2011-2012: Abrar Omeish

Abrar is a supporter of the “Arab Spring” and traveled to Tunisia to aid Libyan refugees. She is active in the Interfaith Youth Action Group and she gave a Unity Speech at the 2010 9/11 Unity Walk. She is a member of the Fairfax County Human Rights Commission and founded MSA at her school, an interfaith group that works to bridge religious and cultural differences. She was invited to the White House and allowed to speak on a panel at a Congressional Summit. She has published several works and was featured in The Washington Post, LIFE Magazine, and Bisnow Media.

2012-2013: Autumn Guckert, Junior

Autumn Guckert turned adversity into opportunity. As a middle school student, Autumn experienced bullying. In response to her mother’s question of how she could make something positive happen from her hardship, she decided to mentor middle school girls. She says this has allowed her to release some of the painful emotions she experienced and helped forge her identity as a helper to others. She believes students become bullies because they fear being rejected or targeted by a clique. She states that anything that sets a young person apart from the group, such as looks or religious beliefs, can fuel bullying.

In addition to mentoring, Autumn and some friends from her church volunteered to escort fellow students who have intellectual disabilities and autism to Robinson’s Homecoming dance. The girls helped their classmates curl their hair, apply makeup, and get dressed up for the dance. The troupe danced the night away as Autumn lived her pledge of radical inclusiveness. This summer, Autumn plans to volunteer at Camp Barnabas in Missouri, where she will buddy with a teenager with special needs.

Autumn also works to promote peace globally. She raised nearly $1500 last year to join her church’s mission to Montenegro where she and her fellow church members provided Roma refugees with disaster relief following devastating fires, which displaced approximately 800 people. The refugees live in two camps, one in which a church ministry is active and the other consisting mainly of practicing Muslims. On the final night of their 10-day stay in the country, Autumn participated in providing a community meal, which aided in bridging the differences between the two camps. Autumn feels the main reason for the success of the shared meal was because everyone was treated with hospitality and respect. She points out, "It is so important to recognize your differences but to respond in love and build a relationship without judgments."

Through her work with Robinson’s Student Government, Autumn heads the committee for 26 Acts of Kindness, a movement begun in response to the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, CT. In April, approximately 3000 students will wear special tee shirts for 26 days upon which they will write the 26 Acts of Kindness they performed to honor the lives lost in that tragedy.

2014-2015: Natalia Micheli, Junior

Natalia Micheli, a dual US-Poland citizen, believes that peace depends on understanding and respecting different cultures and values. Her awareness of this has grown over the last 12 years.

Since leaving Poland when she was four years old, Natalia has returned every summer to her family’s village, Ropzcyce (pronounced Rope-chich-ya), a tiny, mostly Catholic, hamlet several miles outside of Warsaw. As she grew and interacted with friends in the village she realized that attitudes we generally accept in Northern Virginia concerning diversity in lifestyle, economic class, and culture, cause division and a lack of acceptance in Ropzcyce. She recognizes that when people are isolated and ridiculed by the rest of their society, there is a potential for violence.

Last summer, to raise awareness of foreign cultures and increase the level of understanding and tolerance, Natalia initiated the first-ever Western Culture class at the local Ropzcyce Culture Center. She modeled it on her Saturday Polish School classes organized by the Polish Embassy in Washington, DC. She secured a free classroom at the Center and with students’ help put up posters around town announcing the new class.

For three weeks Natalia led a daily two-hour class that included English language, American history, and culture. She involved students in discussions about American lifestyles, American cultural traditions, food, civil liberties, and different faith traditions. The class was a success and Natalia has been invited to give it again this year. She is excited about possibly having access to more resources and attracting more students.

“A lot of Polish history is about clashes with bordering countries,” says Natalia. “Without knowing cultural values you don’t know where people are coming from and what motivates them to do certain things. Not understanding and accepting the culture of others can lead to discrimination and ultimately to violence.”

