Amanda Chan San Francisco, CA

Amanda is a hardworking and ambitious student who strives to help youth in her community by advocating for equal educational support. She has overcome many hardships through persistence and diligence, which has shaped her into an innovative leader and a strong proponent for social justice and equity. She hopes to be a role model for other youth in the future.

Amanda is most proud of her involvement in student government and creating a Teen Advocates for Change Club at her school. She has been a part of the student council for two years, in the roles of Treasurer and Secretary. In her student government role she collaborates with school administration and the student body to create beneficial transformative policies. Her school lacked many resources, leading her to form the “Teen Advocates for Change Club”, where her peers create solutions to problems they are passionate about in their communities. Her club’s goals are to provide homework help, SAT and ACT preparation, and internship/volunteer opportunities for students in her school.

Amanda has worked at three museums - at the deYoung Museum, she planned art events and created a podcast that discussed Muslim fashions and the importance of identity and self-expression. At the Exploratorium and Academy of Sciences, she led science demonstrations and engaged visitors with various exhibits. Through these valuable experiences, Amanda has become a confident public speaker, allowing her to overcome her anxiety; building her leadership and social skills.

Amanda aspires to create educational support systems for students from low-income households, providing them aid for college applications, test preparation, and career opportunities. As a first generation college student, Amanda understands the struggles of having limited family support in academics and finances. She continues to be highly motivated, working towards her goals; she is determined to make a change in the future.

Lori Christian Chehalis, WA

Lori Christian is a compassionate, hardworking young woman who has overcome many obstacles due to her strong will to succeed and passionate heart. Lori is a humanitarian who feels fulfillment giving back to her community and expressing leadership to younger students.

Her freshman year, Lori’s family took in an abused foster child. After seeing the faults and challenges of foster care first hand, Lori became an advocate for social justice and reform. In 2018, she founded Teens for Abused Children, a charity organization to benefit children in foster care throughout her community, county, and state. Although her organization has been recognized on regional, state, and national levels, Lori believes her biggest achievement is spreading awareness to a cause she and her family hold so closely.

Lori is involved in various extracurriculars that highlight her advocacy. She is a three year varsity letterman on her schools speech and debate team, has held positions of leadership since her freshman year, and has qualified to five national tournaments. She is a district director on the executive board of Next Generation Politics Washington, a national nonprofit that promotes civic engagement among Washington teens. Most recently, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, Lori has become a representative for the Youth for Masks movement in Washington state and helped raise over $15,000 and 30,000 PPE masks to various Washington hospitals.

Lori finds inspiration in her family, especially her parents. Being a first generation college student, she explains: “I push myself for them. I want to make them proud, it motivates me more than anything”. Lori hopes to channel her love of service and learning into a future career in education. As a teacher, she hopes to teach future generations the values and love of life that she has been fortunate enough to learn.

Caroline Curran Pocasset, MA

Caroline takes on every challenge and appreciates every opportunity that comes her way. Despite experiencing hardships, she has persevered and makes valuable contributions to her family, school, and community. Caroline refuses to let these obstacles define her and works to give back to others in everything she does.

Caroline serves as the Youth Director of Project Next Generation (PNG), a service volunteer initiative run by youth for youth. PNG’s goal is to engage and inspire the next generation of young leaders to create positive change worldwide. As Youth Director, Caroline holds tuition-free workshops for middle and high school students to become civically engaged. She taught students about the political process, helping them to present mock presidential campaigns and to give speeches at a model convention. “Through this work, I discovered that service is integral to who I am because I want to give back to the communities that have invested so much in me,” says Caroline.

Additionally, Caroline created Webpreneur.com, an outlet to help historically underrepresented students pursue STEM related fields. Webpreneur is an online network which empowers young people with accessibility to science and math resources, forming connections and supporting one another along the way. Caroline was inspired to start this project after becoming involved in her school’s robotics team and winning awards for excellence in mathematics. “In our shared enthusiasm and excitement for science, we all learn from one another and grow as trailblazers for equal representation in STEM careers,” she comments.

From raising funds for Hurricane Maria relief to babysitting as a way to help her family, Caroline always demonstrates her pay-it-forward attitude. “With education as my priority,” Caroline says, “I will be in a position to help people who face challenges similar to my own and show them that anything is possible through hard work and determination.”

Ashis Dhakal Salt Lake City, UT

In the late 1980’s, ethnic Nepalese people were expelled from Bhutan during a reign of violence. Ashis’ parents were forced from their land and moved to a refugee camp. Living in a refugee camp for the first ten years of his life exposed Ashis to extreme sickness and poverty: sleeping on a bed made of bamboo, full of bed bugs, surrounded by mosquitoes, without access to clean water, fresh air, electricity, a home, and having to sneak into the forest to get wood for fuel to cook food.

Ashis is an excellent student. He works hard, contributing to conversation and asks questions to seek deeper understanding. He mentors students, particularly Nepalese refugees. He does service work, organizing his own Eagle Scout project - successfully collecting hundreds of articles of clothing for the homeless.

Ashis’ aspirations were challenged. His grandmother had Leukemia and underwent a series of surgeries and chemotherapy. She recovered, but the family feared losing her. His grandfather had lung cancer, and a lack of resources cost his grandfather’s life. Ashis says, “Even though I escaped a life of poverty, I could never escape obstacles in life. I dream of a good education so that I can put my family members in a better place. I want to expand my non-profit foundation to third world countries: to inspire others to work hard in life, to believe in yourself, and to fight any adversity that comes near you. It won’t stop me. I push myself to be the best person I can.”

