Adriana Cavazos Salem, OR

Tiny but mighty. That is what to expect when Adriana enters a room. Adriana is a humanitarian at their finest, believing that everyone deserves to smile. Through her leadership, kindness, and drive to exceed in everything she does — she is known to leave people in awe. Curious at heart, Adriana wants to try everything and excel at it — a perfectionist one might say. As she has gotten older, she realizes that furthering her education is more than getting a degree; it is breaking stereotypes and raising family expectations. It is important to her that her community realizes that with the right mindset and dedication, dreams can become realities. “I am a dreamer. I am a doer.” Adriana tells herself when thinking about her future. Adriana works hard in hopes that it will inspire other youth in her community to follow their ambitious dreams, goals, and desires.

Adriana is an administrator in the McKay High School Choir, a unique program due to the diverse student body and variety of backgrounds. For the McKay Choir, it is more than just making music for the students; it is a safe place and family. Adriana’s work as an admin is her way of giving back to the program that has been there for her when she needed it most. With her team, they have been able to create inclusive projects, such as the t-shirt design projects, introduce program-wide team building, and even influence the environment of the newly built choir room at McKay; the new room will now have a piece of each community represented at McKay. If it were not for her involvement in Willamette Academy, a college-prep program for underrepresented students in her community, Adriana believes that she would have never applied for her choir’s admin position. The academy has developed her confidence and leadership skills and the people in the program have challenged her and pushed her in ways that have influenced her character. She cannot thank them enough for helping her become the person that she is today.

Arthur Codrington Hollywood, FL

Arthur Codrington is a high-achiever with a passion for helping and serving others. Often referred to as a ‘natural people person,’ Arthur’s enthusiasm and charisma adds to his overall personality. He’s dedicated his time to many service projects and organizations, as well as leadership position, to help his community.

Arthur’s two most notable achievements are with Key Club and Student Government. In November 2020 Arthur and other Key Club leaders executed a COVID-safe, spooky drive-through to replicate the annual haunted trail fundraiser held in October. “This event made me realize the true impact of students giving in service to help a greater good,” Codrington said. “I felt like a superhero — although, without a cape and powers — my service still saved people.”

Despite the added pressures of COVID-19, he and his team still raised over $1,400 to save more than 400 mothers and babies from Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus (MNT).

When it comes to Student Government (SGA), Arthur is a four-time Class President – serving his Class of ’22 all four years of their high school career – and two-time Parliamentarian. Recently, Arthur was inducted in as the Broward County Association of Student Councils President representing his high school, Hollywood Hills. Along with in-school extracurriculars, Arthur involves himself in community organizations. He is a Youth Ambassador for the City of Hollywood, working alongside local city government officials like the Mayor, City Commissioners, and Chief of Police. Finally, Arthur has been a College and Career Reediness Mentor all four years of high school, alongside being the Deputy Commander of his Army Junior ROTC.

Arthur’s goals is to attend a historically black college and/or university (HBCU) to major in biochemistry and chemistry to then go to Medical School and earn his MD. His wish is to become a cardiovascular surgeon in support of his passion for helping others.

Arthur strives to achieve greatness, not just within himself but with others. His family is his biggest inspirations to do good and be all that he can be. “There’s always room to grow and get better,” Codrington said. “I look up to where I envision myself to be.”

“There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self,” – Ernest Hemmingway.

This is the rule Arthur lives by and what pushes him to accomplish more and more.

Azaria Cherry Norfolk, VA

Azaria Cherry is a compassionate STEMinist constantly seeking ways in which she can introduce more girls to the world of STEM and making a difference within her community.

Azaria is most proud of her work as founder of ZincGirlz, a nonprofit organization — that Azaria founded in the 7th grade — whose goal is to inspire inner-city girls to explore STEM, self-love, higher education, and community stewardship.

“ZincGirlz allows other girls to know that being labeled as the geeky girl isn’t a bad thing,” Cherry said. “In fact, it’s quite powerful.”

Additionally, Azaria is an honor student in the Medical and Health Specialties program at Maury High School. She is currently the Vice President of SCA and is an active member of the National Honor Society, a Class Representative (Fundraising chair), and member of the Newspaper club. Outside of the classroom she shines just as bright. Currently, Azaria serves as President of the NAACP Norfolk Youth Branch and has dedicated over 550 hours of community service within the last 3 years to various community organizations and projects. Azaria has earned a plethora of honors and awards, such as: Girl Boss of the Year, Something in the Water Pitch Competition, STRONG Magazine for Girls Ambassador, Teens with a Purpose Movemaker of the Year, WDW Disney Dreamer, Prudential Spirit of Community Distinguished Finalist, Presidential Volunteer Service Award, and Hampton Roads Exemplar Award Recipient.

Since the tender age of 5, Azaria has always had ambitions of becoming a Pediatrician. In 2019, she lost her Aunt Nicole unexpectedly; This tragic even solidified Azaria’s dreams and bolstered her commitment to studying medicine. She is looking forward to attending a historically black college and/or university (HBCU) and returning home (or somewhere close) to continue her education in medical school where she can give back to those who helped shape and mold her dreams. “One thing that I am looking forward to the most is returning home and working with the people who live in my community that can’t afford quality healthcare, Cherry said. “Many have become a part of my village and have always cheered for my success — they tend to inspire me the most.”

Dajuantay "DJ" Wynter Sacramento, CA

Dajuantay Wynter is a strong-willed individual, shaped by his successes and setbacks. He learned the importance of hard work at a young age and with his work ethic, has been able to meet all of life's challenges.

