The PINK Award Goes To...

The idea behind the PINK Award, which stands for Passion, Innovation and Knowledge, is to give a Madeira girl the opportunity to thrive in a field or industry, as well as to participate in an experience that is of great interest and meaningful passion to her. Established in 2011 by Katherine Kies ‘07, current trustee and former Alumnae Council President, the award is her effort to be a guide and a support to young women and girls in their areas of passion. The PINK award was inspired by an award at Cornell University that honored Ms. Kies as a recipient because she showed passion for her future career and goals. Ms. Kies credits Madeira with creating a foundation for her to pursue those passions in her life. 

This year marks 13 years of Ms. Kies’ dedication to Madeira and support for the PINK Award. She has provided a path for Madeira girls to study dance and music, secure patents, publish books, launch advocacy groups, fund passion trips, and more. 

At this year’s Closing Convocation award ceremony, Ms. Kies was in attendance to present the PINK Award to Diane Nam ‘25.  

Growing up in Seoul, Beijing, and Saigon, Diane was exposed to the recurring challenges of heavy rains and flash floods that take away several dozen lives each year. After coming to the United States, she realized that similar problems exist even in one of the world’s most developed cities – New York City. For Diane, this invoked a deep understanding of the need for proactive measures to address climate-resilience in urban areas.  

Initially, Diane was unsure of what she could do to help, so she began by posting on social media to raise awareness. Through discussions with her History teacher Mr. Lehto, Diane began to think more creatively so that she could leave an impact in a different way. She decided that instead of merely raising awareness of the problem, she would research solutions. She soon developed a passion for resilient urban green infrastructure.  

Recognizing the disproportionate accessibility of green roofs due to their cost and complexity, Diane designed a simplified and modular green roof prototype. During this process, Diane collaborated with Science teacher Ms. Saville-Andre and Maker Space supervisor Ms. Roy, who offered valuable insight on how to refine her design. In the end, Diane produced a mini 3D-printed prototype of her initial design. 

In addition to the PINK Award, Diane’s work was recognized by National Geographic as one of 50 candidates to be considered for funding up to $10,000. These candidates were selected out of 2100 submissions from 87 countries. Although Diane did not finish in the final 15, she did receive an Honorable Mention.  

With the PINK Award, Diane will continue to develop her prototype of her 3D model and further develop her many other projects. She hopes to draw the attention of more Madeira students next academic year and invites anyone interested in working and creating alongside her.  She would also like to use this money to work with the Save the Children Club at Madeira to reach out to other high schools in the area so that they can work on a collaborative project for climate change education for preschoolers.  

She credits Madeira for giving her the drive, confidence, experience and education for all her endeavors. Congratulations Diane! 

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