2015-2016: Burke Centre Library Teen Advisory Board

Robinson selected the Burke Centre Library Teen Advisory Board (TAB) for its work to promote anti-bullying awareness and programs in Fairfax County. TAB is a two-year-old, student-led organization based at Burke Centre Library. Its initiatives and events are supported by the library’s youth services manager, Nancy Klein, and by the Friends of Burke Centre Library. Robinson Senior Amna Tahir is the current TAB president.

One of TAB’s key goals is to remove the stigma and shame so often felt by the victims of bullying and to show the range of support available locally. In spring 2015, the members of TAB were astonished by the results of a Fairfax County student survey that reported 50.9% of the students experienced some form of bullying. Aware of the county’s recent spike in teen suicides, the group decided action was needed. Meeting every two weeks over six months, the students organized the well-attended Anti-Bullying Fair at Robinson High School on October 17.

The fair included a presentation from local author Alan Eisenberg and provided booths for anti-bullying organizations such as Champions Against Bullying, PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and Stand for the Silent along with Fairfax County Public Schools Psychological Services and Robinson’s Future Business Leaders of America. The fair also sponsored poetry and t-shirt design competitions to give students a voice and an avenue to express their thoughts artistically.

Encouraged by the success of this event, members of TAB are now working to build county-wide support for anti-bullying programs. Robinson’s TAB members also plan to organize a new program, Uplifting Purposeful Support (UPS), to mentor 8th graders and underclassmen as they leave middle school and face the stresses of transitioning to higher grades.

This year’s TAB members include Robinson students Amelia Gulding, Weaver Hodges, Su Been Lee, Keegan Miller, Nathan Pillai, Matthew Singman, Yang Tang, and Amna Tahir. Others are Areeb Ehtisham from West Springfield and Deanna Meyer, home-schooled.

2017-2018: Faraz N. Zia, Junior

Faraz Zia believes that if he could help improve the conditions that lead some impoverished individuals to crime or terrorism, he could help reduce violence and promote peace.  Working with an import-export company, Zeetech, Faraz helped to develop Project NNZIA, a business venture in which 20% of all profits from clothing sales go towards the Edhi Foundation in Pakistan which helps the needy. To assist with sales, Faraz encouraged his Class of 2019 and the Science Honor Society to order their spirit wear from Zeetech.  To date, the profits have paid for over 500 meals for hungry people.

2019-2020: Michael McCabe, Senior

Michael McCabe serves as Virginia political director for March For Our Lives and is a member of the Board of the DC chapter. After the shooting in Parkland, Florida, Michael saw how young people can effect change. This led him to organize a meeting with local politicians before the DC 2018 March For Our Lives rally and to organize area students to participate in the march. Michael also helped lead the development of Students Demand Action, a local grassroots group against gun violence. He has continued this effort by volunteering for political campaigns in support of anti-gun violence policies.

Michael has spoken at conferences around the country and organized a rally against gun violence at NRA’s national headquarters which was attended by about 1,000 people. He has led training programs for high school and college students that teach skills in effectively lobbying Congress to promote federal gun-control legislation.

Michael sees many opportunities to solve the epidemic of gun violence. He worked with other young leaders to create a legislative agenda with the “bold vision to advance peace in the 2020 Virginia General Assembly.”

In addition, Michael works with other high school and college students in “devised theatre” (collaborative creation of a performance without a script) at Arena Stage in Washington, DC. This group addresses social issues affecting youth through autobiographical storytelling, poetry, and movement.

Michael is committed to examining the root causes of gun violence. He observed that communities know their own needs and programs that promote peace work best when developed by local community leaders. One of the critical objectives of the Virginia legislative agenda Michael helped craft is to “continue to grow lifesaving community violence intervention programs through strategic funding and local partnerships.” Michael reflected that he has learned through his work “that you can legislate safety, but when it comes to creating peace, you have to start with people.”