Prescott Herbert
Prescott Herbert has always had a deep passion for public service and volunteering. This interest grew for many reasons, but primarily because of his older sister. Vivian Herbert spent most of her free time in High School volunteering and serving the community. Her passion and dedication to her neighborhood was motivation for Prescott to maintain her legacy. He was inspired by not only his sister’s work but also the family values that he was raised with. These values center around understanding the opportunities and privileges that other kids do not have and using those opportunities to give back. The first step was to join the Mayor’s Youth Council, a collection of Youth from different neighborhoods in Boston that are allocated 1 million dollars to spend on a capital project. The council members discuss and choose four projects that will go on a ballot. This project is designed and voted on exclusively by the Youth of Boston. This extracurricular allowed Prescott to see the inner workings of the local government. He heard from various politicians, like City Council members and even the Mayor himself, and was able to ask them questions and engage in conversation. The Mayor’s Youth Council was another confirmation that public service was something that Prescott had a passion for. As a result, Prescott’s selection of classes became focused on history and social studies. The American Government class he took his junior year was instrumental in growing his understanding of the intricacies of government. And the final step was applying for the Ward Fellowship itself. Prescott’s sister was a ward fellow as well as a few of his older schoolmates. The common thread that he found among all Ward Fellows was that they were all passionate, motivated and hardworking individuals. Prescott knew that this program was not merely a fellowship, but it was an opportunity to represent his school and his community while also learning about state and local government from the source. The application and interview process was competitive but rewarding, and Prescott was paired with State Representative Adrian Madaro. Mr.Madaro is also a Ward Fellow and a Boston Latin School graduate, and Prescott is incredibly excited to be able to learn and work with such an accomplished politician.