Presented by:
Leaders of a New Era March 25, 2021 | Virtual Event
SCHEDULE Event Lineup
WELCOME! Thank you for joining 21st Century Leaders' annual Georgia Youth Leadership Awards presented by WarnerMedia. We're thrilled to have you
join
us
in
celebration
of
youth
leadership,
and
specifically
honoring 21 high school leaders from around the state of Georgia. Supporting 21st Century Leaders is supporting future leaders from diverse backgrounds. Thank you for making that investment tonight! - Kate Hewitt, Executive Director, 21st Century Leaders
THE PROGRAM! March 22nd - Online Auction Opens!
March 25th - GYLA Live Virtual Event 6:00 p.m. - Platform Opens - Networking / Room Access Begins 6:30 p.m. - Program Begins @ Main Stage Jeffrey Lowe, Alcovy H.S. - Opener + Spoken Word Bridges Holmes + Kate Hewitt - Welcome + Awardee Announcements Sydney Langdon - WarnerMedia Maria Flores Blackburn - Mission Moment Special Guest! - WarnerMedia Student Leadership Award
7:30 p.m. - Closing Remarks + Networking Matt Johnson - 21CL Board Chair
8:00 p.m. - Online Auction Closes
GEORGIA YOUTH LEADERSHIP AWARDS March 25, 2021 | Leaders of a New Era Event Co-Chairs: Maria Flores Blackburn + Bridges Holmes
HOW IT WORKS Login to EventLab platform - Use the customized link sent to you. The link is personal to your email only!
Network + Experience - See where your friends are in the networking room and video chat w/them! Check out the "Rooms" to learn more about the awardees, our sponsors, and bid on our Auction items!
Main Stage
- The formal program will take place in the virtual Main
stage around 6:30pm.
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All proceeds raised through this event goes directly to supporting 21st Century Leaders year-round leadership programs and more than 1,000 students we serve each year. Don't Forget Our Auction! - Auction closes at 8pm on March 25th. You can access at https://21cl.cbo.io and via the live Eventlab platform the night of the event.
Issues? Contact info@21stcenturyleaders.org
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is proud to be this year’s presenting sponsor for 21st Century Leaders’ Georgia Youth Leadership Awards. At WarnerMedia, we bring people, technology, and the world’s best storytellers together to drive culture and authentic, meaningful connection. Connection—to each other, to culture, and to our consumer. That’s why we empower fearless storytellers who bring our world into focus—and create cultural touchstones with the power to draw us together.
A diversity of voices, perspectives, and experience is critical to our business, our content, and a culture of innovation. That’s why we’re building a more inclusive home for world-class talent of all backgrounds—and clearing new paths to grow within and across our brands. We believe the enduring power of stories can open our eyes to the world, to each other, and to new and different perspectives. And, across the board, we find ways to help develop the next generation of storytellers from diverse backgrounds. As such, WarnerMedia is incredibly proud of our longstanding partnership with 21st Century Leaders. For the past 24 years, we’ve been partnering with 21st Century Leaders to support promising young people and incredible emerging talent in their leadership journey. Through our highly successful WarnerMedia Institute for Future Leaders, the annual WarnerMedia Student Leadership Award, and our support of events like the Georgia Youth Leadership Awards, we aim to give young people from all backgrounds the experiences, abilities, access, visibility, and opportunities needed for them to thrive. We know that diversity, equity and inclusion are key to leadership, innovation, creativity, and more representative storytelling.
Representation matters – that’s why we’re proud to partner with 21st Century Leaders to inspire the next generation of great, diverse leaders to find their voice and share their story. Thank you.
- Sydney Langdon
Director of Corporate Social Responsibility
AWARDEES ZAHRA AHMED DeKalb School of the Arts, Class of 2021
Zahra Ahmed is an arts advocate and filmmaker passionate about telling stories.
Her
film
“What
Could
Bloom”
-
a
dramatic
narrative
about
friendship and unrequited love - screened at national film festivals and has over 92,000 views on YouTube. Zahra directed, filmed, wrote, edited, and recorded original music for the film; both the creation of the film and its reception has inspired Zahra to continue making creative content and showing stories through art. She is also the founder and co-host of Club du Cine, a film club at school that meets weekly for screenings, workshops and artist collaborations and serves as director of the Students of the Performing Arts (SPA) Board to organize arts events and promote arts education. She has also been a competing attorney in Mock Trial since her sophomore year and engages in monthly service projects, such as volunteering at the polls and packing meals for the homeless, as an active member of Beta Club. She believes that continuing to seek out opportunities and acquiring knowledge from others will help her improve as a leader in the film industry and wherever else she chooses to tread. She intends to pursue filmmaking as a career, with a concentration in directing or cinematography.
AMIT BALAJI Lassiter High School, Class of 2023
Amit Balaji
is the founder of “Screens for Seniors” which teaches Senior
Citizens how to use technology in order to connect with their families when geographically distanced. Amit’s motivation came from a trip to visit his family in India. He wanted to connect with them more than once a year, so he spent his vacation time in 2016 teaching his Grandparents how to use smart phones and
laptops
so
they
could
communicate
overseas
in
between
visits.
