Palm Beach County Human Rights Council

The Social Justice Awards are named after Daniel S. Hall, a local attorney who manages a financial counseling company. Hall has served as the Treasurer of the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council since 1990 and is its longest serving board member. As a father of three, an activist and a mentor of gay youth, Hall always has had a strong interest in education. PBCHRC awards the annual scholarship to local college-bound high school seniors who have demonstrated an interest in advocacy on behalf of the LGBTQ community.

Three $2,500 scholarships were awarded in 2020 to Palm Beach County high school seniors.

Lake Worth Beach resident Kyle Ahern is a graduating senior at the Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts. A student in the Communication Arts Department, Vice President of his graduating class, Kyle served as the Editor-in-Chief of "Marquee", the school's yearbook. Kyle was also Speech Captain of the Dreyfoos Speech and Debate team. In that capacity, he in speech and debate competitions throughout the nation, arguing for legislative action to ban conversion therapy and advocating for greater resources for queer victims of intimate partner violence. In light of COVID-19, Kyle organized an online speech tournament that will donate all of the proceeds to the National Domestic Violence Hotline. Kyle will attend the Moody College of Communication at the University of Texas - Austin, where he will study journalism. "This scholarship means absolutely everything to me," said Kyle. "I will use the funds learn the skills necessary to fulfill my dream of a career reporting on LGBTQ+ issues.

Park Vista Community High School graduating senior Endora Guillaume is a passionate activist and outspoken woman of Haitian descent. A Lake Worth Beach resident, she is Bright Futures Academic Scholar as well as a Cambridge AICE Merit Diploma recipient. At school, Endora has been active in both the school's Gender-Sexuality Alliance and Black Student Union. This Fall, Endora will attend her dream school - Howard University to study political science on the school's pre-law track with the intent of becoming a human rights lawyer and activist. At Howard, Endora intends to become active with the ACLU, the LGBTQIA Committee, the Black Student Alliance, and other social justice organizations. In addition, she hopes to intern for a Member of Congress. "I am eager to use my education to make a real difference in the world and to ensure equal rights and fair treatment of all people, regardless of sex, religion, race, gender, etc.," said Endora. "This scholarship will make a tremendous difference in my education and will help me begin my life's calling"

Theo Shusterman of West Palm Beach serves as Co-Vice President of the Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA) at the Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts, where he organized the GSA Buddies Initiative and a community painting project. A gun-reform activist and Co-Director of March For Our Lives West Palm Beach, Theo will continue his social justice and advocacy efforts at Wesleyan University, where he plans to study political science and sociology. "At Weslyan, I intend to study the relationship between LGBTQ+ people and other minority groups within the American political system," said Theo.

Kavyasree Chigurupati, 17, is the intersectionality leader of the Gender-Sexualiy Alliance (GSA) at her high school, Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts in West Palm Beach. She was also voted "Class Activist" in her class' senior superlatives. But what she's most proud of is an initiative she co-founded in GSA called Technicolor. Technicolor is a submission-based student magazine that focuses on self-identity and self-expression, Chigurupati said. Chigurupati is heading to Rutgers University, a college in New Jersey, to study political science and pursue a career in public service.

Eric Burchill, 18, is his class' valedictorian at Wellington High School. He excelled in his science and math courses, even becoming a National Merit Scholar. Burchill has been involved in LGBT advocacy through his school's GSA chapter while serving as vice president. He said he's proud to make GSA an "outlet" for those who might not have supportive families. He plans to join Middlebury College's LGBT student association to give other LGBT people the many opportunities that he's been given.

Matthew Nadel is the founder and president of the Gender and Sexuality Alliance at the Dreyfoos School of the Arts. The Alliance functions as both a supportive space for LGBTQ students and an on-campus activism organization. He has served on the National Student Council of GLSEN, the nation's largest organization devoted to LGBTQ activism in the

K-12 school system. Matt will carry his passion for social action to Yale University, where he plans to pursue a double major in Political Science and Film & Media Studies.

Victor Espidol, a senior at Boynton Beach Community High School, is the founder of the Boynton Beach High School Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) and has been an active participant in the Compass LGBTQ Community Center's youth program. In 2014, Victor traveled to Tallahassee to urge legislators to defeat a bill that would have banned transgender individuals from using their self-identified genders bathroom. He is an advocate for comprehensive sexual education in the public schools and has spoken out about the need for more HIV prevention programs in Palm Beach County. Victor will be attending the University of Florida to study biology.

Melanie Camejo Coffigny, a senior at Lake Worth Community High School, is founder and president of her high school's GSA, which is one of the largest organizations at her school. In conjunction with 2016 PrideFest of the Palm Beaches, Melanie and other GSA members from throughout the county joined the parade contingent of policemen and women employed by the School District of Palm Beach County. Marching together, the group showed support for LGBTQ students. Melanie will be attending Duke University in the fall to study neuroscience.

In 2015, PBCHRC presented the inaugural Daniel S. Hall Social Justice Award to Ethan Kennedy, who graduated from Oxford Academy. Ethan founded and served as president of his school's Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA). He was also responsible for implementing the school's participation in the National Day of Silence, a day of action in which students vow to take a form of silence to call attention to the silencing effect of anti-LGBTQ bullying and harassment in schools. Ethan is attending New College of Florida, where he is studying Political Science and Women's/Gender Studies.

Send

SUBSCRIBE

Charitable foundation

The scholarship

2020 RECIPIENTS

PAST RECipientS

COMMENTS/QUESTIONS?

STAY INFORMED

GET THE LATEST NEWS FROM PBCHRC.

P.O. BOX 267, WEST PALM BEACH, FL 33402
(561) 346-1263 pbchrc@aol.com