Each year, The Alex Cohn Grant is awarded to two Beaver students who want to explore a particular interest in a way that will have a meaningful impact on their life journey. In honor of Joe Christy—a mentor to Alex Cohn and a beloved faculty member who passed away in November 2022—the Cohn family increased their grant contribution this year to support three recipients: Charlie Heyworth ’24, Rachel Jean-Mary ’25, and Emma Thiebault ’25.
The three Cohn Grant recipients pursued vastly different projects with their funding. Charlie Heyworth ’24 started Bikes for All, a program designed to recycle adaptive bikes and donate them to families in need. Rachel Jean-Mary ’25 launched Afro-Dite, a fashion initiative where traditionally Black articles of clothing are transformed into entirely new garments. Art for Care, created by Emma Thiebault ’25, is a program that delivers art supply baskets to local hospitals.
In the interview below, each recipient details what they’ve accomplished, reflections on the project, and the work they hope to do in the future.
Bikes for All – Charlie Heyworth ’24
What inspired you to start Bikes for All?
I learned that kids’ adaptive bikes–modified for children with cognitive or physical disabilities–are hard to find and exceedingly expensive. This seemed unfair, as those who require specialized bikes are the kids who benefit most from the boost of coordination and independence biking provides. I decided to create a nonprofit dedicated to restoring broken or outgrown adaptive bikes and donating them to families.
Bikes for All taught me that even small, personal initiatives can make a huge difference in people’s lives. Seeing the joy and confidence in the kids’ faces as they received the adaptive bikes showed me the real power of individual actions in creating meaningful change. We have been able to donate about $10,000 worth of adaptive bikes and equipment, which has inspired me to continue Bikes for All more permanently.
-Charlie Heyworth ’24
What was your favorite part of the entire experience?
My favorite part was donating a trike to Jax from Tampa, Florida, who came all the way to meet me in a parking lot in Pennsylvania so I could give him and his dad the trike. Seeing him and his smile while he zoomed around on his new trike was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Is there anything you want people to know about Bikes for All?
I encourage everyone to get involved! Follow us on Facebook for updates and reach out if you have adaptive bikes to donate or want to help out. Everyone possesses a unique skill or passion; think about how yours can make a difference, just like Bikes for All began with a simple idea. Let’s join forces to create positive change together.
Afro-Dite – Rachel Jean-Mary ’25
What inspired you to start Afrodite?
It’s been an idea that’s been formulating for a few years, pretty much since middle school. When I was in Middle School, I was one of three Black kids on my sixth grade color team. One of the other kids wore a durag to school and it caused an uproar within the class. Afrodite is presented as articles of clothing completely constructed with either durags or head wraps, some of the most stigmatized aspects of Black culture.
How did you begin the process?
Thinking about what the aesthetic I was going for. I started buckling down and getting into the nitty gritty: collecting materials, sketching. It was difficult because when it comes to things like sewing, it’s maybe only 15% of the process. It was a test of patience.
Where did you learn to sew?
I learned to sew with my mom, we made a quilt together when I was in elementary school.
What has been the biggest challenge of the process?
One piece I’m currently finishing right now uses quilting, so I have to physically out individual pieces and then sew them together and eventually come up with another fabric that would be equivalent to a piece of clothing, not just a hairpiece. There’s also a lot of pressure that comes with a project like this. I had a lot of difficulties figuring out my identity, and I know there are Black kids that feel the exact same way; I don’t want them to grow up feeling that way.
It’s a lot of pressure to do this right and have other people look up to this and know they can be who they are unapologetically.
-Rachel Jean-Mary
What’s next for Afrodite?
I would love to have [the garments] on display. Also, getting the idea out that traditionally Black articles of clothing aren’t as bad as people want them to be. If something is comprised of those articles–and it looks cool or pretty or aesthetically pleasing–then the original thing also has to be aesthetically pleasing. My hopeful outcome is that people will start to shift their ideas and perspectives.
Art for Care – Emma Thiebault ’25
What is Art for Care?
Art for Care is a program that brings individual art supply kits to hospital patients, in order for them to be able to create art in their hospital room. Art is a powerful coping, communicating, and expressive tool, and I was able to deliver art kits to Newton Wellesley Hospital, BCP, and Brigham and Women’s Hospital. These art kits help not only brighten up the days and rooms of hospital patients, they also give them a way to express themselves, cope, and get out their energy in a creative way.
What inspired you to start Art for Care?
I was inspired to create Art for Care by my mom, as it is something she would’ve loved.
What was your favorite part of the experience?
My favorite part of the experience was seeing the faces of the nurses when I delivered all the bags, because they were so excited to be able to give them out.
My biggest takeaway is that if you can put a smile on someone’s face, do it, because you can never know exactly what someone is going through, but the smallest act sometimes has the biggest impact. Another takeaway from the Cohn Grant is just go for it, and make sure you listen to people who encourage you to go for it! I never thought I’d win the grant, yet I did, and I’m so grateful I was given this opportunity.
-Emma Thiebault ’25
Each recipient plans to continue their work that started with the Cohn Grant. To follow along, check out the following resources created by each student: