Princeton proud

Katie Klasing began her junior year at Mountain Brook High School with a mission: She wanted to reinstate the then-defunct Heritage Panel, an organization dedicated to social justice and working for change in schools. 

Now a graduating senior, Klasing can say she not only successfully brought the organization back to life and completed some of its long-term goals, but also that she was selected as one of the recipients of the 2016 Princeton Prize in Race Relations for her work.  

Klasing is the first Princeton Prize recipient in Alabama, a national honor awarded to 25 high school students for their efforts in promoting race relations. 

Along with the recognition, Klasing also participated in the Princeton Prize Symposium on Race on at Princeton University April 29-30 and received a $1,000 award.

Klasing said she had been part of the Heritage Panel during her sophomore year of high school, but there was little done afterward to keep the organization running for another year. Heritage Club group members are asked to make a commitment to discourage bullying, harassment and discrimination. Club activities center on training and education in conjunction with the Social Justice Program of the YWCA of Central Alabama.

‘Respectful leader’

 It was her experiences while attending Camp Anytown during the summer after her sophomore year, she said, that inspired her to try and revive the Heritage Panel at school. Camp Anytown, which is part of the YWCA, is a social justice leadership camp for high school students. 

At Anytown Alabama, according to the camp’s website, student delegates engage in typical summer camp activities and also develop leadership skills that they take back to their schools and communities. The lessons she learned there, she said, aligned with the goals of the Heritage Panel. 

“I wanted to teach others what I had learned about how diverse and accepting people can be,” Klasing said. “I learned a lot about stereotypes, prejudice and just how wrong it can all be.”

Klasing said she worked with YWCA’s Coordinator of Social Justice Programs Rebecca Harkless, Mountain Brook High School Principal Amanda Hood and Student Assistance Counselor Kenneth Harkless to bring the organization back. 

During a recognition portion of the April 11 Board of Education meeting, Hood congratulated Klasing for receiving the Princeton Prize and for her work with the Heritage Panel. 

“Katie is a genuinely kind, respectful leader in our school,” Hood said. “She’s a remarkable young woman, wonderful student and has a very strong sense of self. She knows who she is and works to help promote the best in people.”

As president of the Heritage Panel this year, Klasing helped successfully organize an exchange program with Wenonah High School — an activity past Heritage Panel members had tried to accomplish, but never successfully pulled off. In early April, students from Heritage Panel at MBHS spent a day with students from a similar club at Wenonah. 

“The purpose of the exchange program was to broaden experiences and have deep conversations about differences and similarities that teenagers from different communities may have in common,” said Hood. 

The students also participated in diversity training led by Rebecca Harkless, said Hood, and through that training were able to form a strong bond. 

Several of the students connected so well, said Klasing, that a handful visited MBHS during its annual Relay for Life event following the exchange day. 

“We learned so much about each other,” said Klasing, “about how much we have in common.”

On April 21, it was Mountain Brook’s turn to spend part of the day at Wenonah. The students then convened once again at MBHS where they shared their experiences with others. 

Looking ahead

Klasing couldn’t contain her excitement when asked what being a Princeton Prize recipient meant to her. 

“Rebecca Harkless encouraged me to apply,” Klasing said, “and I thought it would be a fun thing to do. I spent a lot of time on the application. I was so excited when I heard the news. I didn’t think I’d be the first in Alabama to ever be recognized.”

Along with her work with the Heritage Panel, Klasing also participated in the YWCA’s Peace Birmingham dialogue, a monthly discussion about social justice issues among a diverse group of high school students from a variety of area high schools, including small private schools and large inner-city public schools. Klasing is also president of the Mountain Brook chapter of Venture Crew, a co-ed youth development program of the Boy Scouts of America. 

As if she already weren’t busy enough, Klasing is also a model with an agency in Birmingham and another in Atlanta. Modeling, she said, has helped introduce her to “so many artistic, talented people.”

Despite her hectic schedule, you’ll never hear her complain.

“I am juggling a lot,” said Klasing, “but I don’t have a problem with it. I’ve signed up all my activities myself and I love each and every one of them.” 

When she graduates this month, Klasing said she’s confident Heritage Panel will be left in capable hands. 

“Heritage Panel will be very progressive after I leave,” she said. “We’ve met a lot of times just in the past month to discuss how to improve and make both big and small changes.”

This fall, Klasing will attend Oglethorpe University in Atlanta.