Dajuantay is most proud of his past successes in serving his community. During his freshman year, he joined Key Club — an international organization focused on improving impoverished homes, schools, and communities. He quickly rose to serve as his club's Vice President and his division Web and Tech Task Coordinator during his sophomore year, and as Key Club President his junior year. Through Key Club, Dajauntay has served his community for over 300 hours and coordinated over 130 service events, ranging from making sandwiches for the homeless to planting trees at a local park. He has been recognized as a Distinguished Vice President by the Key Club District of California, Nevada, and Hawai’i due to his lasting impact on his club and community. In his years serving as an officer in Key Club, Dajuantay is most proud of all the members he helped guide in their journey of dedication and passion for service.

Additionally, Dajuantay is heavily involved in extracurricular activities, serving as Equity Committee Vice-Chairman, Associated Student Body (ASB) Secretary, Grant Advisory Board of Youth board member, and Black Student Union (BSU) Vice President. He takes great pride in being an active leader on his school campus. Finally, Dajuantay works part-time as a Shift Manager at Popeyes to support his family and save for college.

Dajuantay was born into a family with a history of poverty, lack of education, and incarceration. Knowing this, he is inspired to free his family from the shackles that bind them. When life gets tough, he holds his head up, knowing that one day he will be walking across the stage getting his college degree as a result of his hard work.

David Han Irvine, CA

David Han is a scrupulous student from Southern California, who strives to explore the intersections between his copious academic and humanitarian passions. By applying his scientific interests — ranging from psychology to microbiology — to his advocacy work, David hopes to carve out a more harmonious future.

As the Co-Chair of the Youth Committee Team at the Orange County Climate Reality Project, David leads a cohort of activists in creating a comprehensive curriculum regarding energy and climate change for K-8 students. By mobilizing the next generation of changemakers, David hopes to create a more green, sustainable future. In order to spotlight the impressive — but often unreported — sustainability initiatives taking place throughout the nation, he founded the “One World” podcast; notable interviews include a Johns Hopkins researcher; air quality specialist at the University of California, Irvine; and the Director of Strategic Growth at the Sustainable Harvest International.

Furthermore, through various research internships at the University of California, Irvine, David strives to understand the convoluted mechanisms of humans that drive the large-scale systems of society. Currently, he is working on a writing portfolio that examines how self-confidence is potentially a quantifiable measurement of a minority scholar’s resistance against marginalization and racist perpetuations. By combining psychological phenomena and writing, David hopes to glean a more developed understanding of the micro and macro aspects that drive society.

David is a voracious consumer of historical fiction and is currently reading The Beautiful and Damned by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Some of his favorite books include Silas Marner by George Eliot, The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton, and Night and Day by Virginia Woolf.

Grace Gerleman Decorah, IA

Grace is a passionate and driven student from Decorah High School — known for putting 100% of her heart into everything she does. Living and working on the family farm has taught her the true meaning of hard work. Grace challenges herself to be a positive leader in her school and community.

Grace has embodied the concept of living to serve through her dedication to the National FFA Organization and has held numerous officer positions: 2020-2021 Northeast District Reporter, 2021-2022 Northeast District Secretary, 2021-2022 Chapter Vice President, and Strengthening Agriculture Division Chair. Grace and her fellow officer teams have worked diligently to provide the best experience for members at conventions, leadership events, contests, and meetings. Furthermore, she and her fellow officers have also developed several new programs and activities — such as, a Member Spotlight program or Greenhand Member workshops — that have left an impact on future Iowa FFA members.

In 2013, Grace started her own business selling sweet corn. Her project started off small, with her traveling around her neighborhood — selling only a couple dozen door-to-door. Today, Grace has grown to selling hundreds of dozens of ears of corn to a large client base and the local farmer’s market. Her entrepreneurial ambitions have taught Grace about customer communication and personal finance. Furthermore, advocating for the agriculture industry and inspiring young women to lead is one of the many things Grace strives towards accomplishing. Upon competing in the 2020 Midwest Miss US Agriculture Pageant, Grace was crowned the 2021 Iowa Teen Miss United States Agriculture. This role has provided Grace a platform to inspire her community; she has traveled throughout the state of Iowa for on-farm visits, industry tours, speaking events, and guest appearances.

As the outspoken individual she is, Grace has always loved helping others. Out of all her service work, she loves volunteering as an assistant coach to the middle school mock trial program the most. Grace is also involved in bowling and the National Honor Society. Her small-town upbringing hasn’t stopped her from having big ambitions that she strives towards with a purpose

Isabella Garcia Houston, TX

Isabella, better known as Bella, is a strong-willed and determined student. She is a proud Mexican-American and strives to uplift her local community — as well as make her family proud. Growing up in an urban and diverse city, Bella has always been surrounded by like-minded individuals with different goals. She is no stranger to adversity and has developed a persistent spirit that allows her to thrive in any environment.

Bella is most proud of her selection as an EMERGE fellow — which has helped her navigate the college application process and introduced her to robust opportunities. She is also proud of her selection as an Atlas Scholar, which focuses on professional development and allows scholars to explore numerous careers. Bella was also named a 2021 Bezos Scholar, joining a student cohort of 16 bright scholars; Bezos Scholars encourages students to implement a community change project, and Bella plans to focus her project on urban air pollution or food insecurity in her community.

Bella is currently a candidate for the rigorous International Baccalaureate Diploma Program. She has also held numerous leadership positions at her school in clubs such as, Student Council, Interact Rotary, and Hispanic Honor Society. She is also involved in the fine arts, is in Advanced Choir, Thespian Honor Society, and participates in costume crew during school productions. On weekends, Bella also participates in a chamber group as a violinist as part of American Festival for the Arts. Over the summer, Bella spends her time at the Houston Museum of Natural Science, where she volunteers at the children’s camps and learns about the various halls. In 2019, she earned the Gold Presidential Volunteer Service Award for her time at the museum.

