Mia Williams ’25 was named Blue Devil of the Year at the Homecoming Football Game on October 4.
Columbia High School crowned its new, and first ever, Blue Devil of the Year at the Homecoming Football Game on Friday evening. Out of seven finalists from the senior class, Mia Williams ’25 was chosen following an essay contest and a vote of the student body.
During the announcement to the crowd, Ms. Williams donned a tiara and a blue cloak, and she held a golden trident staff.
Ms. Williams embodies the characteristics of Blue Devil of the Year, which include:
- Represents Columbia High School as a positive role model and leader
- Shows school spirit and an interest in making Columbia a better place through involvement in the school community
- Shows compassion and care for others
- Is in good academic and disciplinary standing
The Blue Devil of the Year is a new award that replaced the Homecoming King and Queen which had dwindling participation from students in recent years and created other negative issues such as bullying and exclusiveness.
A committee of teachers worked with Student Council over the past year to develop this new tradition.
“Pep Rally and Homecoming has always been about School Spirit, so Mrs. Sheraw and I, along with Mr. Harkin and the Blue Devil of the Year committee wanted to create a new tradition that would honor and celebrate students who represent what we believe are the best parts of our Columbia students – kindness, care for others, leadership, and a drive to make Columbia a better place,” said Student Council Co-Advisor Chelsea Dyer. “We were floored with this amazing group of nominees and hope they are all so proud to be a part of what will hopefully become a new tradition and legacy at CHS.”
Ms. Williams is a fitting choice for Blue Devil of the Year. She serves as a mentor in the New York State Mentor program and has leadership roles in student clubs as president of the Ethnic Coalition and secretary of the Model UN club. Her participation in the Capital District Writing Project Summer Workshop and the Youth FX Summer Intensive film program where she was a co-researcher on a Trauma Informed Film Project demonstrates her commitment to thoughtful and educational storytelling. And she believes strongly in setting a good example for her peers.
“It’s so easy to get lost in the sauce, to get caught up in what everyone else is doing. I’ve seen it first hand, and I still do,” Ms. Williams wrote in her Blue Devil of the Year nominating essay. “The least I can do is be a leader in my own skin so that when I graduate I won’t be a product of other people, I’ll be truly me. I hope that by being unapologetically myself I have left a good tone in those spaces that I found myself in at CHS.”
“Leading as I am and exposing myself at CHS in the ways that represent me have been the best choices I have ever made and I advise everyone here to do the same,” she continued. “It feels pretty good when you look back at it.”
Congratulations to our Blue Devil of the Year Mia Williams!
Blue Devil of the Year Finalists
- Ei Aung ’25
- Lena Bromberg ’25
- Maya Derico ’25
- Maddie Kaminsky ’25
- Aurora Milem ’25
- Lucia Soliman ’25
- Mia Williams ’25
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