Student named winner of humanitarian award

By linda denicola
Staff Writer

By linda denicola
Staff Writer


Freehold Township resident Joseph Pepe (c) accepts a proclamation recognizing his humanitarian work from Freehold Township Deputy Mayor Anthony Ammiano (l) and the Rev. Jeff Philhower, chairman of the Freehold Township Human Relations Council.Freehold Township resident Joseph Pepe (c) accepts a proclamation recognizing his humanitarian work from Freehold Township Deputy Mayor Anthony Ammiano (l) and the Rev. Jeff Philhower, chairman of the Freehold Township Human Relations Council.

FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP — An appreciation and respect for diversity are something that township resident Joseph Pepe has taken to heart, so he was an excellent choice to win the Freehold Township Human Relations Council award.

Pepe is a member of the Freehold Borough High School class of 2003. He will attend Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pa., in the fall.

The $500 Humanitarian of the Year award was presented to Pepe at the Human Relations Council meeting on June 2. In addition, he was presented with a proclamation from the Township Committee on June 24. The monetary award is sponsored by the Western Monmouth Exchange Club.

Joseph and his proud parents, Sheila and Arnold, were at the Township Committee meeting to accept the proclamation, as was Jeff Philhower, pastor of the First Assembly of God Church, Freehold Township, who chairs the Human Relations Council.

"Joseph’s involvement and activities in the peer leadership class enabled him to assist other students and faculty, resolve conflicts and serve as a role model for many youngsters," the township proclamation states.

A highlight of Pepe’s involvement was his participation in a leadership training course and leadership role over peer leaders at the Anytown, New Jersey, event in 2003. He brought the lessons he learned about diversity, ethics and morals back to the high school to share with his fellow students.

Joseph comes from a family of teachers. His mother, Sheila, teaches elementary art in Hazlet and his father, Arnold, is a learning disabilities teacher/consultant in Freehold Township.

In order to be considered for the humanitarian award, Pepe had to submit an essay and two letters of recommendation. In his essay, he wrote about empathy that stretches beyond self-interest and personal experience.

"I am not Sudanese, and I do not know personally anyone that is suffering in the Sudan, the largest country in Africa, but I am a human being like every person on this planet, and we all share the burden of what is going on," he wrote.

Pepe said he became concerned for the Sudanese after visiting the United States Memorial Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C., and witnessing some disturbing photographs on a wall just before the museum exit.

"It was a small wall on which pictures hung with captions and text, which chronicled a possible genocide that has been threatening the lives of large groups of people in the African country of Sudan," he said.

Pepe said he was moved by the realization that genocide keeps happening and he did not want to just be a concerned bystander. He vowed that " … from this point on, I would be the hero, the one that makes a difference, that will change the world for the better, and this would start in high school."

He started out by not standing by while youngsters were maliciously teased. He joined the school’s human relations program, whose mission, he said, is to sensitize the Freehold Borough High School student body to differences among people, help them become more accepting, and generally setting the atmosphere of the high school to a more humane, accepting tone.

He also outlined a goal for his future that includes becoming involved in politics and possibly a place in the United Nations or in government.

Pepe’s sophomore history teacher Stanley Koba called him a "spark plug for serious dialog and facilitation over controversial issues. … He is quite skillful in the art of debate and is a sincere person who has a deep interest in making a difference."

Koba added that Pepe is "an extremely likable young man and has a strong sense of where he wants to be in life."

His art teacher, Daniel Finaldi, said, "Joseph has demonstrated quality and strength of character that stands apart from his fellow students. He is considerate toward his peers and he shows kindness and empathy. He is a calm presence and he is not judgmental, nor does he engage in any of the petty nonsense that can consume so many students in high school."

According to Mayor Raymond Kershaw, who is a member of the township’s Human Relations Council, the charter of the council, which was established in the early 1990s, is to foster and promote good will and cooperation among the residents of Freehold Township. To that end, last November the council held a cultural diversity celebration, the purpose of which was to acknowledge the contributions of all the various ethnic groups in the township.

The scholarship Pepe won was established for a high school junior or senior who best displays an understanding of the importance of diversity.

Philhower said the Human Relations Council looks for students who are "taking the philosophies of our council and implementing them in school. We are looking for students who want to make a difference in our schools and [who] want to help to break down stereotypes."

Philhower said Pepe was involved in the Human Rights Council and the Anytown program for four years.

"This is the second year we’ve presented this award. We’re just trying to be proactive and educate people before a problem takes place," the pastor said.