Ronnie Marie Acrie
Alumni, South Allegheny High School
2026
Ronnie Acrie is a founding member and student leader of South Allegheny High School’s Eradicate Hate program, an initiative that has become a model for youth engagement and hate prevention in schools throughout southwestern Pennsylvania and beyond. During her four years at South Allegheny, Ronnie demonstrated a lasting commitment to advancing education, empathy, civic engagement, and action in response to hate-fueled violence.
Through her involvement with Eradicate Hate, Ronnie helped lead youth-driven initiatives focused on fostering inclusive school communities and empowering students to become active participants in combating hate and prejudice. She spoke at conferences, organized student summits, participated in civic initiatives, and engaged with Civil Rights history, interfaith programs, and commemorative events. These experiences strengthened her understanding of the role education, empathy, and informed action play in creating meaningful and lasting change.
Ronnie’s leadership is grounded in the belief that young people have both the capacity and responsibility to contribute to their communities. By connecting historical understanding with contemporary civic action, she worked to demonstrate how student voices can influence conversations surrounding hate, inclusion, and social responsibility.
In March 2026, Ronnie was selected as one of the inaugural recipients of the Eradicate Hate Student Leadership Awards, recognizing her contributions to the program and her commitment to youth leadership. The faculty member who nominated her described Ronnie as “a powerful spokesperson for Eradicate Hate” and a “tireless champion whose leadership continues to inspire meaningful change.”
Now a South Allegheny alumni, Ronnie continues to build upon the foundation established through her work with Eradicate Hate. She is furthering her education in activism and civic leadership through the study of law, with the goal of developing the knowledge and skills necessary to advocate for justice, address systemic issues, and contribute to meaningful social change. Her continued pursuit of education reflects her belief that combating hate requires not only awareness and empathy, but also informed leadership and action.
The Eradicate Hate Global Summit brings together scholars, practitioners, civil society organizations, and policymakers from around the world to share best practices and lessons learned, based on data and empirical evidence, in countering hate-fueled extremism and violent narratives. No other summit, conference, or workshop brings together such an extraordinary group of world-class talent focused on dealing with the issue of hate-fueled violent extremism.