Ashis seeks opportunities. Hearing about a college prep class (AVID), he took it. Not waiting for things to be handed to him, he is empowered by learning, thinking, and questioning. He looks for ways to be involved socially, through community service projects and sports. He is an outstanding young man and will represent Alexander Hamilton Scholars with integrity, honesty, drive, and commitment to become a leader and serve others.

Abigail Fulton Hanover, IN

Abigail is a selfless, driven student from Hanover, Indiana and believes your past does not define you, it is what you learn from it. Abby challenges herself to be the best person she can be and is known for saying, “Watch me do what you said I can’t.” Through faith, kindness, and self-love, Abby continues to show youth everywhere their potential means more than their circumstances.

In 2017, Abigail founded her county’s Mayor’s Youth Council. Abigail helped plant the seed of service in her community, helped bridge the gap between social classes, people struggling with drug addiction, and connecting teens to government. She coordinated events and thrived, resulting in becoming the youth representative for United Way. She is working on a relief fund for the COVID-19 Pandemic, working closely with local officials to help small businesses.

Abigail is a tri-varsity athlete and captain of the softball and basketball teams at her high school. She is president of her class and Vice President of her chapter of National Honors Society; she leads events such as Prom and school volunteer programs. Grades have remained a top priority for Abigail. She is top of her class, taking AP, dual credit, or advanced college classes. She has awards such as Indiana Top Students, October Student of the Month, and the IKE award of community excellence. The most important thing is her faith. Every Wednesday, she holds a Bible study at school and has a podcast where she talks about Christianity.

Abby is motivated by God, her family, and coaches for all the support they have given her. Her support system is helping her become the activist she strives to be for young girls. She believes that perseverance through challenges will allow her to pursue a career in international law and work for the United Nations. Life is not easy but Abigail believes, “For with God nothing will be impossible”

Keanna Goddard Springfield Gardens, NY

Keanna is a student at Dominican Academy in New York City. As a first-generation American, Keanna strives to fight against adversity for herself, her peers, and her community. Through her fight against social injustices, she has proven herself to be a strong and capable leader in social and academic settings.

One of Keanna’s notable accomplishments is as founder and president of her school’s Students of Color Alliance. As she began high school, she noticed a lack of diversity and aiming to bring awareness of social injustices that impact young women of color, Keanna founded S.O.C.A to create a safe haven. Keanna follows an African philosophy, Ubuntu, which translates to “I am because you are.” The principles it follows state that as humans we are interconnected, one's existence is entirely influenced by others. She uses this to fight against injustices and bring her community together, whether it be at school, in relationships, or in society.

Keanna is involved in many activities outside of the classroom. She serves as Co-President of her school’s Dance Club and Co-President of her school’s Liturgical Dance. She plays for D.A.’s Varsity Soccer Team - New York City’s Catholic High Schools Athletic Association’s Girls “B” League City Champions. She is part of “Dominican Academy Preachers” bringing the school community together through various events. Keanna has volunteered with the Red Cross and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

Keanna was born prematurely due to doctors ignoring her mother’s concerns about her pregnancy. She strives to become a doctor so that women of color do not have to experience the same struggle. After losing her dad at a young age she saw the struggles that are presented to her and works to fight against any stereotypes in her way. She loves to write and hopes to publish a book when she’s older.

Benito Gonzalez La Puente, CA

Benito Gonzalez is a highly ambitious and positive Latino student from La Puente, California. Benito has been through challenges and refuses to let them limit his potential to be successful. He chooses to persevere and grow from the lessons he learns. Benito aspires to be able to give back to his community as a lawyer.

One of Benito’s greatest achievements is his membership in the Pomona College Academy for Youth Success (PAYS) program - a four-week long summer residential program across a span of 3 consecutive years. Benito is grateful for what PAYS has taught him about how important it is to be unapologetically himself. Through his experiences, Benito has learned the strength in voicing his passions and standing up for what he believes is right.

Benito is proud of his active involvement in his community. Benito participated in the LPVROP Law Enforcement Academy. He holds two Vice President positions for the Pennies for Paws club and the International Baccalaureate program at his school. He serves as his school’s Key Club treasurer and is an active member in the National Honor Society; both clubs focus on giving back to the community. Benito is passionate about his involvement in Cross Country and Baseball. Bneito does not let his involvement in his community limit his academic capabilities as he continues to challenge himself by pursuing the IB Diploma.

Benito is inspired to be successful to make his brother proud. During Benito’s Junior year of high school, he lost his nine year-old brother who suffered from epilepsy and cerebral palsy. His brother’s inability to do many things motivated him to do what his brother couldn’t in devotion to him. Despite the pain, Benito has learned to embrace the battles he has overcome as it makes him the strong-willed person he is.

Aya Hamza Miami, FL

Aya is an ambitious and gritty student in Miami, FL, dedicated to excellence. Initially discouraged from speaking out on governmental issues as a Muslim-American, she channels her experiences into community organizing to close socioeconomic opportunity gap in civic literacy and education.