Fostering and participating in a cultivated community is of high importance to Bella, which is why she takes on avid leadership roles at her school and is always ecstatic to give back to her community in any way she can. Bella is driven by the imminent danger of global warming and wants to pursue environmental studies in college with a focus on sustainable urban development.

Issac Teoh Queens, NY

Hailing from Queens, New York, Issac is a self-starter attending Queens Technical High School; he is an avid learner in the domain of computer science and cybersecurity and enjoys taking images of beautiful New York scenery. Issac is also a FIRSTⓒ Robotics Team #1796 programmer and a Code Nation Fellow, learning the latest and best practices in Web Development from Google and Salesforce Engineers. As a Google Code Next Engineer, he enjoys tinkering with the ins-and-outs of a Raspberry Pi and learning about game development techniques from various teams at Google.

Issac has accumulated over 300 hours in work-based learning outside of school, including: working on organizing a high-stakes robotics championship queuing system, and helping small businesses launch dynamic websites using WordPress tools. Issac is also busy keeping up with dual-enrollment classes at two different colleges – on top of his extensive vocational training in network architecture – and is preparing to become a CISCO Certified Network Associate.

Not only is Issac fluent in several programming languages, but is also fluent in Mandarin Chinese, Cantonese Chinese, and Malay. Issac is a firm believer in giving back to the community and teaches children from China learning English and teaches inner-city middle schoolers reading and arithmetic skills.

Issac is also a scholarship recipient from the Columbia University Summer Program for High School, allowing him to network with students from all around the world – from Kazakhstan to North Korea. Finally, he is a semifinalist in the State Department’s National Security Language Initiative for Youth. Issac aspires to become a security researcher in the near future, finding vulnerabilities before malicious actors can exploit it and wreak havoc.

Ivy Pete Spokane, WA

Ivy Pete is Numu, from the Bridge Port Colony of the Paiute Nation in northern Nevada. Currently, she is a Junior at North Central High School in Spokane, Washington. She is a passionate leader with a strong voice for change — supporting her journey into what will surely be a defining career in justice, advocacy, and equity work.

Ivy's heritage is central to her work. In Washington's 2021 legislative session, Ivy wrote and lobbied on a bill regulating the use of Native American mascots in public schools; the bill passed in the House 90-8 and in the Senate 40-9. This bill was the first of it's kind in the nation and bolstered Ivy’s work with local tribes and several Indian Education Departments across the western United States and Canada. Her work on behalf of Native communities has allowed her to advocate on complex issues such as Chronic Absenteeism, the School to Prison Pipeline, and Missing and Murdered Indigenous People.

Ivy is involved in numerous boards and organizations locally, regionally, and statewide. She is honored to serve as president of her school's multicultural club and as class president for 3 years in a row. Last spring, she was appointed Student Advisor to the fourth largest district in Washington state. Ivy also serves on the Legislative Youth Advisory Council of Washington: a group of 22 young people codified by state law to advise and lobby the legislative bodies of the state regarding issues pertaining to youth.

Ivy works two jobs outside of her schedule as a full-time high school student: The first is as a youth organizer for the Peace and Justice Action League of Spokane where she teaches grassroots organizing principals; The second is as a Legislative Intern for the City of Spokane’s Council members. She focuses on youth civic engagement through social media outreach, community conversations and organizing youth to testify in front of the Council. After high school, Ivy hopes to attend Georgetown University to study International Relations and Political Science, with a concentration on Tribal Affairs and Public Policy.

Kayla Pham Hesperia, CA

Kayla Pham is a compassionate and hard-working student from Hesperia, California that strives for greatness. Kayla is the daughter of immigrants who escaped war-torn Vietnam; despite a less than fortunate circumstance, Kayla continues to persevere and go above and beyond. Kayla is extremely passionate about supporting her community and wants to create a better future by ridding the world of health disparities through her STEM pursuits.

Kayla is the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Moore Truth More Change, a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving underprivileged youth. In 2021, Kayla raised tens of thousands of dollars on behalf of Moore Truth More Change in resources for underprivileged communities. Kayla is also a region officer of Phi Theta Kappa, an honors society, helping preside over one hundred college chapters in California and Nevada. Additionally, Kayla is heavily involved with the American Red Cross and serves as the Volunteer Recognition and Appreciation Lead for the Southern California Red Cross region. Here , she oversees the development and implementation of formal and informal recognition efforts for the region.

Kayla is also an ambitious learner that volunteers at the City of Hope Medical Center to teach science to youth. Not only has she volunteered for the City of Hope, but has also interned with them to explore biomedical research. Not only is Kayla a leader in her community, she is also a leader at her school. She serves as the student representative for her School Site Council for 2020-2022. Kayla has founded two clubs on campus: Pre-Medical club and the Moore Truth More Change club. She is president of the clubs she founded and of the Interact Club. Finally, she serves as the treasurer of her school's Science Olympiad and Science club.

Growing up in poverty and in a single-parent household, Kayla aspires to give underprivileged youth the resources they need to create a better future for themselves. Kayla wants to leave a legacy of greatness and compassion.

Kristen Chung Sacramento, CA

Growing up building PCs with her older brother, Kristen became fascinated with computers at a young age. A strong-willed, compassionate student from Sacramento, California, Kristen works towards bridging the digital divide through education and advocacy. Kristen believes that technological equity is a fundamental right in which everyone should be given the proper resources and tools to succeed.

