Dr. Anne Smith To Receive Civil, Human Rights Award

CUTCHOGUE, NY — Dr. Anne W. Smith has been chosen by the Southold Anti-Bias Task Force to receive an award spotlighting civil and human rights and an ongoing mission to celebrate diversity.

Smith, superintendent of the Mattituck-Cutchogue School District, will be honored with the 2017 Helen W. Prince Award at an event on Thursday, Oct. 5 at the Cutchogue East Elementary School Library from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.

In 2015, the Southold Town Anti-Bias Task Force established the Helen W. Prince Award to "call the attention to and honor a community member in Southold who has distinguished him or herself as an extraordinary leader in championing civil and human rights by promoting diversity, unity and fairness in our town," a release from Southold Town said.

According to the ABTF, Smith is honored for "her leadership and commitment to ensuring that all the students, staff and faculty in her schools actively participate in creating and affirming and inclusive learning environment for all."

At the event, there will also be a display of art made by the students from the Cutchogue-East Elementary School.

Journalist and Suffolk Times Executive Editor Steve Wick is slated to serve as guest speaker.

Last year, voices filled with emotion and tears of gratitude, family, friends, and the many colleagues whose lives she's touched came together to honor longtime community servant Merle Levine, 92,who was presented with the second annual 2016 Helen Wright Prince Award by the Southold Anti-Bias Task Force.

At that event, Southold ABTF member Leroy Heyliger kicked off the night by explaining that the Helen Wright Prince Award, created in memory of a woman who created the migrant labor camp school in Cutchogue, is meant to honor those who dedicate lives to "promoting diversity, unity, and fairness in our towns."

Patch photo by Lisa Finn.