Aya serves as the youngest political caucus head in South Florida as President of the Miami-Dade Teen Democrats and Political Director of the Florida High School Democrats. Creating and moderating the city’s first “Miami-Dade Youth Town Hall”. At the 2019 Florida Democratic fundraiser, her group was first to be commended from four out of thirty caucuses. Aya won the Best Delegate award in the Senate Intelligence Committee at Harvard Model Congress.

In 2020, Aya returned as the delegate speaker: addressing a crowd of 1,500 - she discussed the importance of inclusivity in American government and shared tribulations of her own; most notably, her diagnosis of a prolactinoma — a pituitary tumor — just three months prior. Moreover, she was the youngest person invited unaccompanied to the first debate of the 2020 presidential election.

She lobbied her congresswoman into creating a youth advisory council and founded the nonprofit PolitiVision, whose mission is to make civic literacy accessible to students across the socioeconomic spectrum. Aya is president of her school’s bipartisan political activism club and is Senior Class Vice President.

Among her accolades are the Harvard Prize Book, Scholastic Writing Gold Key Award, the Presidential Volunteer Service Award, and a U.S. Congressional Medal of Recognition.

As the daughter of a former Iraqi war prisoner and political asylee, Aya believes that every aspect of life is inherently politicized. As a first-generation college student, Aya is working toward a double-concentration in Economics and Government with a citation in Arabic on a pre-law track, with aspirations of becoming the first female to chair the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, and later the first Arab-American Secretary of State.

Sidra Hassan Houston, TX

Sidra is friendly, welcoming, driven, and inspirational. A flexible personality being her best friend, it is easy to collaborate with her - she is a positive thinker and one can always count on her to motivate them.

Both her parents reside in Pakistan; she is the elder of two daughters. Being a responsible child, her parents did not hesitate to send her to the United States, during 8th grade along with her younger sister. She stands as a mother-like figure for her sister because of her loving and caring attitude. Though she went into a culture and English-only shock, the nurturing space of her middle school shaped the colorful, grounded person she is today. She regards moving out, changing continents, surviving, and eventually thriving as her most notable achievement since it enables her to unlock her definition of adaptive leadership, rippling from the realm of her own life.

Sidra focuses on her academics, despite her extended family responsibilities. With an interest-based selection of extracurriculars, she is editor of the school newspaper, president of the University Interscholastic League(UIL) science team, and vice president of the robotics club. She volunteers at elementary schools and religious centers. She participates in SkillsUSA health science competitions and was elected officer in Texas District 8. She won the championship award for entrepreneurship in the Sister Cities International Youth Leadership Summit. She attended a college tour to Columbia University and Barnard College in New York City and stayed at Yale University, New Haven through her EMERGE fellowship.

Feeling deprived of opportunities to play sports like tennis, Sidra aspires to form a platform for underprivileged students - those who wish to play a specific sport but are not able to due to unfavorable circumstances. Students would be able to acquire coaching lessons from instructors in a proper athletic facility and use, earn, and own the equipment of a sport of their choice.

Aisha Khan Woodbridge, VA

Aisha has dreamt of being bigger than herself. An immigrant from Pakistan, she values transparency, empathy, and advocacy. Though her homelife has been difficult at times, Aisha carefully heeds the lessons taught by her single mother, of resilience and determination, to work closely with underrepresented members in her community, addressing social and environmental issues. She wishes to enact change on the local level and on a national scale—Aisha aspires to translate her service projects to communities across the United States to mitigate challenges others face.

A junior from Woodbridge, Virginia, Aisha is the vice-president of her class, she’s raised awareness funds for alopecia research and wildlife affected by the Australian wildfires, and ensures each member of her class has an equal voice. She enjoys creative writing; as a poetry lead for her school’s literary magazine, EDDAS, Aisha’s poems have been published thrice. She’s participated in various writing competitions, winning awards on the regional and national level. Her poetry concentrates on the struggles faced by minorities, she has written from her own experiences, and Aisha made a vow to comprehend the plights of those around her through writing. She is on her school’s varsity cross-country team, National Honor Society, and National Spanish Honor Society.

Aisha spends time working with the Sunrise Movement, organizing climate strikes, lobbying, and collaborating with local politicians pushing for stricter climate change regulation. She’s educated people in her community through social media, hosting town halls, or initiating conversations with strangers. She interned with her local delegate raising awareness on issues of wealth inequality in schools, excessive pollution, and voter disenfranchisement. Aisha is a Girl Scout, and is working with her county’s elections office to raise voter turnout in low-income, minority neighborhoods.

Aisha hopes to attend Dartmouth College, to acquire a double-major in Government and Environmental Science with a minor in Spanish on a pre-law track.

Venus Li Honolulu, HI

Venus is a hard-working, optimistic individual with a passion for science. She is motivated to help those in need. Venus has overcome hardships despite the doubts and uncertainty that surrounded her.

One of Venus’s greatest achievements is being part of the Clarence T.C. Ching PUEO program; a rigorous seven-summer program to help develop, and strengthen the skills students need to prepare them for college. Each summer, for five-weeks, students complete a year’s worth of work. Venus has developed confidence about her background and the person she strives to be, and learned the history and culture of the Hawaiians. “Ua Mau ke Ea o ka ʻĀina i ka Pono” is a motto that holds many meanings, and it has reminded Venus to always do the right thing and to never lose sight of her goals.

