2011-2012: Chris McDuffie

Chris overcame many life challenges to become a model student and mentor. He supports his classmates with academic assistance, encouragement, and praise. He listens carefully and then suggests how situations can be resolved without resorting to violence.

2012-2013: Jeff Freeman, Junior

Jeff Freeman has been successful both as an athlete and honor roll student during his high school career. He serves as a teacher’s aide for two teachers and he demonstrates the ability to build positive relationships with staff members through organizing materials and completing community service tasks.

Jeff has established himself as a leader among his peers. His desire to improve has influenced others to work toward achieving their personal goals. Jeff makes “doing the right thing” an attractive act through his consistent and genuine effort to make positive choices. When Jeff encounters someone who is disruptive or uses inappropriate language, Jeff uses humor effectively to make the student laugh and to reconsider his behavior.

Dr. George Deneault, Chair of the Math Department, summarizes, “As a member of a leadership program at Quander Road School, Jeff has taken the initiative to stand out as a reliable, caring, and hard-working leader. He is thoughtful in his interactions and attempts to put the needs of others ahead of his own. He consistently helps peers and faculty through his work in the classroom, school community, and school basketball team. Jeff Freeman embodies Quander Road School’s Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports values of respect, responsibility, and relationship building.”

2013-2014: Daniel Bermudez, Senior

School Counselor Adrian Williams describes Daniel Bermudez as “a mature, friendly, happy young man who is genuinely helpful to everyone he meets.” She says, “Daniel sets himself apart from the pack and has raised the bar by setting an example of appropriate behavior in all situations. It’s not always easy to stand out and take a different path, but that is what Daniel does with integrity and courage.”

Daniel was chosen to participate as a mentor in the school’s ‘Men of Character Program’. This mentoring program pairs juniors and seniors with freshmen to assist them in becoming responsible and respectful students. On one recent occasion, Daniel’s mentee had an emotional crisis. The upset student refused to respond appropriately and comply with classroom rules. Daniel was called to the office to talk with him. After talking with Daniel for fifteen minutes, the student quietly returned to class. Daniel used his relationship with his mentee to restore peace within the student and school environment. “Daniel simply has a way of making other students feel good, either with his words or a simple gesture like a hug or a high five,” Ms. Williams said.

Career and Transition teacher, Karen Rudert, also spoke very highly of Daniel. “When presented with choices, he consistently does the right thing.” She noted that Daniel is respectful to his peers and to adults, has a ready smile, and is always ready to help someone out. Because of his ability to work with a variety of students, he is able to intervene in conflict situations and to assist in peacefully resolving them.

One of Daniel’s personal goals is “to help people when I can, and to share my money with those who need it.”

2014-2015: Hanna Shiferaw, Senior

Teachers offer the following description of Hanna Shiferaw. “She is quiet, poised, committed student who is focused on the tasks in front of her. She entered Quander Road School as an 11th grader, struggling to identify personal and academic goals. Today, Hanna is an excellent student. She recognizes that it is important to be a good judge of character and to choose friends wisely.”

Peer Mediation has helped shape Emily’s future career choices. She is considering becoming an elementary school teacher or a child psychologist, and she says that the activities they did in her Peer Mediation classes helped open her eyes to how everyone is uniquely different. She points out that each person has different experiences, cultures, and customs growing up -- everyone has a story. Her dream is that her future career will enable her to play a role in shaping those stories for the better.

2015-2016: Sara Hobbs, Senior

Sarah Hobbs’ teachers describe her as bright and motivated. They say that by her positive attitude, encouragement to those who are struggling, and her kindness to others, Sarah brings a sense of peace to her fellow students. Sarah’s passions are both film making and ending the stigma of mental health issues. Tired of hearing terms such as ‘suicidal’ and ‘OCD’ used glibly and minimizing the struggles that people with mental health issues experience, she recently combined these passions in a video.

Sarah applied for and received a grant from Fairfax County to create a video to help break the stigma of mental health labels. She took the controversial topic of mental health and wrote a smart, funny, and poignant script called ‘It’s Real’. Sarah gathered a team of interested students who were committed to the project. She directed the video, worked with a recent graduate of another school, borrowed equipment, and coordinated efforts to create an effective teaching tool. By coordinating with staff and students to fill all the roles, she brought about a very real sense of community. All participants were united around a very significant issue.

Sarah’s video has had more than 1500 views on You Tube. She has received many messages from teens all over the country about how much the video means to them. A few teen mental health activist groups have reached out to her for permission to feature the video, and a reporter from National Public Radio interviewed Sarah about her experiences.

In making this video, Sarah has initiated a dialogue about a sensitive, under-discussed issue that plagues many people in our society. She has managed to give teens who are battling with mental health disorders a voice. Sarah hopes to use her gift to continue to make a difference in others.

