2010 Recipient

As a Youth Community Organizer at the Hyde Square Task Force, a non-profit, Melissa learned to create long-term change, in her neighborhood and in the Boston schools. As a leader in the get-out-the vote efforts, the voter turnout in her community rose 22%.  Melissa was also part of a campaign in which she worked to implement a comprehensive civics curriculum in the Boston Public School system. Melissa states, “I saw the impact this class had on the students in my community as they became engaged, and connected with each other about real life issues.” Melissa will be attending Amherst College in the fall.