Venus is involved in a variety of extracurricular activities. She is captain of her school Science Olympiad team where she discovered her love for biology and anatomy. Venus is a member of the National Honors Society. She volunteers at her local hospital to help plan and run activities for the patients. She plans volunteering opportunities for the Manga club, dedicated to educating young artists about the process of making manga and learning about Japanese culture.

As a daughter of immigrants, Venus has been inspired by her mom and how much she sacrificed to ensure her children had a proper education. Venus’s mom did not want her children to experience the hardships she did when she was immigrating to America. Her mom has taught her many valuable life lessons.

Using her aspirations and passions of science, Venus inspires to be a biomedical scientist specializing in cancer research. Venus plans to attend one of the nation’s top universities and attain a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences, and move on to earn a Ph.D. to fulfill her hopes of becoming a biomedical scientist.

Gabriel Lima Sioux Falls, SD

On the rare occasion that Gabriel (Gabe for short) Lima climbs out of his cave, and into society, his peers recognize him for his bubbly, yet determined personality. Born in Brazil, Gabe is a triple citizen of the United Kingdom, United States, and Brazil (on top of that mess, he is also a member of Brazil’s Indigenous body). Gabe thrives within diverse communities, and is heavily involved in programs like Latinos Unidos, his high school’s Latinx coalition; Black Student Union; and Wówačhiŋtháŋka, his school’s native coalition. His goal before graduating high school is to establish a long-term system to help future low-income, POC students get access to educational resources and information. Gabe lives in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. When he’s not pursuing his primary passions for Indigenous, Black, and Latinx rights, Gabe passes his time at school serving on an administrative advisory board, where appointed students share and effect change in their local community.

Gabe dabbles in pottery, and although he’s never in his life made anything notable, he finds it relaxing to therapeutically punch clay. As an avid ARTISTE, Gabe enjoys playing music and has served as the 2nd chair violist of the South Dakota Allstate Orchestra, and as the principal violist of the South Dakota Youth Orchestra. Gabe serves on the Youth Advisory Council (a branch of the Midwestern non-profit YouthRoots), where he strives to raise, and distribute funds to local nonprofits who work on uplifting under-represented communities.

With his role in the National Honors Society, French National Honors Society, and the South Dakota Historical Society Gabe’s goals are to pursue a career in Anthropology, use this platform to educate the public about Indigenous issues, and later move back to his home country to advocate for the rights and sovereignty of his people.

Estefania Martinez Oklahoma City, OK

Estefania is a highly ambitious, goal-oriented individual. Her driven and motivated personality is encouraged by her strong desire for a brighter future. “Never settle” is Estefania’s life motto. She is constantly striving for improvement in her life; a pillar to her personal and academic success. It inspires her to persevere through the many obstacles that she has faced and shaped her to be the person she is today.

Estefania served as Vice President of Excel Club, a student-led organization that serves its community through service projects, then served as President the next year. Taking a leadership role during Excel Clubs’ beginning years, gifted Estefania with the opportunity to build the clubs’ identity and reputation. She took on this challenge and worked relentlessly to create a club that is impactful through its service projects and enjoyable for its members. Estefania organized and carried out club community service projects, fundraising events, and volunteer opportunities. Through her involvement in Excel Club, Estefania discovered her passion for giving back to her community and helping others.

Estefania takes pride in her involvement in many other extracurricular activities. She served as a class representative for Key Club and her schools’ Student Council, Naval Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps, Environmental Club, and National Honor Society. Estefania enjoys serving her community and has accumulated over 300 hours of volunteer work with local organizations, including Pets & People Humane Society, Myriad Botanical Gardens, the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma, Loveworks Leadership Organization, and Almonte Library.

Estefania’s ambition stems from the hard-working nature of her parents. She is constantly inspired by the courage her parents displayed when they immigrated to the United States, seeking a better life for their family. Although faced with physical, economic, and emotional hardships, her parents’ grit and resilience have never failed. She is thankful for all their sacrifices and strives to make them proud as a first-generation scholar.

Jazmin Morales Rodriguez Salem, OR

Jazmin is an ambitious and determined student who was born with a flare of fire, which pushes her to be passionate, work hard for the things she wants to accomplish, and overcome barriers. She is a first-generation student that intends to break stereotypes and succeed in college. She is generous, motivating, and loves to make others laugh. Jazmin was raised by two immigrant parents being taught to go after her dreams even when they appear unreachable. She is unique, remarkable, and will strive to do great things in life. One of Jazmin’s greatest accomplishments has been participating in a research project through the Lemelson-MIT Foundation; 15 schools nationwide are granted $10,000 to work on an invention. Jazmin and teammates created an adaptive cup for individuals with dysphagia presenting at MIT the following summer. As a part of the InvenTeam, she was the historian documenting the invention process, making her an official researcher for MIT. Her favorite memories from Boston include visiting Harvard Square and flying on a plane for the first time.

Jazmin is involved in extracurricular activities including Mckay Varsity Soccer team and Willamette Academy, a college access program at Willamette University serving students with additional support outside of school through mentoring, tutoring, monthly Saturday sessions, and a summer camp. She volunteers weekly at the city hospital. Lastly, Jazmin has a part-time job working at In-n-Out Burger to save money for college.

Jazmin’s greatest motivation is her family who inspires her to follow her dreams. Being a first-generation student pushes her to persevere to be an admirable example for her younger brother and relatives. She is immensely grateful for her family and community for having done so much for her, and hopes to give back to them as she evolves throughout her life.

