Students from 23 Fairfax County public schools have been named recipients of the 2022 Student Peace Awards of Fairfax County, designed to recognize young people who work as peacemakers.
Students from the Sun Gazette coverage area earning the awards included Caroline Martell of Langley High School, Maya Kanaan of George C. Marshall High School, Olivia Zhang of McLean High School, Sara Boddie of Oakton High School, Damilola Awofisayo and Christopher Array of Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology, as well as the Junior Civitan Club (Olivia Bell, Laura Guertin, Anika Gupta, Layla Ibrahim, Kate Laing, Bella Mack, Clare Shannon and Kieran Warner) of James Madison High School.
The Student Peace Awards of Fairfax County were begun in 2006 to encourage people to think more about peace as both a means and an end, and to recognize young people who work as peacemakers. Every year, the high schools in Fairfax County are asked to select one junior or senior, or a group of students, whose work has promoted peace.
The project is organized by volunteers and funded by donations from 17 secular and religious sponsoring organizations. Recipients were recognized at a reception on March 13.