On Thursday, May 17 at the prestigious Silver Knight Awards Ceremony, Senior Molly Nuell was awarded the Silver Knight Honorable Mention in the category of Speech. This is the latest recognition Molly has received for her work in helping build a school in La Colline, Haiti.

Molly has made significant strides in her project. Through the Hearts for Haiti Club, which she leads, she and club members have raised awareness of the dire situation in Haiti and have held various fundraisers to help their cause. Molly also traveled to a national conference of Sacred Heart schools to appeal to the adult community to join in a unified fundraiser, which took place in mid-February and raised several thousand dollars while reinforcing a sense of solidarity amongst the Sacred Heart community. Her innate ability to communicate energy and compassion for the children of Zanmi Beni has helped her make the project a true success.

The selection process for recipients of Silver Knight Awards is extensive and challenging. Seniors from Miami-Dade County’s public and private schools present both their academic and community service achievements. As part of the application process, each nominee must collect letters of recommendation from his or her school and community service involvement. In Molly’s recommendation letter, Cassia van der Hoof Holstein, Chief Partnership Integration Officer at an international nonprofit organization, describes Molly as “a young woman of extraordinary promise…” Sr. Cooke offered her admiration for Molly’s “capacity to empathize with others and her consistent action on behalf of those who are marginalized.” Molly has made these qualities evident in her tireless effort to help those around her, both in her school and global communities.

Molly’s passion for her work is also evident when she discusses her work on behalf of the children of La Colline: “ I have a passion for education – I believe that educating a person, whether through formal or informal education, can truly break the cycle of poverty. The current situation is unique, but not unsolvable.”

The Miami Herald describes the Silver Knight Awards as “one of the nation’s most highly regarded student awards programs.” The program was established to “recognize outstanding students who have not only maintained good grades but have also unselfishly applied their special knowledge and talents to contribute significant service to their schools and communities.” (The Miami Herald website) For more information on the Silver Knight Awards, visit: http://www.miamiherald.com/1399/index.html#storylink=cpy