Evelyn Nutt Ketchikan, AK

Unpredictable change is a scene that Evelyn has had to replay frequently. Though she may frequently face moments of division and emotional transition, outward communication and expression taught her how to accept change.

Due to her father’s military career, Evelyn has grown to be adaptable and flexible throughout her hardships of moving. In hopes of emulating her father’s influence, Evelyn strives to be a prominent leader. Evelyn brings joy to others by performing locally with the Ketchikan Community Concert Band and her high school’s band. In 2019, she received the Sam Pitcher Scholarship to attend the summer Sitka Fine Arts Camp. As a passionate flutist, Evelyn has received Superior ratings in numerous Solo and Ensemble Festivals, acceptance into five Regional bands, and two State bands. Evelyn finds fulfillment in competing on the Academic Decathlon team, allowing her to explore subjects unconventional to high school, such as quantum mechanics and Broadway musical appreciation. In her senior year, Evelyn will be named Captain as she is determined to take her team to Nationals.

Evelyn volunteers through the Kayhi Rotary Interact Club and National Honors Society. She serves at her local Catholic church as an assistant catechist and leads through the KHS Student Body Association as Junior Class Vice President. In 2019, Evelyn founded the Schoenbar Middle School Student Tutors Club, a high school student-run group supporting the education of middle school students. Lastly, Evelyn runs a substance abuse prevention campaign to decrease the prominence of drugs among Ketchikan’s youth.

Inspired by her distinct talents and her unique background as a military child, Evelyn hopes to bridge the gap between conflicting cultures by serving underserved people, who lack essential resources. To spearhead her aspirations, Evelyn wishes to go to college to study a combination of engineering, anthropology, and linguistics.

Gonzalo Palafox Glendale, AZ

Gonzalo Palafox is a highly motivated person, wanting to help those around him. He has overcome every obstacle thrown at him and believes that with his story, he can impact the world. With Gonzalo’s expertise in customer service, Gonzalo likes to help out his school by doing concessions for his class.

Gonzalo is most proud of creating a newspaper club, serving students with the news around the school weekly. As a freshman, Gonzalo was afraid of starting a club that would go down easily so he decided to just start writing his own book. As a sophomore, he had more ideas for a club but still feared rejection. As a junior, he gathered courage to make his dreams a reality: The Grizzly Newspaper was established. “It was pretty scary to start a club when you didn't know if students would be interested, a school with 4000 students who would want to join a newspaper?” Gonzalo expressed.

Additionally, Gonzalo is a part of a Youth Leadership Council in Yakima County where the group comes together to discuss how to make improvements in the community. Gonzalo once was a youth leader for his church, helping the youth that needed guidance. Gonzalo loves to write and one day hopes to publish a book.

Gonzalo is very inspired by everyone around him. In 2016, after facing parental abuse, Gonzalo was placed in foster care. While there, Gonzalo experienced thoughts of suicide but overcame his mental health concerns. Today, Gonzalo says, “Life isn't easy, but I've always wanted to be a good person to this world. We all make mistakes and it's never too late to fix yours.”

Harsh Patel Orangeburg, SC

Harsh (“Hersh”) is a proud first-generation, Indian American who uses his culture and background to drive his ambition. He strives to approach life with a positive mindset no matter the adversity. It is this positive mindset that defines Harsh and allows him to set a prime example for others.

Although residing in South Carolina, Harsh is an Atlanta, Georgia native. He spent his beginning years of high school in Atlanta, and was heavily involved in the community. He served on the Model Atlanta Regional Commission (MARC). MARC is a youth leadership and civic engagement program to learn about issues surrounding the Atlanta area and conduct research to formulate solutions for those issues. Harsh was leader of his committee, presenting his team’s research and solutions to the Atlanta Regional Commission Board of Directors. Through research, Harsh found disparities in the region’s education outcomes, and advocated to invest in the schools for future sustainability. Harsh’s commitment to MARC gave him a meaningful voice in his community’s government and an impact on future policy-making decisions.

An Honor Roll student, Harsh participates in a variety of other extracurricular activities. In 2019, he travelled to Detroit to attend the NAACP National Conference and presented a project that shed light on social injustice using mathematics. Additionally, Harsh cultivated his community knowledge and built leadership qualities by participating in Junior Leadership Orangeburg County. Lastly, he had the honor of being selected for a full-ride foreign exchange program to Brazil.

Harsh aspires to be a cardiologist. In 2017, he underwent open heart surgery due to a congenital heart defect. Harsh’s experience with his heart condition inspired him to pursue the medical route to become a cardiologist. Knowing how expensive cardiac care can be, Harsh’s dream is to open a nonprofit cardiac care clinic. His goal is to be a relatable doctor by helping individuals with conditions similar to his.

Sarah-Margaret Porter Fort Mill, SC

Sarah-Margaret is an open-minded nature lover from Rock Hill, South Carolina. She has a deep love and respect for all living creatures. She volunteers with Bethel United Men's Shelter, working as a camp counselor and helps her peers in school. She wants everyone to have opportunities in life and understands how socioeconomic barriers can hinder someone’s future.

