Dear Matthew, It’s hard to believe it's our sixth year without you… this would have been your big year! You would have been a senior. Unfortunately, the world knows you as Matthew E. Minor, the face of a foundation that combats cyberbullying and other technology. You’re one of the public faces of online safety for children around our country. However, to me, you are the cousin I lost when I was twelve… when we were twelve. I was a quiet kid, and you understood how I love being with my family. I’ll always remember how you invited me to play games or talk when we were the only kids in a room full of adults. Your smile could light up a room; you loved bringing people together. As I got older, I started to express my creativity through writing, painting, and drawing. We both had creative minds but chose to use different outlets. We both would’ve done well. Since you’ve been gone, I’ve grieved you, I’ve missed you, and I’ve aimed to honor you. Everything I’ve worked toward has been to make you proud. Unfortunately, we lost you to the Blackout Challenge. It's even more devastating that you were one of many victims. It breaks my heart that you might have lived if you had viewed positive and educational resources promoted on the internet. I became a Link Leader at school. Now, I welcome the freshmen into high school with open arms. (You would have done that, too.) You also valued trying your best, so I have worked hard academically, and this year, I made it into the National Honor Society. (I’m sure that would’ve made you smile.) I may be quiet, but I have a passion for equal treatment for everyone. My friends and I do not tolerate bullying, and we all stand up for those experiencing it. If we see disrespect, we use our voices to defend the ones being silenced. It doesn’t matter how small your voice is, it only matters how and when you use it. I’m happy to say I’ve been accepted into several four-year universities! I hope to pursue marketing at Stevenson University. I want to use it to promote positive messages through the digital world. Now I need to focus on the financial part of this journey! It has always been important to my family to steer clear of student loan debt. My mom has worked hard to save for my education. Unfortunately, it’s not enough and the scholarship would help. Then, using my love of marketing, I hope to eliminate the possible dangers of internet trends and create spaces where young people feel heard and safe. Cyberbullying is hard to combat due to the speed at which it escalates, but it only takes one tenacious content creator to shed light on a dangerous situation. Teenagers often ignore anything that they see as “out of style” or “for old people.” That’s why it’s important for digital content to grab teens' attention. A thirty-second video can mesmerize kids if it’s done well. My goal is to cater content to young audiences to help change the internet's negativity. I want to create a brand that provides daily affirmations for teens and eliminates the negative content that shows up on their feeds. Through quotes, short Instagram stories, reels, and other media, I want to show teens that they can find safe, comfortable spaces online. Anything can look cool—you just have to design it that way. And hey, maybe my first project will be just as positive as you were, Matthew! I love you, Dayna