Matthew DaCosta was selected for this year’s John Wenzel Scholarship due to the dedication and passion he has exhibited in ERASE Racism’s Youth Development for Leadership Initiative. John Wenzel, a resident of Sea Cliff, NY, on Long Island for more than 50 years, was a longstanding champion of ERASE Racism and a long-time Board Member of the Rauch Foundation. He died in late 2023. This is the third year that the John Wenzel Scholarship has been awarded.Matthew is a senior at Malverne High School in Malverne, New York, and will be attending Duke University in Fall 2026 to study public policy. Matthew cites his experiences with activism, and as the chair of ERASE Racism’s Student Task Force, as inspiring his desire for a career where he can continue advocating for and impacting positive changes. This year, Matthew was awarded the prestigious Princeton Prize in Race Relations, which recognizes high school students who have demonstrated leadership in advancing racial equity or promoting racial understanding in their schools and communities.