Sarah-Margaret is most proud of the research paper she published in 2019 detailing the lack of education facing her peers on environmental issues. She is a strong advocate for the environment and believes education is the biggest way to combat climate change. She conducted a survey amongst her peers that found there was misinformation surrounding the issue of climate change and her school was not resolving the misinformation. To combat this, she plans on holding information sessions to educate her peers on how they can do their part to help the planet.

Sarah-Margaret is heavily involved in extracurriculars at school. She is on the varsity soccer and cross country teams winning the best sportsmanship award this year. She is in the National Honors Society and Beta Club. She has been one of her school’s lead attorneys since eighth grade, winning the best attorney award at the 2019 South Carolina State Mock Trial competition. She enjoys operating on ham radio. She was able to obtain her FCC amateur radio license when she was thirteen. Through this activity she has become morse code proficient making contacts all over the globe.

Sarah-Margaret’s biggest inspiration has been her father. He had her later in life and sacrificed his “golden years” to give her everything that he could. She wants to obtain the college degree that he was unable to receive and make him proud. It was his love of nature that led to her wish to major in environmental studies.

Andre Ramsey Spokane, WA

Andre Ramsey is a Junior at John R. Rogers High School in Spokane, Washington. He makes it his mission to spread kindness. He believes that anyone has the option to choose kind and in the words of Auggie Pullman from Wonder, “When given the choice between being right or being kind, choose kind!”

Andre was named a 2020 United States Senate Youth Program Scholar, joining a cohort of 104 of the brightest young political minds in the nation. He achieved this experience by being one of the top two student leaders and political activists in Washington State determined through a rigorous application, test and interview process. He hopes to use this position in this prestigious organization to further his political career in the future. In addition, Andre is a two-time Carson Scholar recipient. He joins 500 student leaders and change makers around the country who exemplify the true meaning of servant leadership and dedication to serving those around them.

Moreover, Andre holds a multitude of leadership positions in his school and throughout the state. He is currently Area 11 President and Vice-President of Leadership for Washington DECA while also elected to serve another term as Area 11 President and Vice-President of Marketing. He also serves as Associated Student Body Treasurer, FCCLA Vice-President, KEY Club President, DECA Chapter Officer, Book Club Vice-President, and Student Advisor to the Spokane Public Schools School Board.

Andre plans to attend Harvard University in the Class of 2025 to concentrate in Economics with a secondary in Government. He plans to use these degrees to pursue a career as an executive of an employee-owned business and then transition into politics to represent the underrepresented. He plans on starting a grassroots campaign to secure a spot in congress and will accomplish this with a foundation of kindness.

Zoe Rosales Yuba City, CA

Zoe was raised to value compassion, hard work, and determination above all. In every aspect of her life, she endeavors to employ these ethics and help everyone she possibly can. Rather than being constrained by the tribulations she’s faced at home and abroad, she uses them to provide a fresh point of view, and bolster others who are disadvantaged like herself. Where hope is bleak, she maintains an ardent optimism; where systemic barriers impede her journey, she perseveres; where opportunities don’t exist, she blazes a trail for herself and others to follow

These defining characteristics of Zoe’s are best showcased in her volunteer work, as a Key Club president and through her local hospital. It seems like humble work, but that’s what she appreciates about it. Working with her community and fellow volunteers at such an intimate level has shown her the power that each individual has, in instituting positive change. They’ve inspired her to orchestrate a nonprofit of her own- one which will provide resources to homeless families in the area.

Zoe is proud of her role as captain of her Academic Decathlon team, whom she led to state competition. Guiding her peers through the material and toward a love of learning has been highly rewarding. She is acknowledged not only as part of a team, but as an individual as well, earning gold medals in each of the ten events!

Coming from a poor, immigrant family headed by four generations of single mothers, Zoe understands the unique perspective that she possesses; one which is too often overlooked. Zoe will apply this understanding and her desire to uplift others in her pursuit to become a doctor; joining the nonprofit organization Doctors Without Borders to work in a Latin American country. She’ll work to close the healthcare gap caused by wealth disparities while reconnecting with her Latin roots.

Dayron Rojas Orlando, FL

Dayron is a passionate and driven student from Orlando, Florida. He has overcome considerable obstacles and was able to do this by perpetuating his goals and not deterring from the path of a better future. He serves his community in any way possible, this is significant for him; he genuinely believes serving your community is one of the ways to give back what you were given and role model for younger generations.

Dayron is most proud of having been able to positively influence change through his leadership roles. He is Colonial Key Club Treasurer, a student-led service organization for youth working in their communities to change socioeconomic gaps. He created a guidebook for treasurers in his county on the rules and regulations regarding monetary funds collected and how to serve club members. The guidebook allowed clubs that are in lower socioeconomic status communities to be able to fund their service projects and events on an equivalent level to clubs that have financial security.

Dayron is involved in various extracurriculars. He’s the Student Body Treasurer/Secretary and Student Body President Elect for Colonial High School, Key Club Treasurer, and a member of National Honor Society. He takes Advance Placement, Cambridge, Dual-Enrollment, and virtual classes. Dayron does all this and takes the public bus everyday to and from school; managing to stay after-school working on his extracurriculars to make sure he goes above and beyond.

Dayron is a German born and of Peruvian descendant. He continues to work diligently for his mother and hopes to be able to give back to his community everything he’s learned - helping others develop a path to a better future. His goal is to attend the University of Pennsylvania in the class of 2025 as a first-generation college student; he considers this not a small task, but rather a big one, nevertheless, he will continue to stride towards his goals.

