Alex T. Smith is a senior at the Dayton Regional STEM School. His favorite classes are Biology, Chemistry, English, and Creative Writing. During the Summer of 2015, he completed a land management internship at the Aullwood Audubon Center in Englewood, Ohio. During his sophomore year, Alex was awarded first place in entrepreneurship and second place in improving lives at the DRSS science fair for successfully growing potatoes in sand. In the Fall of 2016, Alex will be attending Hocking College for their Wildlife Resource Management Program, and he intends to pursue a career as a wildlife manager in a state or national park. Alex has been able to grow a full beard since the age of 15. Alex’s goal is to motivate others to play an active role in the law-making process by proving to them that even the simplest of people can make a big impact in the political process.
Jacob is currently a junior at Kettering Fairmont High School. He plans to major in Computer Science later in life.
Would You, Could You In a Box, Sammy McCellan
Stereotypes, we’re all held and bound by them but they can not control us. We should not hold them against people, as they should not hold them against us.
Sammy is a freshman, but when she graduates, she want to go to Spelman College and become a writer and actress.
Living With an Invisible Disability, Sarah Skinner
We may all seem the same on the surface, but we all have a different perspective. Here is the viewpoint of a teenager who lives with a serious medical condition you don’t see.
Sarah is sophomore at Kettering Fairmont High School. She enjoys marching band and plays the piano. Her favorite subject is math, and she plans to be an engineer. Sarah’s favorite activities are playing with her dog and hanging out with her friends.
Defying Entropy, Lauren Miles
Throughout our lives, we often feel as if the world is constantly descending into chaos. This feeling has a cause, and it is known as entropy. Simply put, entropy is disorder and it is the reason why our universe will eventually fall apart and fade away. When it appears that the world is hopeless, it can be quite easy to become depressed and lose faith in the world. But it can also show you how the universe is truly amazing.
Lauren is a senior at Kettering Fairmont High School with a passion for learning about the world we live in. Lauren is also strongly passionate about the arts, especially music, and she plans to study to become a music teacher. Above all, Lauren hopes that she is able to help others in her life however she can, whether it’s through sharing her love of music with young students or by teaching others about the marvelous world we share.
Learning How to Be a Grown-Up in America, Lilly Dunning
Why is it important for teenagers and young people to care about things like politics when they are considered “grown up”? If we are about to inherit one of the world’s largest super powers we need to start caring now and involving ourselves. We even have to be willing to speak out against our parents and grandparents if it is for what we truly believe in.
Lillian Dunning is a junior at the Miami Valley school. She is an intern for senator Rob Portman and co-president of the Young Republicans Association at MVS. She is also an avid golfer and a die-hard fan of Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal.
Self Advocacy – A State of Mind, Abby Edwards
Self advocacy is more than just a means to an end. It provides an increased level of confidence which leads to the promotion of self-reliance in the accomplishment of one’s life goals.
Abby Edwards is a senior at Vandalia Butler High School and has participated in College Credit + through Wright State University for the past three years. She plans to complete her Bachelor of Science degree at WSU and then begin work on a Doctoral degree in Clinical Health Psychology. She recently received a national Yes I Can Award for Self-Advocacy from the Center for Exceptional Center.
Domestic Violence, Christina Lobertini-Burks
This talk talks about a more invisible form of domestic violence, that is increasing, and being noticed globally. Through examples and a story I hope to enlighten viewers and victims who are in the dark.
Christina is a junior at Yellow Springs High School. She is involved in her school’s theater program, as well as being the president of a writing group she created outside of school. Christina wants to go to school for business, creative writing, and theater when she graduates high school.
Trust Me … I’m a Scientist, Shari Gordnier
Scientific research can be daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. Science isn’t just for people with a PhD, anyone can be a scientist. You never know where, or who, the next great scientific discovery will come from.
Shari is a senior at the Dayton Regional STEM School where she is an active member of the Junior Council on World Affairs. She enjoys swimming as a member of the Kettering City Swim Team and Centerville High School’s varsity swim team. After graduation, she plans on pursuing her passions by seeking degrees in both psychology and national security.
Veering Off My Path, Madison Choo
Life is not simply a single, straight path to travel; it is more like a maze with many opportunities to try different routes. This is my story about how I discovered a way to manage my fixed mindset and, therefore, learned how to take advantage of what life has to offer.
Madison is from Centerville, Ohio and is a current senior at The Miami Valley School. She is a lifetime competitive dancer, currently training at JsquareDance, and she plans to pursue this passion through her college career. She has also been a fall season soccer player for her school, playing varsity all four years of high school.
Thank you to the following groups for making this event possible:
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