Rhode Island’s Jessica Ahlquist, right, has been selected to receive an award from Playboy founder Hugh Hefner.
By Kim Kalunian, WPRO News
Jessica Ahlquist, the Cranston atheist teen who successfully fought her high school over the removal of a prayer banner last year, is now set to receive a Hugh Hefner Foundation First Amendment Award for her actions.
According to the foundation’s website, the awards were established by Christie Hefner, former CEO of Playboy Enterprises, Inc., in 1979 to honor those who fight to “protect and enhance” First Amendment rights. More than 100 individuals have received the award, and this year, Ahlquist is among the winners.
For winning, Ahlquist will receive $5,000, a commemorative plaque and a trip to the Playboy Mansion in California for a reception with the judges and her fellow recipients.
The awards have sub-categories like government, law, education and journalism. Ahlquist is being honored in the education category for her “courageous and successful lawsuit” according to a press release.
Click here for a list of past winners and judges. A full list of 2013 winners and judges is expected later this week.
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Kim Kalunian
