Lower Merion High School Student Honored For Race Relations Work

ARDMORE, PA – A Lower Merion High School student's work to improve race relations earned him recognition by the Princeton Prize in Race Relations committee recently, according to the committee.

Senior Joel Herbert earned the PPRR Philadelphia Certificate of Accomplishment by showing "significant impact in advancing positive race relations through their volunteer work," according to the committee.

Herbert showed "quiet leadership to improve race relations in his school and community," the committee said.

Some of his work included organizing a Black Lives Matter March, promoting diversity in the casting and selection of plays offered by the theater club, ensuring fair treatment in the track team, and speaking out about his experience of white privilege in the "We Are Lower Merion" video.

Watch "We Are Lower Merion" below.

Herbert and six other area students were honored at the April 24 Award Ceremony.

The 2018 PPRR Philadelphia Prize Recipient was Jared Elters Dempsey, a Senior at Coatesville Area Senior High School.

He was honored for organizing and leading 2,000 students and community members in a peaceful protest in response to two racially charged events in his high school. The protest focused on unifying the school and community to spread the message that prejudice and discrimination would not be tolerated. As the prize recipient, Mr. Dempsey will receive a cash award of $1,000 and an all-expenses-paid weekend to a national symposium on race held on the campus of Princeton University.

Below are the other PPRR Philadelphia Certificate of Accomplishment Awardees:

• Arielle Gray – Haverford High School
• Mandisa Keswa – Council Rock High School North
• Citlalli Ramirez – Kennett High School
• Vir Sahu – Council Rock High School North

PPRR operates in 27 regions nationally, including Philadelphia.

Congratulations to Joel and the other honorees!

Image via YouTube screenshot