Currently, Kristen works with RRRComputer, a Bay-Area nonprofit that upcycles computers and gives them back to students in need; she is the first instructor of RRR’s new senior tech program, where she will teach introductory tech classes to senior facilities. She also teaches digital literacy classes for seniors across the globe through Cyber Seniors. Kristen hopes to further her efforts in her own community by raising money for students who don’t have a laptop or proper materials for their learning.

At her high school, Kristen is involved in various clubs that fulfill her passions. For the past three years, she has been a part of Key Club, recently serving as her division’s newsletter editor. Continually, she is also a photographer and editor for her school’s yearbook club, further developing her skills in photography and graphic design. Kristen runs an art club alongside her friend, promoting a safe space for collaborative art projects in her community. Finally, Kristen is also an advocate for AAPI rights, currently in charge of creating her local chapter of Dear Asian Youth’s website.

Although faced with numerous challenges throughout her life, Kristen never allows her hardships to define her; It wasn’t until December of her junior year when she finally decided she would apply to a four-year university. She understands that college is just one step towards the journey ahead, and she is excited to take her passions and experiences towards the next level of her life.

Marcela Rodriguez Holguin Pearland, TX

Marcela is a driven, selfless, and resilient young woman. She is a first-generation student that intends to break stereotypes and succeed in college. Marcela is very mindful of her family’s hard work and sacrifice, and refuses to let circumstances keep her from her goals.

Marcela is most proud of her academic achievements and leadership involvement within her community. She constantly wants to learn more, explore, and look for ways to give back. Due to all her hard work, Marcela was selected as an EMERGE Fellow in the Houston Independent School District; through this program she has been able to take classes from several universities and create connections with admissions officers from colleges she has a great interest in. Marcela was also admitted to the Quest Bridge Scholar Program.

Marcela volunteers through the National Honors Society at animal shelters, the community's foodbank, and uses her time during the pandemic to write letters to the elderly, veterans, and deployed soldiers. In addition, she helped start the female-empowerment club at her school, Girls At Lamar. Being Vice President and a founding member allowed her to see the impact the club had on the female community within her school, and young women can openly share the problems and inquiries that many of them encounter every day together. Marcela cares about motivating and helping others to reach their full potential and refuses to let labels define her or her peers.

Due to the unpredictable changes that Marcela has encountered in her life from an incredibly young age, she recognizes the importance of being able to adapt and thrive in any situation. She refuses to wilt under pressure and strives to overcome any challenge. Marcela recognizes her immense privilege in her ability to pursue her knowledge to the highest attainable level in America; She appreciates the struggles of so many before her and will stop at nothing to make her dream of being the first in her family to attend college a reality.

Mariana Chavez Ontiveros Torrance, CA

Mariana Chavez Ontiveros is a junior at Torrance High School passionate about technology, entrepreneurship, and psychology. Mariana loves taking take of her wellbeing through a vegan lifestyle and running regularly.

Mariana embraces all technology opportunities including Stanford’s Code In Place CS106A course and starting her Google Classroom User Experience (UX) design innovation project. Her supportive network in STEM inspired her to continue her career in software engineering and UX design. Wishing to provide the same support for others, Mariana established a Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers Chapter at her high school where she changes lives by empowering her school community to realize its fullest potential and to impact the world through STEM awareness, access, support, and development. Mariana is an active Scholar of the UCLA Riordan Scholars Program where she helped her team win second place in the stock market competition and provides other scholars SAT tutoring. Mariana’s excellence in financial analysis extends to her passion in financial literacy; she’s attended various financial workshops and reached out to her past financial instructor from an entrepreneurship course to help her build her investing portfolio. Mariana has also served her community through leading a campaign on youth intervention during the Los Angeles Mayor’s Youth Council where she strived to make existing resources accessible to at-risk youth.

In addition to her main achievements, Mariana has been involved in various clubs, including the Latino Culture Club, Cared Connections, Human Relations, and the Nurturing Future Generations Club. Mariana perseveres academically through taking Advanced Placement, honors, and dual enrollment classes while maintaining a high GPA. Mariana actively networks, joins virtual communities for STEM empowerment, and blogs on her UX design career.

Mariana’s vision is to innovate, create, and help others. She plans to manifest her vision through being a UX designer at major technology companies and startups. She wants to become a successful investor and own property in order to create a scholarship in her name for other ambitious students from her high school, to give back to her teachers and mentors, and most importantly — to allow her family to make their own choices regardless of money.

Mary Le Portland, OR

Despite the numerous personal challenges thrown at Mary Le throughout her life, she has grown into an energetic and personable leader, ready to conquer this world with her scientific pursuits. Born in Portland, Oregon, Mary attends David Douglas High School and takes additional STEM-related courses at the John Hopkins Center for Talented Youth.

Academics is not the only thing Mary has to offer; she is a dedicated musical performer. Mary is the concertmistress of her school’s top orchestras and was invited to perform at the Oregon Symphony after her orchestra won the Schnitzer Wonder Award —which is one of many recognitions this young artist has attained. Not only is she a two-time All-State violinist, but her talents earned her a scholarship to play in a private orchestra. Here she performed the prelude to Joshua Bell’s concert and continued on to perform with her state’s private orchestra on various occasions — placing first at an international festival and other regional competitions.

After learning of the groundbreaking research on how music can improve cognitive function in patients with dementia and Alzheimer's, Mary spends her holiday breaks volunteering at retirement homes, playing nostalgic tunes for the residents at their request. Her volunteering work lays close to her heart because she lost several loved ones to the disease. To increase access to healthcare, Mary helped raise $6,000 for local nonprofits as the Fundraiser Facilitator for her school’s service-oriented club CommuniCare, supporting community members dealing with housing insecurity. Mary also interns at the Casey Eye Institute, researching corneal ecstasies, aligning with her future goals in biomedical engineering.

