advance.”

Hanna’s teachers describe her as a very caring person, motivating others by using words of encouragement. She is a good listener when others need to express frustration. A calm presence in the classroom, Hanna respects other students and is supportive when they are struggling. She encourages students to stick to tasks and to finish what they start.

2015-2016: Cindy Le / Quan Lu, Seniors

Cindy Le and Quan Lu are co-recipients of a Fairfax County Student Peace Award. They were chosen for jointly founding and leading an Amnesty International chapter at their school. Their efforts include networking with other students to enroll them as volunteers, organizing a letter-writing campaign to address human-rights concerns globally, and working to liberate prisoners of conscience.

Stephen Johnson, teacher and sponsor of Lee’s chapter of Amnesty International, decided to recommend Cindy and Quan jointly because, in his words, “I could think of no students more deserving.” When he spoke to them about the award, they preferred to share it rather than compete with each other. To him, this is indicative of their intentions and sincerity as peace-makers. They embody the ideal of resolving conflicts in advance before they arise.

Cindy Le founded a Girl’s Learn International (GLI) club at Lee High School. GLI promotes human rights with an emphasis on women’s rights. She serves on the GLI Student Advisory Board for the D.C. region and, in that capacity, has helped organize meetings for local chapters. She attended the Women, Money, and Power Summit at the National Press Club in 2015. She also participated as a GLI delegate to the Commission on the Status of Women at the United Nations in March 2016. There she joined panels, sessions, and workshops on this year’s focus on Violence Against Women.

Cindy says that what she especially values in advocacy work is making a difference by recognizing problems and finding solutions. She also feels that it gives her the ability to connect with other people both internationally and in her community.

In addition to his involvement with Amnesty International, Quan Lu is seeking a more immediate impact by helping at-risk students in the local community. He manages the GIVE Tutoring where he helps to provide free tutoring to elementary students from lower income and immigrant families. He says his goal is to improve the communication skills and school performance of his students, thus helping them to reach their potential and provide them with a better future. Quan also serves as the student advisory representative for GLI at Lee High School, creating fundraising opportunities and educating the public on gender inequality and the rights of women.

2016-2017: Naomi Soquar, Senior

Naomi Soquar is one of the founding members of the Amnesty International (AI) club at her school, serving last year as secretary and currently as president. In these capacities, she worked with other students to enroll volunteers and to write letters in response to global human rights violations. Naomi says that this project was especially satisfying when she discovered that their letters contributed to the release of two political prisoners in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

As the president of the club, Naomi leads other students in learning about human rights issues such as systemic racism and refugee/migrant rights. This has encouraged the students to think critically about why these problems exist and what can be done to relieve them. Naomi and other members of the AI club also worked for a local clothing drive for homeless people.

In addition to her work with the AI club, Naomi has been active in various service organizations such as Girl’s Learn International, the Capital Area Food Bank, and Habitat for Humanity. Stephen Johnsen, the faculty sponsor of the AI club at Lee High School, says, “Naomi was the first person I thought of when I saw the posting for the Peace Award. I can’t imagine a student who is more deserving of winning this award.”

Naomi volunteered at an orphanage in Thailand last summer. There she got to know the children, taught English, and did various manual tasks such as cleaning the shower area. She says, “I believe in giving back to the community and intervening when human rights have been violated. I feel my various service and leadership experiences have taught me how to do that.”

2018-2019: Oscar Manuel Lopez Hernandez, Senior

Since arriving at Lewis, Oscar Hernandez has been an active member of the school community. He participates in the Student Government Association (GSA), where he works to build consensus between Association members, other students, and staff.

GSA Sponsor Mercedes Matson says, “Oscar has an innate ability to perceive. He advocates for students from all walks of life by looking out for students who might feel isolated or alienated by the curriculum or climate of the school.

He pulls in those with different points of view and is willing and skilled at discussing divisive issues to help people come together to resolve conflicts without any hard feelings. I believe this is the essence of promoting peace.”

Living in Honduras until 2015, Oscar was surrounded by violence. He recalls, “I remember seeing people fighting in my country -- people afraid to go to school. I also remember my great-grandmother telling me that whenever something bad might be happening, I should see if I can help.” Here in the U.S., Oscar embraces community service to help to improve his surroundings and to restore hope. He is working to organize whole-school events, with the hope of educating students to the importance of inclusion, community, education, and bridging the gap between different groups. He says his passion is to help others achieve a better life.

2019-2020: Catherine Soto, Senior

Catherine Soto was involved in the year-long effort of creating the Best Buddies chapter at Lee High School. Best Buddies, an international nonprofit entity, fosters one-to-one friendships between people with and without intellectual and

developmental disabilities. The organization is active in every state and operates programs in 54 foreign countries.

As a leader of Best Buddies, Catherine organizes activities and listens to members’ suggestions of ways to improve the club. She says, “I make sure everyone has a voice and feels free to express opinions. When there is a disagreement, we talk it out and come up with a solution.”

According to School Counselor Jennifer Rogin-Marks, “Catherine has had a great influence on the introduction of Best Buddies to Lee High School. Within this new program, Catherine and her fellow Best Buddies leaders were responsible for recruiting general education students who wished to build a relationship with the special needs students who might not otherwise have had the opportunity to engage with our student community.” According to Ms. Rogin-Marks, Catherine helped Lee’s general education students to understand the importance of a community culture of acceptance by promoting the inclusion of this special population.

Catherine says, “I try to give special-needs students a voice and to make sure they know that in the Best Buddies club they will always be welcomed.” She added that “these one-to-one connections can provide motivations and self-esteem which are so important to every high school student.”

Catherine says she is fascinated with human behavior and is looking forward to studying psychology in college. Irrespective of the path of her career, she says that she “intends to continue helping others.”