Gavin Scott Checotah, OK

Gavin strives for success when people show him adversity. He never leaves a friend behind. You can find Gavin being the first one to step up to a challenge and encouraging others to do their best. He is selfless and empathetic, sticking up for those in need.

Gavin is most proud of advocating to start a Drama class at his school with a class size of 80, he realized the lack of support for the arts. Gavin knows the insuperable effects the arts can have on one's life and wants to help everyone get involved. The arts are a precious thing that are taken for granted and need to be protected. The arts have lasting effects on you for life and grant a sense of community that he will appreciate and give back to as long as he can!

Gavin is involved with many extracurricular activities. You can find him singing or practicing music. He does this so that he is ready to help with this group called “Blue Notes.” In this group he sings at various community gatherings and meetings. Gavin has achieved many accomplishments through singing including All-State for four years and making the South Western Region of the United States Honor Choir which includes the top 25 singers from 8 states. He volunteers with the group called “Friends of Lake Eufaula State Park” to ensure his local state park will be enjoyed for years to come.

Gavin is aspiring to become a doctor. Not having health insurance, he knows the importance of getting healthcare to those in need. He wants to work with Doctors Without Borders so that he will be able to break down the socioeconomic barriers in medicine to help those in need and to prevent thousands of preventable deaths each year. His goal is to get a group of like minded individuals to help him with these endeavors.

Barbara Soliman Culver City, CA

Barbara is an Egpytian American from Culver City, California who centers her life around her Christian values of service and loving kindness. She abides by the verse "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me," (1 Philippians 4:13) and is motivated by God in all that she does. Aside from her tenacity and resilience, Barbara is warmhearted, hardworking, and ambitious.

At a local hospital, Barbara is the only teen volunteer in a project led by physicians and dietitians that promotes a whole-foods plant-based diet for patients with cardiac issues. She formulated a survey, asking patients if they wish to pursue this diet, and takes steps to connect them to available resources. A month after launching this project, Barbara has gotten over 30 patients to enroll in a whole-foods plant-based diet lifestyle class at the hospital. She is proud to make an impact on others’ health and being part of this project, she has taken steps in learning how to achieve a more holistic perspective in health.

She is busy keeping up with several AP and honor classes, and is involved in other extracurricular activities. She is the president of the Future Healthcare Professionals Club, where she leads meetings about prevalent healthcare issues and spreads awareness throughout her school. She teaches STEM to a local elementary school, every other Friday and creates lesson plans and activities. Every summer, for the past 10 years, she has led her church team in a bible study competition to first place.

Barbara aspires to become a healthcare professional that serves around the world. She hopes to provide better healthcare to the underserved in Egypt, as she was inspired by her immigrant parents who journeyed to America for better healthcare. Her main goal in life is to serve others, but more importantly, God.

Jahnee Smith Miami, FL

Jahnee Smith is a resilient and ambitious student that attends Miami Jackson Senior High. Hobbies of hers include watching drama shows and sunsets and listening to alternative R&B. She has a deep admiration for hot sauce and spicy foods. Jahnee’s goals are stabilizing the emotional, social, and financial barriers in her family by pursuing a postsecondary education.

Jahnee is a policy debater with the Miami Dade Urban Debate League where she learned the power of policy and having a unique perspective. Jahnee says that as an actor in a “policy-making setting” she was able to recognize the power and value of her voice. She examined how punitive school suspension policies adopted by her school board fueled the school-to-prison pipeline that punished disadvantaged students of color. As President of the Debate Team at her school, she recognized her position of power to enact change on the issue. She proposed a solution to her school administration which led to a reduction in school suspensions the following school year.

She serves as a volunteer for Achieve Miami, a non-profit organization focused on reducing the socioeconomic barriers to education. She dedicated the past two years to increase literacy rates to elementary students believing that literacy is a crucial skill that remains underdeveloped in many inner city Title I public schools. In addition, Jahnee is a part of UP!Music which advocates for equitable access to music education. Her greatest accomplishment was helping a student get into one of the only art focused middle schools in the City of Miami.

Jahnee’s passions relate to her lived experiences with such “broken institutions”. Experiencing many hardships has fueled her to mitigate the impacts of prevalent urban issues. She hopes to conduct research in major urban cities regarding gentrification in her undergraduate education. Life goals include becoming a licensed social worker that advocates for equitable access to education and affordable housing in urban areas.

Lesleigh Taylor Cedar Hill, TX

Lesleigh is a steadfast student originally from New Orleans, Louisiana attending Duncanville High School Collegiate Academy in Texas. After being displaced by Hurricane Katrina, Lesleigh came to Texas in pursuit of opportunities her family never had. She continues to be an active member of her community and school through her work in various organizations.

Lesleigh spends at least one day a week at Mt. Rose Church where she teaches and tutors children ages 3 to 12. She writes lesson plans, conducts hands-on activities, and helps students with homework. She learned she wanted to work in pediatrics in impoverished and marginalized areas after witnessing the lack of adequate health care in her community.

Lesleigh is involved in the student leadership program Youth and Government (YAG) where she has advanced to the state competition for five years. She found a passion for servant leadership and gained an understanding of policy and the legislative process of the state of Texas. Most importantly, Lesleigh was able to implement a sister program of YAG named Y-Achievers at her school which provides students with resources to visit colleges and prepares them to attend a secondary institution.