Driven by her love for others and her endless curiosity, Mary aspires to develop new medical technology as she intertwines all the experiences and knowledge she obtains in her lifetime. Her rocky road to success is a pillar of hope to survivors of what she’s endured.

Success will require you to scoop out a lot from your tub of grit,” Le said. “But with a touch of inspiration and a sprinkle of self-determination, you can reach any of your sweetest dreams.”

Melany Benites Clinton, MD

Melany left the busy streets of Lima, Peru as a child, and has been living in a small town on the outskirts of Washington D.C. ever since. Her experiences as an immigrant have shaped her values and the way she views the world. Above all, she values resilience, empathy, and equity. Having witnessed firsthand the negative impacts of socioeconomic inequalities on health, Melany has made it her mission to use the power of her voice to raise awareness and advocate for reforms that will positively affect the lives of members of her community, the nation, and the world. She strives to build a world in which all people, regardless of where they were born or their income, have high-quality lives.

As a student of Oxon Hill High School’s Science and Technology magnet program, Melany’s studies are centered around biology. However, psychology and neurology will always hold a larger share of her heart. To explore her interests, she has interned as a research assistant for cardiologists and psychologists at Children’s National Research Hospital in the nation’s capital and founded her school’s psychology club. This summer, Melany will conduct research at the National Institute of Health.

Melany is an active member of her community. At school, she serves as class president, raises funds and organizes food drives for local food pantries, and works to ensure her classmates have equal access to college and career readiness resources. At the regional level, she serves as the Diversity and Inclusion Coordinator for March For Our Lives Maryland and is a member of the Mental Health Committee for her county’s association of student governments. Melany is currently working on a county-wide campaign to inform students of the mental health resources offered by their school district. Additionally, she dedicates time to volunteering with her Girl Scout troop and organizations such as the Arnold House and Latino Student Fund.

In her free time, Melany enjoys experimenting with food recipes, capturing moments with her camera, watching history documentaries, and listening to the same music playlist on repeat until she grows tired of it.

Moeen Razzaque San Antonio, TX

Moeen is an innovator with a startling imagination and an unrelenting focus on making the world a more sustainable, cleaner place. He lives at the intersection of three lives, each one constructing a part of his unique worldview and fueling him to become the best son, student, and creator possible. Moeen is a Pakistani-Punjabi, American Muslim and lives his life with his head raised high, with wit at the ready, facing any challenge headfirst with the support of his community.

Moeen prides himself on his work at the Muslim Youth of North America (MYNA), a national non-profit aimed at empowering Muslim youth and creating a community of leaders. Moeen began the Al-Huda initiative at MYNA with four other teenagers, reaching over 100 paying students with its first iteration. His team established Al-Huda to address the unspoken issues that affect Muslim youth, such as colorism and addiction. Moeen capitalized on his creativity and developed the entire learning curriculum for the 12-week course, including lesson plans and objectives for each class, creating one of the most successful online initiatives ever in MYNA history within Al-Huda's first run. He was elected as the Al-Huda chair for the 2021-22 term and is determined to innovate and improve the course for future cohorts.

Moeen is also involved in his high school; he is the upcoming Model United Nations Undersecretary-General of Information Technologies, founder of the Clean Cut for College Club, and member of the San Antonio Education Partnership Alumni Committee. Moeen’s deep-rooted interest in engineering and entrepreneurship has pushed him to explore his interests through participation in different programs, such as the Engineering Summer Academy at Penn and Student Launch NASA. He also regularly fundraises and plans events for MYNA, ranging from talent shows that raise over $10,000 to philosophical discussions on the state of Islam today.

Driven by his disdain for the current state of the world, Moeen wants to focus on battling climate change and systemic inequality through STEM. As he explores the options available to him in academia, Moeen plans to create a better world for his family, community, and humankind alike.

Nashra "Nash" Hassan Houston, TX

Nash is an adventurous, driven, and humble young lady. With an astounding support system herself, Nash finds it important to make sure others also have a shoulder to lean on; one can always rely on her to motivate and provide solace.

Both her parents reside in Pakistan; she is the younger of two daughters. Being a responsible child, her parents did not hesitate to send her to the United States during 6th grade along with her older sister. She is the right-hand to her sister because of her liable and obedient behavior. 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; it enables her to unlock her definition of adaptive leadership – rippling from the realm of her own life.

Nash tries to focus on her school and academics, despite her extended family responsibilities. With an interest-based selection of extracurriculars, she is chief editor of the school newspaper, President of the University Interscholastic League (UIL) Math team, President and founder of the robotics club. She regularly volunteers at elementary schools and religious centers and she participates in SkillsUSA math and robotics competitions – placing second in the state of Texas for the category of Robotics: Urban Search and Rescue. Finally, Nash is a part of Thrive Scholars and the EMERGE Fellowship.

As someone who attends a school where over 100 languages are spoken and half of the school is ESL, Nash aspires to help people overcome language barriers. She wants to create a platform where students are comfortable learning the language and practicing it. Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic, she has seen a loss of fluency in English among her friends; she wants to help everyone like them. Lastly, with her love for math, Nash wants to pursue mathematics and engineering in college.

Nhi Huynh Worcester, MA

Nhi always has a passion to help other people and give back to her community. As an immigrant from Vietnam, she values hard work, resilience, and faith. Adapting to a new country has been difficult at times for her and her family; Nhi overcame hardships and challenges by eagerly pushing herself ahead and heeding the lessons of independence and perseverance that she learned from her parents— shaping her into a tenacious leader.

