The Corey C. Griffin Foundation proudly honored two remarkable young individuals with the 2025 Youth Courage Award at the star-studded Boston Winter Ball, held on February 8 at the Omni Boston Hotel at the Seaport. The annual black-tie gala was an unforgettable evening, celebrating resilience, perseverance, and the incredible spirit of Boston’s youth, lovingly known as “Corey’s Kids”.
This year, the Foundation is pleased to honor two outstanding Boston-area youths: Oriana Dunker and Jahzare Haynes.
“Oriana and Jahzare would be impressive kids under normal circumstances,” says Chandra Clark, President of the Corey C. Griffin Foundation. “But when you consider what each one has been through in the past year, they’re both extraordinary.”
Two weeks before the start of her senior year of high school, Oriana was already a standout leader at Boston Latin School. Not only was she a cheerleader, an active member of the Christian Students Club, and preparing to serve as Senior Class President, she had just finished a summer camp at the Ron Burton Training Village. There, every day began at 4:00 a.m. with a seven-mile run, helping participants live the camp’s slogan “Be an overcomer”.
“After the two-hour car ride back home from camp, I passed out in my bed without even unpacking,” Oriana recalls. “I didn’t know that it would be my last time sleeping in my bed for the next week.”
The following day, Oriana and a friend were attending Boston’s 50th annual Caribbean Carnival in Franklin Park when gunfire erupted. Oriana tried to run, but she was struck in the right leg by a bullet that shattered her femur.
When she awoke from surgery at Boston Children’s Hospital, Oriana was surrounded by family, friends, coaches, and teachers. It was a network that would keep a smile on her face during her recovery.
Despite the trauma and two more surgeries, Oriana refused to let the tragedy define her. Just six weeks after the shooting, she took her SAT exam. And now, at 18 years old, she is in the process of deciding where she will attend college in the fall.
Reflecting on her journey, Oriana shared, “I believe there is a reason I’m still here, and I know God has a plan for me and will use me in ways that will make this world a better place.”
Jahzare Haynes, an eighth-grade student at Saint John Paul II Catholic Academy’s Lower Mills Campus, has faced challenges that would test even the strongest wills. In March of 2024, Jahzare’s family was forced to leave their longtime home and move into a motel in Braintree, with six people sharing a single room.
“In the end, I knew something good would come,” Jahzare recalls, “so I said, ‘Keep on pushing, keep on pushing until you get it.’”
For the next several months, Jahzare rose at 5:30 a.m. so his father could drive him to school. He never let his studies slip, and throughout the experience he kept his GPA above 3.8. Because of his positive attitude, it took his teachers some time to identify the family’s situation and provide support.
“This school is kind of like a home away from home,” Jahzare says.
Now back in stable housing in Hyde Park, Jahzare continues to thrive in school, where he is a Lower Mills Student Ambassador, a member of Lower Mills Student Council, and last summer participated in the Messina College program at Boston College.
“The word that comes to me is ‘perseverance’.”
Both Oriana and Jahzare are part of the inaugural group of Corey’s Scholars, a program designed to support young leaders on their educational journeys. As Corey’s Scholars, they will each receive an annual $10,000 scholarship throughout their educational journey, along with mentorship and other critical support to help them succeed in school and beyond.
The Corey C. Griffin Foundation is committed to providing opportunities for bright, hardworking young people who have faced challenges with grace and determination. Oriana and Jahzare exemplify the very best of what it means to be a Corey’s Scholar, and we are proud to support them in their journeys for years to come.
For more information about the Corey’s Scholars program, please contact President Chandra Clark, [email protected].