Cold Spring Harbor Junior Wins 2024 Claire Friedlander Foundation Upstander Award

COLD SPRING HARBOR, NY — Cold Spring Harbor High School junior Samuel Davis was presented with a first-place award and $5,000 educational scholarship in the category of Suffolk County High Schools during the 14th annual Upstander Awards at Westbury Manor, the school district announced.

The awards were presented on behalf of the Holocaust Memorial & Tolerance Center of Nassau County and the Claire Friedlander Foundation.

Davis was nominated by his Lloyd Harbor Elementary School sixth grade teacher Kevin Craine, who attended the ceremony and expressed his pride, noting that this award doesn’t even touch upon the degree of impact Davis has made.

"I was inspired to nominate Samuel after being introduced to the award following a presentation in Smithtown, where I am a school board trustee, by the Nassau County Holocaust Memorial Center," Craine said in a news release. "Bernie Furshpan, who is a second-generation Holocaust survivor, was the presenter that day. Samuel was an integral member of my classroom and our school community at Lloyd Harbor School where he consistently exemplified the HIKER values that our school embraced. He agreed that a community should be built upon honesty, inclusivity, kindness, empathy and respect for all."

Throughout his life, Davis has volunteered his own time to help those in need, volunteering and organizing campaigns to raise money to help the families affected by tragedy, prejudice and hate, Craine said.

Davis and his actions have inspired others to devote their own time and energy to philanthropic causes, according to Craine.

"Samuel is the true epitome of what it means to be an upstander and a role model for others," Craine said."He believes in a just world, where all people are entitled to basic human rights. He believes that everyone needs to take action when they see injustice, even when it's easier to look the other way. Samuel has already made a mark in this world, and by awarding him the Friedlander Upstander Award, it will only add to Samuel’s drive to make the world a better place."

The Friedlander Foundation was established by Claire Friedlander, a Holocaust survivor whose life was saved by people who took a stand against prejudice. This award honors her life and embodies her legacy, and the foundation is proud to support young Upstanders who change the world for the better, according to the school district.

The foundation defines an upstander as a "person who stands up for others and does not stand by allowing bigotry, hatred or intolerance to happen without interjection."

Davis has made a difference in his school and community, with the understanding that no act is too small to inspire change, according to the district.

High School Principal Daniel Danbusky congratulated Davis on his recognition.

"It's truly a testament to his character and the positive impact he's had within our school community and certainly a reflection on the values that have been instilled in him by his parents," he said. "This recognition speaks volumes about his outstanding qualities as a student and a leader."