Rachel Bradford and Phoebe Lytle are just teenagers, but already they’ve shown such selflessness that they are being honored for following in the footsteps of a pair of legendary Montclair residents.
During the annual dinner of the Montclair Democratic County Committee (MDCC), on Thursday, Oct. 16, the committee will present awards to Montclair High School seniors Bradford and Lytle of the school’s Civics and Government Institute (CGI) in memory of William Ford and Lawrence Richardson.
Ford was a human rights advocate who triumphed in a law liability ruling against two former Salvadoran generals after his sister and three American women were raped and killed during El Salvador’s civil war in the 1980s.
Richardson served in the U.S. Navy in the 1940s, was a sergeant-at-arms for the N.J. Senate, a Montclair township councilman and a Little League coach.
The committee also will honor Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-8) for his service to the Democratic Party.
"Together we have worked for years to advance the Democratic principles we know will benefit families in Montclair and all over the state and country. I am extremely proud to be their honoree, and energized to turn out a huge Democratic vote in Montclair this November," Pascrell stated.
"I’m really grateful to the CGI teachers that they’re recognizing what I’ve done in the institute and here at Montclair High in general," said Bradford, 17. She said she will – and would rather – spend her 18th birthday next month at a Model United Nations trip to Rutgers University where she will be examining Afghanistan, as well as stem cell research.
For Bradford, it beats taking a party limousine into New York City with her closest friends, as she did last year. "Spending [my birthday] doing what I love means a lot to me," she said.
Bradford is also a member of Model Congress, the school’s mock trial team, is active in the MHS School of Visual and Performing Arts, is a Governor’s School scholar and is co-president of CGI’s Diplomatic Corps.
Lytle, 17, described the award as an honor, and said she appreciates the support of her CGI instructors.
Lytle took on raising awareness for the Rwanda Gift for Life organization during her sophomore year, collecting money for women raped during the genocide, saying she wanted to "help them get back on their feet."
"We went from a few members to more than 10 members," Lytle said.
Teaming up with MHS’ Save Darfur Club, Lytle said she is planning to hold a Genocide Awareness Day later this month.
She is also co-editor of the school’s newspaper, The Mountaineer, and is interested in pursuing a career in journalism.
"These students are always active on issues," said MDCC Vice Chair Tanya Poteat. "We wanted to honor students who exemplified leaders in the community that have the qualities [Ford and Richardson] possessed."
Richardson, a lifelong resident of Montclair and graduate of Montclair High School, served two terms on the Montclair Township Council for the 4th Ward, and was assistant director of Project WHO Drug Rehab & Youth Service Bureau. He was a board member of NAACP and member of the Glenfield School Task Force.
His downtime was anything but quiet. Richardson coached Little League baseball, served as president of Little League baseball in Montclair, coached Pop Warner football and coached Men’s League basketball at the Washington Street Branch YMCA.
Ford, who for several years was active in the MDCC, was instrumental in the Lawyers Committee for Human Rights, now called Human Rights First.
Ford, who died earlier this year in his Montclair home, graduated from Fordham University in 1960 and in 1966 earned a law degree at St. John’s University. He was a founding partner of the law firm Ford Marrin Esposito Witmeyer & Gleser.
"Those men did amazing things in their lives. The two students who are getting the awards truly represent what those men stood for," said Tom Manos, MHS lead teacher of social studies in the CGI Institute.
Manos said Lytle and Bradford received A’s in his advanced placement course last year, calling them "strong, inquisitive" and always interested in the subject matter.
"You can understand the history and anyone can memorize dates, but they really wanted to know why it happened," Manos said. "They are indicative of a majority of our students."
Montclair Education Association President Dennis Murray, an original CGI founder, said the MDCC honor "is a first" for the institute.
"These guys don’t get the recognition they deserve for the hours they put in," Murray said of the students in CGI, a 12-year-old program that received 2002-2003 year Best Practice recognition from the state Department of Education. In the CGI program, students develop leadership skills through community service and an emphasis on the study of government and social issues.
MDCC Chair Brendan Gill, a 1992 MHS graduate, said he would have participated in the program had it been around when he was in school. "It gives students who are interested in civics a formal vehicle to participate in the election and government process," Gill said.
Murray added, "I think they epitomize what this is all about."
