The first thing I remember about my LINK trip is a tin of Vaseline. I heard a voice calling out for Chapstick, and as girl code dictates, I rushed up with my miracle product. The voice turned out to be my senior leader Lucy, who was effusive in her gratitude. I thought, “I’ve never met someone like her.” I loved her in an instant. When you get invited to go on LINK, people tell you it’s about to change your life, but not much else. It is a secret weekend retreat for high school students in order to teach them to become positive influences in their community. On these annual trips, students discover their families. The people there were like a permanent safety net—so much so that, despite being terrified of heights, I scaled a 26-foot pole and jumped off it with ease at the cheers of my fellow Creamsicles. I spent much of the weekend in shock at the ease with which we all became incredibly close. I barely knew these people, yet at the same time, I knew everything about them. Maybe I didn’t know their favorite colors or their comfort movie or their siblings’ names, but I knew that someone was scared of secondhand grief. I knew that someone’s biggest priority was being the parent that they never had. I knew that someone would save everyone they possibly could from addiction if they had the chance. These people were so strong and real and compelling and, my god, did that make me feel like I could do anything. LINK brought me so much joy for people, joy for watching them grow and learn to care about themselves and others, and pursuing a degree in educational policy to make the lives of young children better is an opportunity for me to nurture that excitement for building relationships. My goals are broader than just education—they center around fostering the innate empathy that we have as humans when creating systems and organizations in which children spend the majority of their lives. At LINK, I found peacekeepers. I found students who were willing to be vulnerable and teachers who were willing to listen. I found a group of people with genuine care and passion for bettering the student experience. Every student deserves to feel supported and wanted beyond what they can contribute academically, and every teacher deserves the resources to make that happen. There needs to be a seismic shift in how we as a country treat the education system—our goal should be community, not caliber. My dream is to take the spirit of LINK national. I want to give every school a concrete place for open and honest dialogue between all those impacted by any major decision: students, parents, teachers, and administrators. I want to place the reins in the hands of the students and teachers to advocate for their needs that aren’t being filled and build curriculums with a focus on growth and collaboration. I want to put people and their love for each other back into the heart of schools because that is truly what education is about in the first place.

The first thing I remember about my LINK trip is a tin of Vaseline. I heard a voice calling out for Chapstick, and as girl code dictates, I rushed up with my miracle product. The voice turned out to be my senior leader Lucy, who was effusive in her gratitude. I thought, “I’ve never met someone like her.” I loved her in an instant. When you get invited to go on LINK, people tell you it’s about to change your life, but not much else. It is a secret weekend retreat for high school students in order to teach them to become positive influences in their community. On these annual trips, students discover their families. The people there were a permanent safety net—so much so that, despite being terrified of heights, I quad-jumped off a 26-foot pole to the cheers of my fellow campers. I spent much of the weekend in shock at the ease with which we all became incredibly close. I barely knew these people, yet at the same time, I knew everything about them. Maybe I didn’t know their favorite colors or their comfort movie or their siblings’ names, but I knew that someone was scared of secondhand grief. I knew that someone’s biggest priority was being the parent that they never had. I knew that someone would save everyone they possibly could from addiction if they had the chance. Maybe I didn’t know the minute details of their lives, but I knew their greatest fears and their wildest dreams. These people were so strong and real and compelling and, my god, did that make me feel like I could do anything. LINK brought me so much joy for people, joy for watching them grow and learn to care about themselves and others, and pursuing a degree in educational policy to make the lives of young children better is an opportunity for me to nurture that excitement for building relationships. My goals are broader than just education—they center around fostering the innate empathy that we have as humans when creating systems and organizations in which children spend the majority of their lives. At LINK, I found peacekeepers. I found students who were willing to be vulnerable and teachers who were willing to listen. I found a group of people with genuine care and passion for bettering the student experience. Every student deserves to feel supported and wanted beyond what they can contribute academically, and every teacher deserves the resources to make that happen. There needs to be a seismic shift in how we as a country treat the education system—our goal should be community, not caliber. This scholarship would help me achieve my dream: finishing my education debt-free so I can start my own educational consulting company to take the spirit of LINK national. I want to give every school a concrete place for open and honest dialogue between all those impacted by any major decision: students, parents, teachers, and administrators. I want to place the reins in the hands of the students and teachers to advocate for their needs that aren’t being filled and build curriculums with a focus on growth and collaboration. I want to put people and their love for each other back into the heart of schools because that is truly what education is about in the first place.