Lesleigh volunteers at the Pan-African Connection Bookstore Art Gallery and Resource Center. She helps visitors gain an understanding of the traditions and problems faced by people in the African diaspora. Lesleigh brings students from the Black Alliance Club she co-founded at her school to distribute fresh fruits and vegetables to people in the food desert of South Dallas.

Lesleigh is most inspired by her mother who came to an unfamiliar place with no one to support her. Because of this, Lesleigh hopes to be a first-generation college graduate and help marginalized individuals across the globe. She knows that her mother gave up a lot to raise her and her siblings and hopes to not let her mother’s sacrifices be in vain.

Zahria Thomas Ruskin, FL

Having to move to several states, Zahria had to find a way to be independent and goal orientated. With a biological mother that wasn't supportive in Zahria’s academic and personal life, she had to learn it all. She struggled to stay active in her school and maintain her stellar grades as she battled with a tumultuous home life. Zahria’s innate tenacity is what is marvaling about her. She finds a way to succeed even in the darkest of times. Striving to be better than her past, she works hard to obtain her success.

Zahria joined SkillsUSA. In her second year, she competed in the regional competition. Zahria spent months preparing and won Regionals as the second place winner of the Job interview competition. This was a great achievement because she’s always struggled with public speaking. Excitedly, she moved to the State competition and competed against winners from around the state of Georgia, ultimately winning 3rd place.

Zahria is most proud of her work as lead editor of Girls Who Code. The work she did not only inspired but consolidated her desire to continue with inspiring girls to do work in STEM. After her win she was able to go live with her dad and her bonus mom in Florida. When she got there, Zahria was able to soar! She signed up for slam poetry competitions, was elected Junior class president, and was Student ambassador for her school soon after she had arrived. She spends her time tutoring students at the local elementary and high schools.

Zahria is inspired to start up her own chapter for Girls Who Code in Florida for middle and high school girls who are interested in learning code and what they can do with code. Zahria can’t take all the glory, her plentiful examples of strong black women in her family show her that no matter the tribulations, you can excel.

Julie Trinh Friendswood, TX

Despite her 4’10” stature, Julie, a student ambassador of Clear Horizons Early College High School in Houston, TX, is known to be unbelievably resilient and ambitious. “Julie is incredibly optimistic and energetic in every one of the courses she attends, no matter the academic rigor,” says her teachers.

An immigrant from Vietnam, Julie has seen the struggles of her Vietnamese American community and is most proud of her work as founder of the Giao Xu Cac Thanh Tu Dao Traditional Vietnamese Dance Program. She teaches the true values of what it means to be Vietnamese and empowers youth from sixth grade to college undergraduates to be confident in themselves through the art of dance. She and her group perform at various cultural venues across the greater-Houston area.

Julie earned numerous honors and is involved in an assortment of extracurriculars. She won CIEE’s Global Navigator Scholarship: a full-ride trip to India as a volunteer to educate rural youth about mental health. She travels to Vietnam volunteering at the orphanage, and volunteers in the Plastic Surgery department at the University of Texas Medical Branch, accumulating a total of 800+ service-learning hours! She’s Yearbook Editor-in-Chief, co-founded her school’s Science Olympiad, and initiated San Jacinto College’s first dual credit social.

In her sophomore year, her mother unexpectedly passed away due to birth complications and her father moved out, leaving her in charge of nurturing her newborn brother and being the person her family of six can depend on. That did not stop her from focusing on her goals. Julie plans to study Molecular BioPhysics and BioChemistry on the Pre-Med track. With her degree, she hopes to attain careers as a cosmetic plastic surgeon with a specialty in facial contouring, a histology researcher, a medical school professor, and a professional photographer. No matter what life hits her with, “they’ve all shaped me to become the hardworking, never-settle-for-less, don’t-stop-till-you-reach-your-goal-self,” says Julie.

Venicesa White Oklahoma City, OK

Venicesa White is an ambitious and emotionally attuned honors student. She prides herself in the resiliency and strength she has shown throughout her life. Venicesa expresses her passion for the mental and educational health of teenagers through active participation in various programs.

Venicesa’s sophomore year, she became invested in the mental health of teenagers in her school. Together with her brother and friend, Venicesa started the first high school Active Minds chapter in Oklahoma. Venicesa believes in promoting civic engagement and activism in youth. She is the Secretary of State and former District Judge of Oklahoma’s Youth and Government Program and will attend the Conference on National Affairs for the second straight year.

Venicesa is part of Link Crew, a program helping incoming freshmen integrate into high school. You can find her chasing down underclassmen with club and program opportunities. Venicesa believes that if you don’t know what you want to do with your life yet, you should always keep a few doors open. Venicesa passionately plans her school’s events as the student council’s Head of Special Events. She was a page for State Senator Julia Kirt. Venicesa can be found in her school’s mascot costume at football and basketball games. It brings her great joy to get the crowd up and active. Writing about important moments in her high school in Yearbook is important to her. Venicesa believes that no matter where you are in life, there will always be an opportunity to improve your day.

Venicesa’s ambitions consist of improving the quality of life of underprivileged Americans through surgical oncology, law, or creating jobs through a business adventure. She knows her calling is to medicine, she is also a firm believer in the ability to be malleable in the challenges of life. To Venicesa, the most important things are security, happiness, and family.