Kenzie is also the president of the Madison chapter of Girls Learn International, a group which is dedicated to “building a movement of informed advocates for universal girls’ education and a new generation of leaders and activists for social change.” The Madison chapter raises money for the education of girls in other countries.

Andrea Jones, faculty advisor for the Amnesty International Club at Madison, summarizes, "Kenzie is a thoughtful, empathetic, and mature young person who feels that people can and should make a difference in the world."

2016-2017: Blossoming Beauties

Blossoming Beauties was founded for the two-fold purpose of helping girls grow into well-rounded, confident young women and working together on school and community projects. During their weekly meetings, the teens engage in team-building activities and ice breakers that encourage them to recognize their commonalities rather than their differences. They seek to develop an atmosphere of acceptance and have worked together on a variety of causes in both the school and the wider community.

Once the group has decided on a project, the girls raise money through such events as Quanderpalooza, a school-wide yard sale, and a spaghetti lunch for teachers with food made and served by the members of Blossoming Beauties. Last year the group chose to work with Bethany House, a shelter for female victims of domestic abuse. They filled donated purses with personal hygiene items and treats for the women. Another project was making fleece blankets for New Hope Housing, a group dedicated to stopping the cycle of homelessness. In both cases, the girls delivered their gifts and got to see where they would be used and enjoyed. The group also planted a tree on the school grounds to honor the memory of a beloved teacher.

Members of Blossoming Beauties are currently working in collaboration with “A Space of Her Own” (SOHO), an organization committed to helping fifth grade girls avoid delinquency. Along with SOHO’s mentors, Blossoming Beauties members lead team-building activities, serve food to the group, and assist with making items for bedroom renovations for the girls. Blossoming Beauties expresses the importance of working together peacefully and being part of something larger than oneself to reach a common goal.

2017-2018: Gina Scapellato, Junior

Gina Scapellato is intentional in her actions to quietly spread peace within the school community through listening, kindness, and understanding others despite their differences. To help promote a more caring and gentle school climate, Gina decided to institute a PEACE Project which encourages students to be more aware of how their actions and communication affect others She created a pledge they were asked to voluntarily sign, promising to uphold the basic principles that Gina tries to live out every day.  Gina is also an active member of the Blossoming Beauties, a school-based, all-girls group that collects needed items for homeless families on the Route 1 corridor of Alexandria.

2018-2019: Lauren Haymes, Senior

Lauren Haymes is President of Blossoming Beauties, a student interest group at Quander Road School. Blossoming Beauties was founded for the two-fold purpose of helping girls grow into well-rounded, confident young women and working together on school and community projects. The members engage in team-building activities that encourage them to recognize their commonalities rather than their differences.

Through her commitment to the mission of Blossoming Beauties, Lauren helped the group conduct charity drives and quarterly fundraisers, including collecting food for hurricane victims and meeting needs in the local community.

According to Jennifer Lee, Lauren’s mathematics teacher and moderator of the group, “Lauren has demonstrated her natural leadership skills, reflected in her ability to capture the respect and attention of her peers. She is a champion for her peers, constantly encouraging others to do their best and offering her assistance through difficult work. Whatever situation Lauren is in, she is kind and thoughtful and is a true role model for other students.” Her economics teacher, Dr. George Deneault, adds, “Lauren is an outstanding student and never settles for less than her best.”

Lauren intends to become a nurse in pediatric oncology, and she attends the Medical Assistant Academy Program. Lauren states, “I love helping people; it is what I was meant to do.”

2019-2020: Andrew Kieffer, Senior

“Andrew Kieffer is a key Quander peace player. His positive attitude and caring support have influenced students to reduce conflict and to find peaceful solutions to challenging issues,” says Dr. George Deneault, Math Department Chair. He describes Andrew as “a good listener, non-judgmental in his role as peer counselor, and able to suggest solutions which are honest and thoughtful.”

As a result of his leadership and problem-solving abilities as a peer counselor, Andrew was selected as the Vice President of the Student Advocates for Quander Road’s Student Council. He works closely with the Blossoming Beauties club (a previous recipient of the Student Peace Award) to enrich students’ high school experiences. They disseminate information, such as nutritional awareness, and sponsor events such as Spirit Week, which includes a student dance and Senior Privileges.

Andrew realizes the importance of information technology for students, but he also knows that availability can be restricted as a result of cost and lack of training. To address this problem, Andrew started a club, Of Mice and Motherboards. He has put together a team of fellow techies to repair and build computers with spare parts, which are then given at low or no cost to students in need. He feels the most important outcome is familiarizing his fellow students with computers and helping them to improve their academic skills. Andrew and fellow club members are currently exploring opportunities to raise funds to achieve the club’s goal of free computers for all students.

Andrew, already experienced as a computer-repair technician, plans to pursue an advanced degree in computer science.