A junior from Worcester, Massachusetts, Nhi is the founder of Matter Catchers, an after-school tutoring program that connects with immigrant kindergarten, elementary, and middle school students who struggle with their schoolwork because of language barriers. There, she offers free and accessible tutoring services and learning supports with the aim of spurring learning excitement and encouraging individuals to advance their English skills and develop their self-confidence. Nhi received the Young Women of Consequence award, which honors a Worcester high school junior/senior who has excelled in academics, shown promising leadership skills, and has demonstrated a commitment to public service.

Nhi is actively involved with her school. She has been a part of the National Honor Society for two years in the role of Secretary and an active officer and treasurer of her school student council. In her student council role, she coordinated the Spring Open Mic show and other school events to bring the schoolwide students together. Outside of school, Nhi spends time working with the Worcester Art Museum actively organizing teen programs and working with volunteers and staff to help the programs run smoothly. She’s educated people in her community through her personal blog “Why Not Nhi” and is an advocate for family members new to the country — assisting them with paperwork as they acclimate to Worcester.

Nhi is inspired to achieve by her family. She aspires to bridge the educational gap and bring better education to underprivileged kids. She continues to be highly motivated inworking towards her goals; she is determined to make a change.

Nunaa Tsikata Columbus, OH

Nunaa is a comedic, hardworking, and social student with a kindhearted but honest nature attending Westerville North High School. Originally born in Japan, Nuanaa grew up with the “military brat” qualities of traveling to other parts of the world, including having childhoods in Germany and Ghana. However, Nunaa considers herself a first-generation Ghanaian at heart! She prides herself in her sister-like tendencies — although she's an only child. Nunaa's passion for law, equity, and justice inspires her ambitions for expanded mental health resources for minorities and true change within the civil justice system.

Nunaa is a member of the Westerville Student Education Foundation, an organization where students discuss with staff and school board members on how to improve representation and make the school and district overall more inclusive, diverse, equitable, and safe. She also recently joined the Mock Trial team, holding a dual role as both plaintiff and defendant. This year, she is a never-before, first-year attorney who opened for the defense and assisted in securing the new title as the 3rd best team in the state!

Nunaa is also a newfound employee at Best Buy who was recently offered a new promotion! Outside of academics, Nunaa finds many ways to immerse herself in her Ghanaian culture, including: learning the recipe for their cuisine, her favorite being Jollof; learning her dialect; and, dancing to afro-beats.

Nunaa continuously dreams of going to a top university or ivy league and traveling. Her biggest victory will be any change she can implement into the justice system to make history and better change society for minorities for generations to come.

Paloma Del Valle Santa Teresa, NM

Paloma is a highly motivated, hardworking, and ambitious student from Santa Teresa High School in Santa Teresa, New Mexico. Having been raised in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico until the age of seven, Paloma was prompted to make the most of the opportunities she is granted in the United States. Paloma is motivated to inspire others within her community or anyone who may feel limited to reach for the stars and never let anything or anyone determine their ability to succeed.

Paloma is most proud of her work as a New Mexico State Officer for the Technology Student Association (TSA), where she leads over 200 students from across New Mexico and advocates for STEM Career and Technical Education to state legislators. Paloma served as New Mexico TSA’s State Vice President and was recently elected to become the State President next school year. She hopes to expand the program’s reach to more students and further advocate with more state legislators incorporate more STEM-based activities and classes in underrepresented communities like her own.

Additionally, Paloma is heavily involved within her school’s Naval Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps Program where she has held positions such as Public Affairs Officer, Operations Officer, Academic Officer, and Website Editor; as well as being recently selected to become her unit’s Commanding Officer for next school year. She expresses that NJROTC has allowed her to grow as a leader, citizen, and person. Paloma is also a part of the National Honor Society, Computer Science Honor Society, CyberPatriot, New Mexico Activities Association Student Leadership Advisory Council, and New Mexico Appleseed’s ‘123 Eyes on Me’ project.

Paloma is motivated by her family’s resilience, diligence, and sacrifices. Inspired by a personal connection to the severity of hereditary medical risks, Paloma is pursuing a degree in biology to become a geneticist. She hopes to diminish genetic problems and the transmission of hereditary risks from one generation to another; Paloma’s ultimate goal is to become a member of the World Health Organization and help other countries obtain necessary medical resources and knowledge.

Paul Quach Salem, OR

Paul Quach is an overachieving, self-motivated and ambitious young leader; proud of his heritage, and even more of his upbringing — it has made him the confident young man seen today. Born in Salem Oregon, and a scholar at North Salem High School, Paul Quach, is the first-generation, low-income son of immigrant parents who shows up everywhere in his community as the “kid who does it all.” Even though oftentimes Paul stands alone as the only Asian American scholar at these “bigger meetings,” he continues to strive for the inclusion of diverse student voices, the representation of students of color, and the empowerment of women in predominantly white, male-dominated communities.

Paul was expected to be nothing less than perfection, yet he steered away from societal norms and embarked on his own journey. He grew up and unveiled his newfound confidence and profound voice by standing up and speaking out to the world — in spite of the “keep quiet” teachings engraved into his mindset. With each milestone Paul surpassed in his academic career and personal development, he grew stronger and solidified what it was that he aspired to accomplish. It wasn’t until after his work on the Student Task Force on SROs that his work truly skyrocketed. From the moment he stepped into that first meeting, Paul was soon to become the outspoken voice of the group — from emails to final recommendations, not a moment went by when Paul did not offer his input and rose to an opportunity to lead.

Since then, he has formulated everlasting connections with district and community leaders that have allowed him to truly shine and impact on major decisions. With his commitment to serving in leadership positions and participating in just about every extracurricular that there is to offer, Paul never discounts the little things and finds time to appreciate everything and everyone that has crossed his path.

