Race Relations Prize For Arlington Student Who Designed DEI Training

ARLINGTON, VA — Marlene Reyes, a junior at the Arlington Tech Governor’s STEM Academy at the Arlington Career Center, was awarded the 2024 Princeton Prize in Race Relations during a ceremony on Thursday.

The initiative was founded in 2003 as a way to recognize high school students in 28 regions who have shown leadership in advancing racial equity in their schools and communities. Each prize recipient also received a $1,000 award during the ceremony at the Princeton University School of Public and International Affairs.

“When I started high school, I felt there was a lack of safe spaces for students of color," Reyes said. "Nearly 50 percent of the student body in my early-college school program are Hispanic, Black, or Asian, but they were not equally represented in advanced courses or student clubs and activities. I wanted to do something about it and decided to pursue this goal. As students, we are the only ones who can truly share how our identities, biases, and differences affect us in the classroom. And we can best share recommendations and ideas on what teachers can do to be more mindful and inclusive.”

Working with her school's Diversity, Equity & Inclusion coordinator Monica Lozano Caldera, Reyes to created a professional development series on Microaggressions in the classroom and Implicit Bias for teachers and staff at the school.

In addition, Reyes completed a required session for teachers and designed and designed a workshop series that allowed students to provide and lead training on implicit bias.

“The student participation and facilitation was so meaningful," said one teacher who took part in the training. "I am so impressed with their poise and maturity and also with the number of students who participated and what they added to the session.”