Students awarded for leadership

The New York Yankees and Community Board 8 recently honored five local high school students with Youth Leadership Awards and checks for  $750.  

Maurice Williams, a senior at David A. Stein Riverdale/Kingsbridge Academy, MS/HS 141; Laura Fitzelle and Alison Pruzan, both seniors at the Ethical Culture Fieldston School; Rey Llena, a senior at RKA; and Christine McNeil, a junior at Motts Hall High School, all received awards on Jan. 11 at the Riverdale Jewish Center.  

Roscoe Brown, a Riverdale resident, Tuskegee airman, CUNY professor and community leader, presented the awards. 

“The Bronx is truly the home of champions and these people are the champions here tonight,” he said about the extraordinary students.

Maurice Williams, 17, lives one block from the Kingsbridge Heights Community Center. He’s served on the center’s youth leadership council for five years, organizing events and fund raisers. He was recently promoted to a junior staff position with more responsibilities, including overseeing the center when staff members are in meetings. He’s goes to the center almost every day after school. Peer mediation is one of the jobs he likes best, he said. He sits down with children who get into fights and helps them work out their problems.

“I actually enjoy doing it. It’s my second or third year doing it, so you get used to the experience. I find it a great way to meet new people, sit down and converse with them,” he said.

Maurice said he will use the award money to pay for books for college and to buy his mother something. After he graduates from RKA, he will attend SUNY Albany.

Laura and Alison, both 17, have worked for more than two years at Riverdale Neighborhood House tutoring young children in math, English and writing.

What are they going to do with their $750 checks?

“Give it back. We’re going to give it back. They don’t know that yet, but we’re going to give it back,” they said, repeating each other’s thoughts. 

And they didn’t mean the Yankees, they meant the Riverdale Neighborhood House, which nominated them for the award.