Paul draws his inspiration from his family and those who have supported him the most throughout his life. Just like a shining star in a galaxy of billions, no matter how far his path takes him, Paul always has your back as he holds true to his commitments: making a difference in this world, being the representation he didn’t have for his family, and supporting every kid out there who doesn’t believe they can make it in life. Paul knows that all it takes is confidence and owning who you truly are.

Paula Escobar San Jose, CA

Born and raised in the Bay Area, Paula Escobar is a passionate student driven to uplift youth voices in her community through empowerment and advocacy. Learning from her mother and older sister, she carries forward the values of education, dignity, and perseverance.

During her time on the Student Governing Board at the East Side Union High School District, Paula has promoted racial equity and provided space for students to have their perspectives heard. Through her work as a student representative on her school district’s Instructional Policy Committee, she has reevaluated existing frameworks of education by providing recommendations on district-wide curriculum goals and policies. Recently, Paula organized alongside her peers to support the passage of a mandatory ethnic studies course to align new standards that promote critical thinking and culturally competent discussions on pressing race and gender issues. As a woman of color, Paula strongly values her Bolivian heritage and wants her peers to be properly represented in school curriculums. Commended by the California State Board of Education, Paula continues to push for youth representation across stakeholder groups and advocate for the implementation of restorative justice frameworks.

Accompanying her involvement in school activities, Paula is a Youth Commissioner on the Santa Clara Juvenile Justice Commission. Here, she works alongside other community advocates to create reports and champion needed services for youth in the justice system. She has utilized her knowledge from this experience with juvenile law to pilot initiatives that push her community to protect the rights of young people and end the school-to-prison pipeline. She strives to create synergy across her diverse community, thinking critically of the ways intersectional issues can be confronted in holistic and efficient fashion.

Being a first-generation student, Paula knows the struggles her family went through to pave new pathways and pursue higher education. Paula plans on continuing her work as a lawyer or public servant to achieve systematic policy changes in education and immigration that help alleviate long-standing issues of inequity across the system.

Reem Numan Spring, TX

Reem Numan is a driven, dedicated teen living the suburbs of Texas. She is a self-taught artist, pianist, composer, author, and an active member of her high school choir program. She is driven by a mission to spread kindness, compassion, and empathy in every corner of the world she inhabits and is passionate about advocating for racial justice and mental health awareness.

Reem has won three Gold Keys and two Silver Keys in the Scholastic Art & Writing Contest, two Outstanding Musician awards in the Solo & Ensemble process, published a short story in Marco Learning's "Unleashed - Journal of Student Writing," and won the 2020 Dennis Etchison Young Writer's Scholarship. She is currently working on two music commissions — one for a college graduate's indie game and another as a vocalist for a producer's song. She also established the first social justice club at her high school that's dedicated to a variety of civic issues, which endorses the nonprofit DoSomething.org.

Reem is also Vice President of Tri-M Music Honor Society, a member of National Honor Society and National English Honor Society, the Discord Community Manager of the student-led, activist organization, Let's Dream the Future, and a Community Liaison for the AP prep resource Fiveable, where she hosts virtual Pomodoro sessions to provide members with a motivating environment to study. She prides herself in community involvement and doing her part to make the world a better, more equitable place.

Throughout her life, Reem always had a creative spark for melding her passions and ideas to life and strived to achieve her dreams of sharing her creations with the world. Now, as a junior in high school, she spends her free time creating original art, writings, and music; she is even developing her own original story she hopes to shape into an animated cartoon one day.

Rizouana Prome Elmhurst, NY

Rizouana Prome is a junior at the International High School for Health and Science. Rizouana and her family’s immigration experience from Bangladesh to New York City have always encouraged her to be welcoming. She is a community builder among her peers at school and in her community. Rizouana is passionate about offering the next generation the schools, neighborhoods, hospitals, and world that they deserve. She is a youth leader at Desis Rising Up and Moving (DRUM), advocating for immigration rights and gender justice.

Rizouana is like a planet made of all the different particles in the solar system; her interests vary from neuroscience to creative writing, painting to philosophy, and psychology to the dinosaurs — the list goes on. Writing poetry and short stories have helped Rizouana cope with the stress and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic. When the school year began, she wanted to make a space where her schoolmates could use writing as a form of self-care and build a supportive community. So, she started the student-led creative writing club, Open Your Mind. Rizouana is also the president of her school’s Debate Club in which she works to recruit new members and encourage them to engage in conversations about human rights, social justice, and more. Rizouana is like a bird that flies free in the sky — sometimes alone, but mostly with a group; she loves working with people and building community, but also enjoys her own company.

Ever since she learned about the brain, she couldn’t stop thinking about how everything we do is controlled by it — our thoughts, actions, feelings, and so much more. Rizouana wants to study neuroscience in college and hopes to become a neurologist who researches neurological diseases and writes Young Adult novels.

Sanaalee Troupe Uniondale, NY

Sanaalee is an exuberant and diligent, self-driven leader based in Long Island, New York, who works to achieve equity and advancement for underrepresented communities. Her passion for organizing, civic engagement, and politics has fueled her inclination to pave a trajectory of excellence and prosperity for those who are marginalized and silenced by various institutions.

“I’m no longer accepting the things I cannot change… I’m changing the things I cannot accept” – Angela Davis.

Sanaalee found herself constantly surrounded by nature's beauty, so it's no surprise that she became a youth-environmentalist and activist. Inspired by Angela Davis's words and wisdom, Sanaalee was also motivated to change the unacceptable lack of diversity and under-representation in the environmental field.

As such, Sanaalee founded the Cleaner Oceans Institute, a youth-led organization that aims to raise awareness and fight for environmental justice through intersectional means, critical race theory, and diverse intergenerational knowledge-sharing.

