Seven Racine Unified School District students received the 2017 Peacemaker Award
This award is given to outstanding high school students who contribute to peacemaking in the Racine community.
The criteria for the Peacemaker Award include organizing and leading peacemaking (diversity/projects) activities; participation in these types of events/activities or learning about and demonstrating or modeling non-violent (anti-bullying alternative) behaviors; and creatively engaging students in peace awareness projects.
Below is more information about each of the recipients, as written by their respective nominators.
Emma Widmar
Park High School
Emma Widmar has been involved in many school activities. She has promoted peace in many ways inside and outside of Park High School.
Two activities stand out: Positive Impact and Link Crew. Emma has mentioned that in Positive Impact, student leaders mentored younger students and helped them learn right from wrong and appreciate the importance of being in school. One Positive Impact activity involved making bracelets. Each color represented something: strength, love, peace……Emma said she’ll always remember the day they made these bracelets. She was attached to medical equipment and was being tube fed at the time. The younger students accepted her the way she was. They understood even without wearing a bracelet that it’s ok to be different.
Link Crew has helped create peace at Park High School. It’s all about connecting and communicating. In Park’s diverse community, everyone is encouraging. Emma’s plans for after Park include studying professional communications at Gateway and then transferring to Parkside.Her Favorite quote is From MaLaLa Youfsafzai: “I truly believe that the only way we can create global peace is through not only educating our minds, but our hearts and our souls.”
Amari Dailey
Case High School
For the past three years Amari Dailey has gone out of his way to be of service to Case High School and other schools in the district. He has taken on jobs that no other students have been able or willing to do and gone beyond every expectation to complete them. He has reached out to staff and students alike to bring them together through the arts. It’s no surprise that Theater, Band and Choir students and staff can run into conflicts. Amari has worked to be a bridge for all groups to cross and meet amicably in the middle. He became the first ever youth backstage manager on the production of The Hot Spot that won three state awards. He trained and worked tech for #DarkSideoftheRainbow that not only won state awards, but was presented at the International Thespian Festival where he was also lead a crew to win third place in the Tech Crew Challenge. He is the first ever Case Eagle Theater International Thespian Troupe President and his knowledge base, work ethic and people skills are so high that he is now an RUSD employee, offering his time and expertise to productions around the district. He is a full IB Diploma student, a Master Singer as well as the president for his church youth group.
Amari has volunteered hours of his time to use his skills to keep the peace. He has targeted young people who had no connection to anyone or anything and given them skills, a job and a place to belong. He’s always thinking, always moving, always caring – to the point that we sometimes worry he will drop.
Destiny Smith
Focus on Community / Horlick High School
Destiny Smith became a part of the Focus on Community (Focus) Teen Peer Program in June of 2015 after attending Teen Institute, our leadership camp. After Teen Institute, Destiny decided that she wanted to become more involved in her community, especially helping others. She volunteered at Focus in our Smart and Healthy Kids summer program before applying to become a paid Teen Peer. Now, as a sophomore at Horlick High School, Destiny helps to implement several of our programs working with kids and their families. Destiny is always willing to do anything asked of her and puts forth 100 percent effort in all that she does. Destiny always comes into Focus with an amazing attitude and is always very positive when working with people. Destiny attended the Youth as Partners in Civic Leadership (YPCL) conference with a group of Focus students the last two years.
This year Destiny was chosen as the Governor for YPCL. Destiny will be helping to plan the YPCL conference this year, she will assist with recruitment of youth organizations, planning speakers and the general timeline of the conference. Her duties as governor of YPCL include leading the conference, being on stage with a microphone talking to the youth participants as well as the planning of the conference. At Focus, we think that Destiny is the perfect candidate to receive the Peacemaker Award.
Jimmy Kohlmann
Case High School
People see Jimmy as the actor, or that kid from the Lip Dub and Mr. Case. He’s a performer, but his best performances have not been always been on the stage.
Since Jimmy was very young he would come on every Case Theater teambuilding field trip we put on. In fact, before he could speak, he was in a backpack viewing a presentation the Case Conflict Resolution Crew did with adults in an Anger Management workshop. Since then he has found ways to take a stand for people and learn ways to lead them in better directions. He has put in hours of volunteer time to learn the fundamentals of leadership and team building. He accepts nothing but the best and holds true to those high expectations.
He is a member of the Case Link Crew, Master Singers and National Honor society. He has also knocked on doors with the YES students in “Get Out The Vote.” Three years ago, he travelled to Germany to teach other young people how to use theater as a medium for creating better environments in their schools and communities.
Jimmy has lead groups in problem solving, community creating and hope building work using his wildly creative theatrical skills and passion for positive change.
Kyle Semrad
Walden III
As the Vice President of Student Government at Walden, Kyle has led the charge in 2016-2017 to help raise over $10,000 and counting for community-based organizations in need, as well as planning school events and meetings. In December when we lost a member of our Walden family in a drunk driving incident, Kyle decided with the help of student government to host a dodge ball tournament to raise awareness for drunk driving. In this one night alone over $ 1,300 were raised. Kyle works very hard in the classroom to be able to maintain status as a Walden NHS member. He makes an impact on many of the Walden III middle schoolers as well. Outside of Walden, Kyle dedicates a great amount of time to being a High Academic honor student Athlete at Horlick High School. He has been selected to two All County Teams and two All Conference teams for baseball and volleyball. Through the skills he has obtained in volleyball, Kyle works passionately to help develop and coach the young Walden athletes during their intermural season.
David Stroback
Walden III
David Stroback is a high honor roll junior at Walden III High School maintaining a 4.0 average and an AP student. As a junior, David was elected by his student body to serve as the student government president. David is also the representative and youth leader for Relay for Life, leading the school in fundraising events and participating. David is a lead delegate for his school for Model United Nations conferences held throughout the year.
David has always had a passion for baseball and enjoys playing third base for the Horlick High School Varsity team. In his spare time, he writes a top ranked Major League Baseball blog named Bleacher Boy. He is currently in the process of working on getting a children’s book published that he wrote and illustrated.
David was selected as the school delegate to attend Badger Boys State this summer at Ripon College. He looks forward to attending this week long conference to participate in leadership development and exploring the complexities of government and citizenship.Upon graduation, David would like to pursue a degree in Journalism.
David Sosa
John XXIII Educational Center
David has been attending John XXIII Educational Center since fifth grade. David excels academically, is involved in the Racine community and has a positive attitude. He is a sophomore at Saint Catherine's High School where he is currently on the Honor Roll. David is involved in a wide variety of activities both in school and outside of school. He is a member of the Art Club, plays saxophone in the Pep Band, and was actively involved in St. Catherine’s Mock Trial Team. David volunteers at center sponsored events such as, The Annual Banquet, The Christmas Celebration, as well as The End of the Year Party. David was chosen this year to speak at our Junto’s Program, where he shared advice with our 8th grade students on how to successfully transition into high school. He also engages in activities that aid in his personal growth such attending college tours, and career presentations. David’s hard work and dedication to his family, friends, and community show his true character, and his ability to make a positive impact!