Sydney Gao

Zoe Mei (10), recipient of the Billy Michal Award, and her partner, Sydney Gao (10) pose with awards for their DECA project, EmpowerEd. The project developed into a central passion for Mei and something she would like to continue. “St. Louis is special in the way that there is always an opportunity to take a step further and deepen impact. I hope to expand the scale of EmpowerEd, and continue helping the families out at TAP.

Feb 19., Zoe Mei (10) was selected to represent the state of Missouri as the recipient of the Billy Michal Award at the National WWII Museum in New Orleans. The award is offered to only 51 students nationwide. With her nominator, social studies teacher Ashley Lock, Mei will take an all-expenses-paid trip to explore the museum and be honored with her fellow students.

The Billy Michal award is named after a real 6-year-old boy who lived in Louisiana during World War II. To aid the war effort, he helped his school win a statewide scrap metal contest. Michal, according to the World War II Museum, exemplified ideals of teamwork, leadership and commitment that other students should aspire to.

“When I first learned of this award, I was extremely inspired by Billy Michal’s dedication and ambition for change, even as a young child,” Mei said. “I think the purpose of this award is incredibly important. Making a difference isn’t always a measure of how large a scale your impact is, but rather by your passion for the activity and the depth you approach it with.”

To be selected, Mei had to demonstrate leadership and volunteer experience, as well as good character. She has been serving her community for years, most notably by co-founding EmpowerEd in her freshman year to mitigate educational disparities in St. Louis.

“Initially, this began purely as a DECA project, but after seeing the impact on people’s lives, [we] decided to continue,” Mei said. “So far, we’ve raised over $1000 in donations and hundreds of school supplies for College Bound, and we’ve provided experiences in the skilled trades to over 100 students. I also spend my week volunteering with St. Louis Tax Assistance Program, where I help low-income families file their taxes. While it may sound like boring work, it’s been really enjoyable getting to know the families.”

Lock, who has known and taught Mei for two years, believes that she exemplifies the courage and teamwork that Michal displayed.

“She doesn’t strike me as someone who has just a single accomplishment,” Lock said. “In addition to having a 4.0 and balancing an insane amount of class work, what strikes me about her is her character and grace. It’s a pretty rare quality in a young person to bring her gifts to other people, not just to herself.”

Mei’s selection marks the first time a Ladue student has applied for or been chosen for the award. After this success, Lock is hopeful that Ladue students can continue to be recognized.

“Every time I get to share these experiences with students, it’s just a bonus to what I do every day,” Lock said. “Being able to put up kids for awards that maybe even I didn’t know about at first has just been really remarkable to see and recognize. It’s a bonus for me to teach all these remarkable people, and then every once in a while, they get a gold star that I get the pride of.”

Now that she has been chosen, Mei hopes to gain new skills and knowledge on her trip to the museum and apply them to her future efforts; she hopes to expand EmpowerEd and continue her community service based on these lessons.

“I’m incredibly excited for New Orleans, especially because I’ve never been there,” Mei said. “I’m eager to meet the other 50 students who’ll be in attendance. Especially at a young age, advocacy and leadership are such special things, so it’d be interesting to understand how others around the country are changing their communities.”

 Although it will be a new experience for both Mei and Lock, after working with the National WWII Museum previously, the latter knows that the trip will be rewarding for her student.

“I’m just excited to see Zoe be recognized for the community service that she’s done, and to be able to share that experience with her at a museum that I love and the city that I love,” Lock said. “I think it should be very, very fun for both of us.”