The first thing I remember about my LINK trip is a tin of Vaseline. I heard a voice calling out for Chapstick, and as girl code dictates, I rushed up with my miracle product. The voice turned out to be my senior leader Lucy, who was effusive in her gratitude. I thought, “I’ve never met someone like her.” I loved her in an instant. When you get invited to go on LINK, people tell you it’s about to change your life, but not much else. It is a secret weekend retreat for high school students in order to teach them to become positive influences in their community. On these annual trips, students discover their families. The people there were a permanent safety net—so much so that, despite being terrified of heights, I quad-jumped off a 26-foot pole at the cheers of my fellow campers. I spent much of the weekend in shock at the ease with which we all became incredibly close. I barely knew these people, yet at the same time, I knew everything about them. Maybe I didn’t know the minute details of their lives, but I knew their greatest fears and their wildest dreams. These people were so strong and real and compelling and, my god, did that make me feel like I could do anything. LINK brought me so much joy for people, joy for watching them grow and learn to care about themselves and others, and pursuing a degree in educational policy to make the lives of young children better is an opportunity for me to nurture that excitement for building relationships. My goals are broader than just education—they center around fostering the innate empathy that we have as humans when creating systems and organizations in which children spend the majority of their lives. At LINK, I found peacekeepers. I found students who were willing to be vulnerable and teachers who were willing to listen. I found a group of people with genuine care and passion for bettering the student experience. Every student deserves to feel supported and wanted beyond what they can contribute academically, and every teacher deserves the resources to make that happen. There needs to be a seismic shift in how we as a country treat the education system—our goal should be community, not caliber. This scholarship would help me achieve my dream: finishing my education debt-free so I can start my own educational consulting company to take the spirit of LINK national. I want to give every school a concrete place for open and honest dialogue between all those impacted by any major decision: students, parents, teachers, and administrators. I want to place the reins in the hands of the students and teachers to advocate for their needs that aren’t being filled and build curriculums with a focus on growth and collaboration. I want to put people and their love for each other back into the heart of schools because that is truly what education is about in the first place.

The first thing I remember about my LINK trip is a tin of Vaseline. I heard a voice calling out for Chapstick, and as girl code dictates, I rushed up with my miracle product. The voice turned out to be my senior leader Lucy, who was effusive in her gratitude. I thought, “I’ve never met someone like her.” I loved her in an instant. When you get invited to go on LINK, people tell you it’s about to change your life, but not much else. It is a secret weekend retreat for high school students in order to teach them to become positive influences in their community. On these annual trips, students discover their families. The people there were a permanent safety net—so much so that, despite being terrified of heights, I quad-jumped off a 26-foot pole at the cheers of my fellow campers. I spent much of the weekend in shock at the ease with which we all became incredibly close. I barely knew these people, yet at the same time, I knew everything about them. Maybe I didn’t know the minute details of their lives, but I knew their greatest fears and their wildest dreams. These people were so strong and real and compelling and, my god, did that make me feel like I could do anything. LINK brought me so much joy for people, joy for watching them grow and learn to care about themselves and others, and pursuing a degree in educational policy to make the lives of young children better is an opportunity for me to nurture that excitement for building relationships. My goals are broader than just education—they center around fostering the innate empathy that we have as humans when creating systems and organizations in which children spend the majority of their lives. At LINK, I found peacekeepers. I found students who were willing to be vulnerable and teachers who were willing to listen. I found a group of people with genuine care and passion for bettering the student experience. Every student deserves to feel supported and wanted beyond what they can contribute academically, and every teacher deserves the resources to make that happen. There needs to be a seismic shift in how we as a country treat the education system—our goal should be community, not caliber. My dream is to start my own educational consulting company to take the spirit of LINK national. I want to give every school a concrete place for open and honest dialogue between all those impacted by any major decision: students, parents, teachers, and administrators. I want to place the reins in the hands of the students and teachers to advocate for their needs that aren’t being filled and build curriculums with a focus on growth and collaboration. I want to put people and their love for each other back into the heart of schools because that is truly what education is about in the first place.

The first thing I remember about my LINK trip is a tin of Vaseline. I heard a voice calling out for Chapstick, and as girl code dictates, I rushed up with my miracle product. The voice turned out to be my senior leader Lucy, who was effusive in her gratitude. I thought, “I’ve never met someone like her.” I loved her in an instant. When you get invited to go on LINK, people tell you it’s about to change your life, but not much else. It is a secret weekend retreat for high school students in order to teach them to become positive influences in their community. On these annual trips, students discover their families. The people there were a permanent safety net—so much so that, despite being terrified of heights, I quad-jumped off a 26-foot pole at the cheers of my fellow campers. I spent much of the weekend in shock at the ease with which we all became incredibly close. I barely knew these people, yet at the same time, I knew everything about them. Maybe I didn’t know the minute details of their lives, but I knew their greatest fears and their wildest dreams. These people were so strong and real and compelling and, my god, did that make me feel like I could do anything. LINK brought me so much joy for people, joy for watching them grow and learn to care about themselves and others, and pursuing a degree in educational policy to make the lives of young children better is an opportunity for me to nurture that excitement for building relationships. My goals are broader than just education—they center around fostering the innate empathy that we have as humans when creating systems and organizations in which children spend the majority of their lives. At LINK, I found peacekeepers. I found students who were willing to be vulnerable and teachers who were willing to listen. I found a group of people with genuine care and passion for bettering the student experience. Every student deserves to feel supported and wanted beyond what they can contribute academically, and every teacher deserves the resources to make that happen. There needs to be a seismic shift in how we as a country treat the education system—our goal should be community, not caliber. This scholarship would help me achieve my dream: finishing my education debt-free so I can start my own educational consulting company to take the spirit of LINK national. I want to give every school a concrete place for open and honest dialogue between all those impacted by any major decision: students, parents, teachers, and administrators. I want to place the reins in the hands of the students and teachers to advocate for their needs that aren’t being filled and build curriculums with a focus on growth and collaboration. I want to put people and their love for each other back into the heart of schools because that is truly what education is about in the first place.

