Angelique Ricard (XXXVIII) Named Recipient of the 2026 Renée M. Chung Prize

Prep for Prep is proud to announce Angelique Ricard (XXXVIII/Saint Ann’s, Boston University) as the recipient of the 2026 Renée M. Chung Prize, an annual award recognizing the outstanding leadership of a graduating Prep for Prep college senior who has demonstrated a strong commitment to pursuing a career in education. The award includes a $5,000 grant to support the recipient’s continued work in the field.

Angelique, a graduate of Saint Ann’s School, is currently majoring in education and human development at Boston University. She is expected to graduate this spring. After college, Angelique plans to obtain her teaching certification in New York City and begin her career as a public school kindergarten teacher. “A major priority for me as a future early childhood educator is being attuned to children's strengths and building on them,” says Angelique. “I also aim to recognize where I can provide intervention strategies through employing the developmentally appropriate practice framework to improve their future academic achievement.”

Angelique’s long-term aspirations extend beyond the classroom. She hopes to eventually become a school district superintendent, where she can address systemic inequities in education through leadership and policy. In that role, she aims to champion needs-based funding, strengthen connections between early childhood programs and public schools, promote restorative justice approaches to discipline, expand parental engagement, and advocate for policies that ensure educational systems serve students who stand to benefit the most.

Ricard’s path to education was shaped by hands-on experiences working with children. Although she initially envisioned a career in medicine and participated in a four-year extracurricular program at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, her work as a babysitter and summer camp counselor revealed where her true passions lay. “As I made my way through the four-year program at SUNY Downstate, I realized that I felt disengaged from laboratory-based science coursework,” says Angelique. “However, I noticed that I did feel fulfilled after building connections with the children I was working with, and that being with children is what brought me the most joy. As I guided children through conversation and play, I recognized that education was the path that aligned with my strengths and values. This realization marked a decisive shift in my academic and professional goals.” 

In addition to her academic achievements, Angelique has gained valuable professional experience in the field. For the past two summers, she has interned with the learning design team at BrainPOP, an opportunity she secured through a Prep for Prep Professional Advancement posting. In this role, she developed learning activities using BrainPOP’s content management system, conducted quality assurance checks on near-final materials, and created instructional blueprints to guide the design of activities for different grade bands. Her work helped ensure that educational resources effectively addressed diverse learning needs across grades three through eight.

The Renée M. Chung Prize is endowed in honor of Renée Marika Chung (XVII), a former Prep advisor, Invictus teacher, admissions officer, and Alumni Prize winner who devoted her life to making schools more equitable and inclusive. Through her work at Village Community School, The Spence School, and The Cathedral School of St. John the Divine, as well as her board service at St. Luke’s School and Trinity School, Chung was deeply committed to supporting students and families who might not have traditionally pursued an independent school education.

Angelique’s dedication to equity, leadership, and the transformative power of education reflects the spirit of Renée’s legacy. Prep for Prep congratulates Angelique on this well-deserved recognition and looks forward to the impact she will make in classrooms and communities in the years ahead.