The Du Bois Award is one of the highest honors at Boston Prep, awarded each week to one deserving student in front of the entire school community. Named after W. E. B. Du Bois, the award recognizes a student who embodies the core virtues of Boston Prep -- courage, compassion, integrity, perseverance, and respect. The award is an opportunity to highlight students who have shown high levels of academic achievement or growth along with a high level of character development. In essence, Du Bois Award winners are students who embody the mission of Boston Prep.
Every Boston Prep teacher has the privilege of presenting the Du Bois Award one time each year. As such, the selection of a student to honor is not taken lightly. Meet our recent Du Bois winners through excerpts of the speeches teachers gave while honoring them in front of the school community.
Victoria Derosla, Grade 12 - Honored by Ms. Fontes, Mr. Alexandre, and Ms. Bacon
”In class last year and this year, this student has been the pillar of consistency. She is diligent and thoughtful, never missing an assignment and always putting forth her very best effort. In AP Language, she earned A’s on even the most challenging of material, demonstrating grit and perseverance when she could have decided to quit.”
Ishelle Haynes, Grade 8 - Honored by Ms. Duran, Mr. Kaplan, and Mr. Lester
”She is a quiet but fierce leader. She is constantly contributing thoughtful questions and comments to class discussions, willing to always lend a hand, and helps to push her partners to produce fantastic work. She takes risks that sometimes lead to making mistakes, but more importantly, she uses those mistakes to improve and to make her work stronger. She is the type of student every eighth grader should be striving to be.”
Hadgerson Marcellus, Grade 11 - Honored by Ms. Shuman and Mr. VanderZanden
”Holding open a door or helping find a missing desk may not seem like a big deal, but we think it is. We believe that these small acts of kindness can mean so much to another person, especially if that other person is struggling. We believe that Desmond Tutu is correct and that ‘little bits of good put together … overwhelm the world.’ We are grateful for the compassion and perseverance that this student consistently demonstrates. We know that it continues to make Boston Prep a better place for all of us, and we believe that it will lead him to amazing opportunities and accomplishments in his future.”
Sanai Pierre-Louis, Grade 7 - Honored by Ms. Gregory, Ms. Lavoie, and Mr. Black
”I have never met a student so wise beyond their years, attuned to the feelings of others, and passionate about making the word a better place by starting with simple acts of kindness and creativity. This young person marches to the beat of her own drum, and she is linking arms with everyone, inviting them to join in the parade as she goes.”
Lismary Taveras de la Cruz, Grade 10 - Honored by Mr. Tabb, Mr. Foran, and Ms. Masters
”This Du Bois winner is incredibly creative and determined. Over the past month of school, I have been humbled and honored to watch as her creativity and determination lead directly to her success in physics class. Whenever she attacks a new and challenging problem, she consistently uses multiple strategies. She advocates for herself, takes the time to check in on her own understanding, and ask questions about the things she doesn’t know. As a result, she has gained confidence in her work day after day.”