Needham Youth Services and the Needham Business Association have honored Maddie Weil with the February 2012 RAY of Hope award.

Weil a senior at Needham High School. Chanie Krinsky, director of the Needham Friendship Circle, nominated Weil for the RAY of Hope based on her volunteer participation with the program for the past five years. Although not a Girl Scout herself, Weil has worked with young Scouts each year to deliver thousands of boxes of cookies and pounds of coffee to military troops overseas. 

At Needham High School, she has created and produced a short film to increase awareness and prevent cyber bullying and educate the student body. 

Weil has volunteered her time with members of the Needham community to produce several other videos for teachers and classmates at Needham High School. Weil was the executive producer and editor of a short motivational video that was shown in the summer of 2010 to faculty members working in the Needham Public Schools at their Back To School Meeting. 

She has been involved in the theater program at Needham High School, where she has sung, danced and acted, as well as been a member of the tech team working in the background of productions.

Weil plans to attend Emerson College in Boston next fall, where she will study film production. In her spare time, Weil enjoys playing guitar, working in her school's media department and hanging out with friends.