Continually, Sanaalee is the Co-Executive Director and Director of Logistics at This is Zero Hour NYC: a coalition of activists committed to combating climate change and progressing a sustainable future. The coalition has hosted over 15+ teach-ins/seminars and planned the NYC 2019 & 2020 climate strikes alongside four other youth organizations, drawing over 1 million demonstrators. Finally, she is the co-founded her school’s first Black Student Union (BSU), an anti-racist union creating spaces to foster cultural awareness and enrichment.

Sanaalee received the Yale Bassett Award and the Princeton Prize in Race Relations Honoree Award because of her activism. She has interned with six different elected officials in her communities, assisting in modifying and drafting their racial and environmental priorities.

Sanaalee's goal is to run as a youth candidate for City Council in 2022, where she plans to address and resolve the inequities inherent in marginalized communities through public policy and community initiatives. She believes we must liberate others and emphasize the importance of having radical empathy in order to defeat the many facets of injustice.

Schuylar Kamicha Marietta, GA

Schuylar is a student at the Magnet Academy of Research and Medical Sciences at South Cobb High School; she enjoys cooking, watching anime, swimming, and hiking. She loves to try new recipes and she is the founder and CEO of an Instagram based non-profit, Minorities in Med, and is a tutor at her school’s tutoring program Quaranteen Buddy, and Medical Wonders.

School wise, Schuylar is a huge advocate for STEM and medical injustice. She is currently a member of her school’s STEM club and Medical Wonders club, where she serves as a tutor for science and writing. In addition to this, Schuylar was also named a 2021 Questbridge College Prep Scholar.

Schuylar is the founder of social media-based organization Minorities in Med; currently, it is her biggest project, affecting 300+ people. Schuylar founded this organization to raise awareness about medical racism and incorrect medical stigmas concerning those in the minority community. In addition to this, Minorities in Med exposes those in minority communities to all the possibilities in healthcare while providing helpful tips on undergraduate and graduate school admissions. Minorities in Med hopes to provide students with opportunities to advance their knowledge of the medical field and to encourage them to pursue a career in medicine.

Through this organization, Schuylar has reached out to members of different communities to welcome and encourage them to pursue medicine. As the years progress, she hopes to become a healthcare professional herself, to set an example to the younger generations, and to establish a community of mentors for these generations. Schuylar wants the face of medicine to become more welcoming to people of different cultures to ultimately improve patient care for all.

Sheila Sattley Las Vegas, NV

Sheila is a junior in Rancho High School’s Pre-Medical Magnet Program located in Las Vegas, Nevada. The outdoors is her favorite place to get away from the chaotic city of Las Vegas. When she is not kicking it with her thirteen-year-old Yorkshire Terrier, which she prides herself on doing, she can be found hiking at Red Rock Canyon. In her free time, Sheila is a dedicated employee of In-N-Out, serving the best burgers around.

Sheila is the Head Drum Major of the Rancho Regiment; 2021 marks her third and final year conducting the school’s marching band. Off the field, Sheila plays her heart out on the flute and piccolo performing with Rancho High School’s Wind Symphony. Finally, Sheila is a two-time national qualifier for the National Speech & Debate Tournament, having done the sport for the past five years.

Her main goal, through Hamilton Scholars, is to fully realize her skills for college and beyond, while contributing to the success of the program. For her future career, as a volunteer at Sunrise Hospital, Shelia is convinced she wants to become an Emergency Room Doctor. Her plan is to apply to the combined Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Medicine program at the University of Nevada-Reno. Next, with the help of the American Red Cross, Sheila's hopes to collect seventy-five pints of donated blood by the end of her senior year college. With one blood drive under her belt, Shelia is prepared to spend over 60 hours preparing for three more drives to meet her goal. Moreover, Shelia’s goal is to get to five hundred plus hours of community service before the end of her senior year of college when the hospitals will be available for volunteering again.

Sofia Chavez Tustin, CA

Sofia (she/her/hers) is a determined social-justice Bolivian-American moved by her lived experiences surrounding racial and economic inequities in her family and community and what’s possible when individuals tell truth to power.

Hungry for youth to have a voice, Sofia became one of the youngest members of local student-led, social-activist nonprofit, Resilience Orange County (ROC). With ROC, Sofia protested at city halls across the county, advocating for cities to adopt sanctuary status towards undocumented residents. Furthermore, she also attends city budget meetings to advocate supporting budget allocation towards youth initiatives. Sofia has been community building through cultural affirmation celebrations that spread awareness of the Latinx youth experience and Latinx history locally. Finally, she has been part of youth organizing campaigns concerned with immigrant rights and overpriced housing — two issues directly affecting her community that stems from part of her family history.

Sofia's determination comes from her maternal grandfather, Rodolfo Chavez, who worked more than two jobs for decades to make sure his family gained a foothold in the United States. His work ethic and will to make a livable wage — while not speaking English fluently— made him very vulnerable to poor working conditions, thus leading to an early death. She does it for him to know that she will be working hard, in a different way, but as honorably as he did. Recently, Sofia’s been the Orange County leadership organizer in an ACLU-Southern California-sponsored — but youth-led! — “Youth Against Hate” campaign. Included was a demonstration in downtown Los Angeles’ Grand Park decrying all forms of racially-based violence — particularly anti-Asian hate crimes in her community and across the country.

Sofia believes that allyship is not performative and more than simply reposting on social media, but rather actively being an anti-racist and co-conspirator in anti-racist work. To this end, Sofia strives to use her interest in political science, policy, economics, and her love of her community to work in leadership roles where she can place working-class families' interests in the foreground.