It was with great pride that Brookline Rotary learned that Sabrina Zhou, a junior at BHS, had been awarded Brookline Youth of the Year on April 11th at the Coolidge Corner Theatre. In addition to a solid academic standing, Sabrina was chosen from 61 other nominees because of her extracurricular activities including reporting for the school paper, an officer for the Asian Pacific American Club, and involvement with Steps to Success. The selection committee made a point of acknowledging Sabrina's character and how hard she works to ensure her younger siblings success as well as her own. Of great significance for Rotarians is that Sabrina was awarded a scholarship to attend Rotary District 7910 Rotary Youth Leadership Award (RYLA) training last spring. RYLA is a week-end program where students, from around the region, that are identified as potential leaders, are taught leadership skills. Sabrina subsequently attended Rotary events as a volunteer.
Another finalist this year was Paul Miller Schmidt, a senior, who has been instrumental in the Makerspace at Brookline Teen Center, and who worked with Brookline Rotary to secure a District Grant to purchase equipment for the MakerSpace.
Congratulations to Sabrina, Paul and all 61 honorees!
For an interview with Paul Miller Schmidt, see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9t8MRmyTp50
Among this year’s recipients is junior Sabrina Zhou. Active on the student newspaper The Sagamore, as well as the Asian Pacific American Club and the Minority Student Achievement Network, Zhou is a low-income student and will be the first in her family to go to college. She credits Steps to Success with all that she has achieved and her ability to be active in the community.
According to Zhou, the diversity represented in the award recipients demonstrates how personal background influences passion.
This is true for Zhou.
“When people think of people of color, Asian people don’t really come to mind,” she said.
Zhou joined the Asian Pacific Americans Club to help develop her identity as an Asian American, and next year she will be the club’s president. Her parents, she said, are proud of her for using the resources available in Brookline and maximizing on programs like Steps to Success.
For more, see http://brookline.wickedlocal.com/news/20180404/brookline-youth-awards-not-your-average-awards-ceremony