As captain of the Highland Park High School cross country team, Ennyn Chiu is a quintessential leader.

During the team’s dynamic warmups, Chiu would often wander away from her friend group to talk with the underclassmen, sometimes dispensing advice and other times checking in to see how they were doing.

Living conveniently close to Highland Park High School, Chiu’s house became a de facto locker room for the program.

“It would not be rare to see teammates wearing Ennyn’s clothes or shoes when they forgot theirs or seeing her run home quickly to get a teammate a snack, stain remover, or whatever random request was asked of her,” Highland Park coach Tim Stark said.

Chiu also arranged post-race team building events, which included team dinners, team movie nights and team projects.

“At the end of the season when I asked my runners, individually, what their best memories were from this past season, almost all of them mentioned team building,” Stark said. “The freshmen raved about how much these activities meant to them and how they look forward to bringing the next generation of Highland Park runners into the team.”

Stark said the team-building events not only allowed the freshmen to feel included in a group that has spent years together but fostered a group that felt more like a family than a team.

“I’m proud to say that this is a part of Ennyn’s legacy which will endure on the Highland Park cross country and track teams,” said Stark, noting Chiu supports all the high school’s athletics programs.

“I’ve often heard her ask teammates if they are going to the volleyball game after practice, or seen her at a soccer game, or at a wrestling match cheering on other athletes,” Stark explained. “This year, she asked permission to support the tennis team by modifying the cross country practice route to run laps around the tennis courts at a nearby park during a Highland Park match.”

Whenever Highland Park worked out with or competed against another school, Stark said Chiu “would introduce herself to the other runners and coaches, get to know them, and cheer and support runners from other schools as if they were a part of our team.”

As the year unfolded, Stark said, those same runners would visit Highland Park’s tent at Greater Middlesex Conference meets to connect with Chiu.

Earlier this academic year, Chiu expressed interest in running a half marathon between the cross country and indoor track seasons.

“She and her friends did not think it was worth the expense to run an official half marathon when they just wanted to run 13.1 miles to challenge themselves and have a good time,” Stark said. “Instead, they turned it into a fundraiser, where people sponsored them for $1 per mile toward 4EveryKid, a charity that gives shoes to homeless children across the nation. Ennyn sent a template out to the team to ask people to sponsor them, arranged the run, and in a few days she and nine of her friends found dozens of sponsors, ran 13.1 miles, played music, had a great time, and raised a significant amount of money toward 4EveryKid.”

As a student-athlete, Chiu could have opted out of physical education class and signed in late to school.

“Instead,” Stark said, “Ennyn’s genuine care and desire to support others motivated her to join a pilot class, which brings high school students into a middle school physical education class for students with autism.  In the class, Ennyn engages with the middle school students, creates lessons and activities, and guides them as a mentor.

“Ennyn often expresses how much she loves being in the class, shares daily stories and anecdotes with me, and has clearly built a strong rapport with the students. Her effort doesn’t stay just in the classroom but flows outward as she includes these students in her social community by greeting them enthusiastically in the hallways, showing up to support them at their orchestra concert, and simply, but significantly, being their friend.”

For exhibiting compassion, generosity, inclusiveness, and other qualities of benevolence, Chiu was honored with a Greater Middlesex Conference Kindness Counts Award during the league’s 23rd Annual Sportsmanship Awards Luncheon at The Pines Manor in Edison on Wednesday.

The Peter Fund and The Marisa Tufaro Foundation presented Chiu with a commemorative plaque and $500 to donate in her name to a charity of her choice that assists Middlesex County children in need.

The Kindness Counts Award was established in loving memory of high school student-athlete Peter Bonn-Elchoness, who died suddenly and without warning in his sleep from a rare disease that causes damage to the heart.

The 17-year-old from Niwot, Colorado was renowned throughout his school-community as a magnetic presence and gifted student-athlete who always looked out for others.

Shortly after his passing just 16 months ago, Peter’s family learned even more about his generosity of spirit through condolence letters they received from his classmates. Among other acts, Peter stood up to bullies, supported kids in crisis, and rooted for teammates and competitors.

His parents, Dave Elchoness and Eve Bonn, were told Peter saved lives. Dave and Eve established The Peter Fund, a nonprofit that encourages young people to mirror their son’s kind nature.

Peter’s father, Dave, an Edison High School alumnus, traveled nearly 1,800 miles to return to his hometown to present Chiu with the award.

Stark said Chiu inherited a wonderful team culture from her predecessors at Highland Park and “found countless ways to improve upon it through inclusivity, spreading kindness and being a friend to all.

“Teaching, talking to, and learning from Ennyn reminds me that one of the most important parts of being on a high school athletic team will be the friendships you make and the experiences you cultivate,” Stark said.

“It would be an understatement to say that Ennyn has made my job as a coach better and easier these past four years and has enhanced the experience of her friends on the team.”