School lockdowns and racial fights are not supposed to be part of a ninth-grader's curriculum.  But that is just what 14-year-old Gabriela Olguin faced at South Los Angeles Area New High School No. 1 (a.k.a. “Santee”): a December 2005 melee between Hispanic and African-American students, for example, resulted in ten hospitalizations and 34 arrests. However, Gaby, as she is known, decided to do something about the tensions racking her campus; she led a group of students who created “Peace and Unity Week,” a series of lunchtime games, performances, poetry readings and other activities that helped students come together around themes such as “Black and Brown Pride.”

On April 19, 2006, PCSC recognized Gaby’s efforts by awarding her the Princeton Prize in Race Relations^.†  Gaby was later presented with a commendation signed by University President Shirley Tilghman and a check for $1,000 at the May 13, 2006 Princeton Prize Award Ceremony and Brunch Reception held in the Bradley Room atop the Los Angeles City Hall building. 

Co-hosted by PCSC and then Los Angeles City Council member and Princeton Trustee Jose Huizar *94, the May 2006 award ceremony and reception also publicly noted and honored, before an audience of proud parents, family members and Princeton alumni,  the worthy contributions of several high school students that had applied for the Princeton Prize. (Read more)

PCSC Princeton Prize Committee

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^.† Launched by Princeton in 2003, the Princeton Prize in Race Relations is an awards proram that recognizes high school students for outstanding work in advancing the cause of race relations in their schools or communities (www.princeton.edu/PrincetonPrize.)  2006 marked the first year that PCSC participated in this awards program.