Accolades and Awards
Empathy is part of your soul, John; your need to help others pushed you through
procrastination to find your own voice and the way you will make a difference.
With your words you reflect the world back to us, make us see the beauty, the
distress, the injustice. You demand that we see, pay attention and move beyond
selfish wondering to action that will make the world a better place. Of course I am
sad to see you go but delighted at what it means for those you will encounter in
your journey. I am proud to have been a traveler with you.
–The senior tribute John’s adviser, Steve Riege, read for him.
The William Zinsser Writing Award
Chip Apfelbaum
Department Head, English
An activist and a young man with a strong social conscience, this year’s recipient
of the William Zinsser Writing Award observes the world around him with a
sharp eye and a profound intelligence. He has written poems about Cambodia,
mental patients, his front porch, and, most often, the city. He possesses a mature
vision and the verbal dexterity to bring it to life with a heartfelt concern for the
welfare of others, both close at home and in distant lands. He is quite simply the
best student poet I have come across, and I am not alone in noting his unusual
talent, for, this past year, he was the winner of the Wallace Stevens Young Poets
Contest. He has written, “I think I will tunnel with my words to the light,” and he
has done this nobly. The William Zinsser Writing Award goes to the Southend’s
own John Harrity.
Visual Arts Award
Carolyn Pelkey
Department Head, Visual Arts
The 2-D Award in the Visual Arts goes to a photography student of mine. He
is a young man of many talents, one of them being the ability to recognize and
capture the essence of a vision on film and to hold it up to our eyes to reflect
upon. Some of his works are seen on the walls behind you. It is my hope he will
continue to use this visual gift, in combination with his many others, in the future.
This book award goes to John Harrity.
The Sir Winston Churchill History Award
Rob Deitelbaum
Department Head, History
This year’s recipient of the Sir Winston Churchill History Award truly is passionate
about the subject and has excelled in every course that he has taken in the field.
He is articulate and inquisitive, open to opposing viewpoints, and encourages
discussion on issues. He has enlightened this community on a number of
important issues, most notably fair trade, and if you had the pleasure of hearing
him speak at David Holdt’s assembly, then you know his sense of the world is
beyond his years. The book that we are giving him is about one man’s fight to
save the world because we believe that John Harrity is on that same mission.
Congratulations John!
Brackeen Human Rights Award
Steve Riege
Advisor
This award is shared by an activist, a person who takes every opportunity to
educate himself and then act on what he knows and what he believes through, to
name a few, writing and reading his poetry; by founding the “Smash Something!”
drum corps to bring support to marches, rallies and picket lines across the
region for causes ranging from opposition to the war to supporting universal
healthcare; by encouraging Watkinson students to join him in walking on picket
lines in support of striking workers. We are both proud of, and thankful for, this
young man who uses his education and deep empathy to educate others and
give us all hope. Congratulations John Harrity.
In Celebration of John Harrity 