The first thing I remember about my LINK trip is a tin of Vaseline. I heard a voice calling out for Chapstick, and as girl code dictates, I rushed up with my miracle product. The voice turned out to be my senior leader Lucy, who was effusive in her gratitude. I thought, “I’ve never met someone like her.” I loved her in an instant. When you get invited to go on LINK, people tell you it’s about to change your life, but not much else. It is a secret weekend retreat for high school students in order to teach them to become positive influences in their community. On these annual trips, students discover their families. The people there were a permanent safety net—so much so that, despite being terrified of heights, I quad-jumped off a 26-foot pole at the cheers of my fellow campers. I spent much of the weekend in shock at the ease with which we all became incredibly close. I barely knew these people, yet at the same time, I knew everything about them. Maybe I didn’t know the minute details of their lives, but I knew their greatest fears and their wildest dreams. These people were so strong and real and compelling and, my god, did that make me feel like I could do anything. LINK brought me so much joy for people, joy for watching them grow and learn to care about themselves and others, and pursuing a degree in educational policy to make the lives of young children better is an opportunity for me to nurture that excitement for building relationships. My goals are broader than just education—they center around fostering the innate empathy that we have as humans when creating systems and organizations in which children spend the majority of their lives. At LINK, I found peacekeepers. I found students who were willing to be vulnerable and teachers who were willing to listen. I found a group of people with genuine care and passion for bettering the student experience. Every student deserves to feel supported and wanted beyond what they can contribute academically, and every teacher deserves the resources to make that happen. There needs to be a seismic shift in how we as a country treat the education system—our goal should be community, not caliber. This scholarship would help me achieve my dream: finishing my education debt-free so I can start my own educational consulting company to take the spirit of LINK national. I want to give every school a concrete place for open and honest dialogue between all those impacted by any major decision: students, parents, teachers, and administrators. I want to place the reins in the hands of the students and teachers to advocate for their needs that aren’t being filled and build curriculums with a focus on growth and collaboration. I want to put people and their love for each other back into the heart of schools because that is truly what education is about in the first place.

The first thing I remember about my LINK trip is a tin of Vaseline. I heard a voice calling out for Chapstick, and as girl code dictates, I rushed up with my miracle product. The voice turned out to be my senior leader Lucy, who was effusive in her gratitude. I thought, “I’ve never met someone like her.” I loved her in an instant. When you get invited to go on LINK, people tell you it’s about to change your life, but not much else. It is a secret weekend retreat for high school students in order to teach them to become positive influences in their community. On these annual trips, students discover their families. The people there were like a permanent safety net—so much so that, despite being terrified of heights, I scaled a 26-foot pole and jumped off it with ease at the cheers of my fellow Creamsicles. I spent much of the weekend in shock at the ease with which we all became incredibly close. I barely knew these people, yet at the same time, I knew everything about them. Maybe I didn’t know the minute details of their lives, but I knew their greatest fears and their wildest dreams. These people were so strong and real and compelling and, my god, did that make me feel like I could do anything. LINK brought me so much joy for people, joy for watching them grow and learn to care about themselves and others, and pursuing a degree in educational policy to make the lives of young children better is an opportunity for me to nurture that excitement for building relationships. My goals are broader than just education—they center around fostering the innate empathy that we have as humans when creating systems and organizations in which children spend the majority of their lives. At LINK, I found peacekeepers. I found students who were willing to be vulnerable and teachers who were willing to listen. I found a group of people with genuine care and passion for bettering the student experience. Every student deserves to feel supported and wanted beyond what they can contribute academically, and every teacher deserves the resources to make that happen. There needs to be a seismic shift in how we as a country treat the education system—our goal should be community, not caliber. My dream is to take the spirit of LINK national. I want to give every school a concrete place for open and honest dialogue between all those impacted by any major decision: students, parents, teachers, and administrators. I want to place the reins in the hands of the students and teachers to advocate for their needs that aren’t being filled and build curriculums with a focus on growth and collaboration. I want to put people and their love for each other back into the heart of schools because that is truly what education is about in the first place.

My #Back2SchoolBold moment is my logo mockup for the business I'm planning on launching this month! I want to help all the young girls in my community go #Back2SchoolBold by reframing the shame surrounding period and puberty education. In my school district especially, it is viewed as this secretive thing that girls should not inconvenience others with by talking about it. I am going to sell "The Wingwoman", a curated kit with products to help girls ages 9-14 deal with puberty in a fresh, new way, with things like organic pads, glycolic acid, and a razor. They'll also include a self-designed and self-written book teaching them about different age-appropriate topics in a way that empowers them, not grosses them out. I've spent hours researching and budgeting and designing and surveying, and it is so cool to see my dreams almost coming to fruition but even cooler to think about the impact it will have on my community!