Newtown High School junior Saahil Ray is one of three recipients of the 2022 George A. Coleman Excellence in Equity Award, and he is set to receive the award at a May 6 virtual event.

Saahil is the president of NHS’s Students Advocating For Diversity and Equity (SADE) club, and he was nominated for the award by NHS teacher and SADE advisor Rachel Torres and Newtown’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Coordinator Wesley A. Johnson.

“I feel like this award isn’t just specific to me but highlights all the students in SADE and I think we have a very special group of students who are working toward these goals and they should all be recognized as part of this award as well,” Saahil said in a recent phone interview.

The George A. Coleman Excellence in Equity Award is overseen by Connecticut’s State Education Resource Center (SERC) and the SERC Foundation. Both are set to host the May 6 virtual event, which is called “Dismantling Systemic Racism: 2022 Conference on Race, Education, & Success.”

According to SERC, it named the award for Newtown resident George A. Coleman, former State Department of Education administrator, SERC Board member, and two-time Connecticut Acting Commissioner of Education, who has championed educational equity.

The award honors those who have demonstrated commitment and courage to ensure all students, especially students of color and culturally and linguistically diverse students, are valued and respected in their school experience. Valerie Bolling of Stamford, an instructional coach in Greenwich; and Nakia Alexander, a parent partner in West Hartford, are also recipients of the award this year.

“This year’s honorees once again demonstrate that everyone can be an educational hero, no matter their role,” said SERC Executive Director Ingrid M. Canady in a release. “We’re especially excited to include a student among the honorees, because their voices are critical to driving their own success and collective change.”

Along with being a member of SADE, Saahil also initiated with C.H. Booth Library “Diversity Discussions” for teens to talk about racial issues during the Black Lives Matter movement. He also helped organize an advisory lesson on racism for NHS freshmen and sophomores along with an Anti-Racism Read-Aloud event at the library for elementary students.

According to SERC, Bolling, an award-winning teacher and children’s author, has served as diversity, equity, and inclusion co-chair of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. Her articles and children’s books give voice to underrepresented and marginalized children, while she has worked to ensure equity, inclusion, and access in Greenwich Public Schools.

In summer 2020, Bolling coached fellow educators on navigating difficult conversations with students following the killing of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, and she has mentored and facilitated such challenging discussions with students herself.

Alexander, a parent partner with the Office of Equity Advancement in West Hartford Public Schools, as announced by SERC, is co-founder of the West Hartford Community Parent Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion organization. In this capacity, she worked for diverse representation in educational material and helped update the curriculum and instruction related to “Enslavement in CT and in the Division West.”

Alexander co-founded root2Rise, a nonprofit organization that aims “to ensure all children in the West Hartford community have access to meaningful, empowering, and culturally relevant outdoor learning experiences while staying true to our values around equity, anti-racism, stewardship, and community.”

The William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund has been a lead supporter of the Dismantling Systemic Racism conferences through a grant to the SERC Foundation, Inc, according to SERC.

Saahil was one of the first students Johnson met after becoming the district’s DEI coordinator.

Johnson described Saahil in a recent phone interview as “just a phenomenal young man, very focused.”

Saahil, Johnson said, is deserving of the award because in times of uncertainty and discomfort, Saahil stepped up to try to address it.

“For me, he has demonstrated great leadership and character, and that, for me, is what great leaders do,” said Johnson.

Both John and NHS Principal Dr Kimberly Longobucco wrote a letter supporting Saahil’s nomination. The letter read in part, “Beyond the classroom Saahil is a mentor, teammate, friend and advocate. He is a member of our basketball and cross country teams as well as National Honor Society, Computer Science Honor Society, and Hawks Honor Association.

“Saahil is passionate about promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion both in Newtown High School and in our community,” the letter continues. Saahil also served as a student representative on the hiring committee for Johnson.

“Saahil attended meetings, interacted with district administrators and interviewed potential candidates with professionalism and ease,” the letter shared. “Saahil is a model young man and the perfect candidate for the George A. Coleman Excellence in Equity Award. Saahill advocates for students of color in our school and is willing to have conversations surrounding equity for culturally diverse groups. He is a leader and a student who we are extraordinarily proud of. Saahil is going to change the world, we are all fortunate to be on his path along the way.”

Torres, reflecting in a recent phone interview, said Saahil reached out to her in 2020 to ask about the teen talk he facilitated at C.H. Booth Library that year.

“I was just really impressed with the initiative that he took,” Torres said.

He then became involved with SADE, quickly becoming its president after Torres recommended the position.

“I’m just so proud of him,” said Torres.

A Sandy Hook Elementary School alum, Saahil grew up in Newtown. And he explained recently that since middle school he has wanted to make sure that no one will question their own worth or experience racial insults.

As a high school junior, Saahil said he is thinking about studying law with some sort of work with equity in college.

He also said he hopes SADE “creates a more inclusive environment at Newtown High and hopefully brings in more younger students so there can be more open dialogue about racism and racist jokes. It doesn’t have to be shied away from.”

Education Editor Eliza Hallabeck can be reached at eliza@thebee.com.