Pingry School senior from South Orange recognized by Princeton Prize

BASKING RIDGE, NJ — Pingry School seniors Monica Chan, of Chatham, and Luc Francis, of South Orange, each earned a certificate of accomplishment from the Princeton Prize in Race Relations for Northern New Jersey.

Princeton University established the prize to recognize and reward “high school students who, through their volunteer activities, have undertaken significant efforts to advance racial equity and understanding in their schools or communities.”

Last summer, Chan and Francis launched the student-led Pingry Allyship Collective, a collaboration among students from a variety of Pingry’s affinity groups, the Black Student Union, the Asian Student Union, the Student Diversity Leadership Committee, and the Civic Action and Social Engagement Club.

The PAC is part of Pingry’s larger efforts in diversity, equity and inclusion. In Chan and Francis’ words, the PAC “aims to transform the realizations and lessons from education and discussion-based DEI work into tangible changes in the student culture, curriculum and extracurricular activities.”

In addition to being recognized for PAC, Chan was recognized for her work as co-president of the Asian Student Union, and Francis was recognized for his work as co-leader of the Black Affinity Group.

“Since my freshman-year English class and throughout their journey with the Asian Student Union and Black Affinity Group, Monica and Luc have represented and been inclusive in their work, and that matters,” said English teacher Audrey Enriquez, who nominated the pair for the award. “I could not be prouder that they are being recognized.”

  Pingry School