Maxwell Suprenant

Maxwell Surprenant, 15 years old, serves as the Co-Founder and Creative Director of Catching Joy, Inc., a nonprofit which promotes volunteerism and acts of kindness beginning with kids, teens, and their families. His short film, "Catching Joy: The Impact of Giving Back," won Honorable Mention in the 2015 White House Student Film Festival, and he was honored to meet President Barack Obama. He attended the 2016 South by South Lawn: A White House Festival of Ideas, Art, and Action. Maxwell has earned national awards for service: John F. Kennedy "Make a Difference" Award, Prudential Sprit of Community Award, The Gloria Barron Prize, Peace First Challenge Prize, Lady Gaga's Born This Way "Channel Kindness" Award, GenerationOn's Hasbro Community Action Hero, and Dana Farber Cancer Institute/Jimmy Fund "Big Idea" Prize. He won the 2017 “Digital4Good” Award and presented his ideas at Twitter HQ in San Francisco. Selected as the Student Keynote Speaker, he shared his original "Roadmap for Innovation" at the 2015 MassCUE conference at Gillette Stadium in Boston. Currently, Maxwell writes for HS Insider/ LA Times covering art, sports, and politics. He’s worked as a Kid Reporter for Sports Illustrated Kids and Scholastic News Kids Press Corps, for which he interviewed former First Lady Michelle Obama, former VP Joe Biden, former First Daughter Chelsea Clinton, Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, and journalist Anderson Cooper. Maxwell was the youngest reporter covering the 2016 Presidential Elections, and he's now following the 2020 Presidential Campaign Trail. He won two National Medals in the 2018 Scholastic Art and Writing Awards- Journalism and Essay/Personal Memoir. Maxwell is a 9th grader at the St. Sebastian's School in Needham, MA. He’s active with art, music, theater, debate, soccer, and plays catcher for his school and travel baseball teams.