Eleonor Leger
Myself Third Spirit of New York 2006 Scholarship Winner
Midwood High School
Baruch College and Brooklyn College
"I believe Eleonor embodies the concern and caring for others that this scholarship values. Eleonor has been an active member of our Conflict Resolution Program at Midwood H.S. since her freshman year. She is always willing to help others in need. As a member of the Cultural Diversity Club, Eleonor has learned to value all people regardless of their socioeconomic, ethnic, or religious background. She has moved beyond tolerance to appreciating each individual for their uniqueness and for what we have in common as human beings."
—Tovia Rosenfeld, Interim Acting Assistant Principal
Work, Volunteer, and Extra-Curricular Activities
- Peer Mediator, Conflict Resolution Program
- Volunteer, Midwood H.S. Library
- Member, Key Club
Excerpts from Eleonor's Essay
Knowing that everyone that you meet isn't from the same place and has a history as rich as any storybook makes living in this country that much more electrifying. However, this diversity can in fact cause friction and discontentment within a society. That is why I joined Peer Mediation. It's about resolving problems nonviolently, listening to both sides of the story without giving your opinions. The job of being a peer mediator entitles the person to be patient and careful of their speech. You have to learn to listen to what people say, and the underlying feelings underneath them. It also deals with trust. If a person has a problem, they have to believe that you can help them. The mediator is there to solve problems, not to make them seem trivial or blown out of proportion. The feelings of the disputants are real so we as the mediators must respect that. That's what peer mediation does.
The lessons that I learned from being a peer mediator will stay with me throughout my college career and my life thereafter. These are the lessons that make life that much more enjoyable and easier to get through.