He
realized that many senior residents must face the same problem of being unable to communicate with their families due to distance, so he seized the opportunity to help over 230 seniors across 7 different Senior Homes keep in frequent touch with their loved-ones by training them in the use of technology, including how to block spam calls and personalize their settings. Amit has also leveraged his mastery in Tae-Kwon-Do (he is a Black Belt), and arranged a 3-day self-defense camp to teach over 300 underprivileged kids in India how to defend themselves against potential threats they may face in dangerous neighborhoods. Amit is also founder of the club “Stand Against Starvation” at his school, which helps food-insecure families in Georgia feed themselves and their families. Amit is a recipient of the 2020 President’s Gold Volunteer Service Award.
www.21stcenturyleaders.org
AWARDEES KAITLYN CARSON North Cobb High School, Class of 2022
Kaitlyn Carson
is the founder of The Catherine D. Smith Wheels of Love
Foundation - named in honor of her grandmother - to provide senior citizens with their own grocery cart. Kaitlyn saw a need for this service after months volunteering
for
the
Southwest
Ecumenical
Emergency
Assistance
Center
(SWEEAC), an emergency center that provides community members with free food
and
supplies.
After
watching
senior
citizens
struggle
to
carry
and
transport the supplies they received, she quickly went into action, raising over $1,500 to provide 35 wheeled carts to SWEEAC. Kaitlyn‘s Foundation is about letting our most fragile citizens know that they are loved and valued. Her Foundation has over 25 members that meet quarterly, with a goal to provide 75 carts this summer. Beyond her own Foundation, Kaitlyn has worked over 200 hours of community service and has received the 2019 Bronze and 2020 Silver President's Volunteer Service Award and the Lions Heart 2020 T.O.B.Y (Thinking of Others Before Yourself) Award. She serves as a Blood Donor Ambassador for the American Red Cross; through her courage and commitment, she provided over 85 hours of service during the Covid-19 pandemic. In summer 2020, Kaitlyn became a Rock the Vote Ambassador for Georgia. In this role, she partnered with 20 other volunteers to mobilize hundreds of their peers to vote and volunteer in the 2020 elections. Kaitlyn plans to pursue a B.S. in Global Health with a degree in Epidemiology.
ISABELLA CAVIENSS Westlake High School, Class of 2022
Isabella Cavienss is an advocate for youth mental health and empowerment. Isabella launched a series of over 20 Mental Health Workshops (MWH) to give her peers actionable tools to alleviate and cope with everyday stresses. She has impacted over 200 students by providing resources that support a healthy mental state, promote self-care and self-confidence, and open conversation around mental health in underserved communities. Through her actions and outlets
she
highlighting
is
committed
youth
impact,
to
cultivating
and
giving
all
the
next
students
generation the
chance
of
leaders,
to
make
a
difference. She highlights youth excellence in her podcast, "Atlanta's Very Own" and in response to a news segment that claimed South Fulton had a “history of failing,” Isabella interviewed 5 diverse peers to showcase in an article celebrating their history of excellence and academic success. A fourtime published author, her articles have been featured in WABE and CNN, and she has been a guest on Rose Scott’s public radio show, “A Closer Look.” In recognition of her service to the City of South Fulton, she received a proclamation from the Mayor and city council.
www.21stcenturyleaders.org
AWARDEES CAMERON COLEMAN Montgomery County High School, Class of 2022
Cameron Coleman
is
an
active
leader
in
both
his
high
school
and
community. Through his leadership roles and community involvement, he has completed
over
300
hours
of
community
service
in
high
school
so
far.
Cameron is a Future Farmers of America (FFA) officer, a 4-H team leader through which he mentors younger student members, a member of Beta Club and Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), an active student council member serving the 250+ students at his school, and a member of Abundant Life Apostolic
Church
of
Vidalia.
Cameron
is
also
part
of
the
Montgomery
Community Outreach Team where he and other fellow community leaders partner with Second Harvest and Feeding America out of Savannah to distribute food boxes monthly to over 400 families, reaching not only Montgomery County, but also the surrounding counties of Wheeler, Tattnall, Telfair, Toombs, and Treutlen. He leverages his skills gained from taking business and tech classes at Southeastern Early College & Career Academy (SECCA) to assist with technical needs at school and church, and volunteered during elections as a poll worker. Cameron is motivated most by his father, Charles Coleman, who passed away in December 2020. He taught Cameron to learn from those around him and from everyday life. Cameron would like to achieve a Master’s Degree at Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) and pursue a career in Electrical Engineering with Georgia Power.
SAVANNAH HERNANDEZ Marietta High School, Class of 2021
Savannah Hernandez is an award-winning journalist and photographer. In her role as Editor-in-Chief of the school newspaper, she leads a team of 25 to cover lighthearted stories as well as hard-hitting topics such as undocumented students, the re-segregation of high schools in the South, and voting rights. In the past two years, she's been recognized by the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA) with an award for editorial leadership and by the Georgia Scholastic Press Association (GSPA) for her writing and photography. She was one of seven students in Georgia to be a student representative on the GSPA board. Additionally, she was selected as one of five students in the nation to receive the James Alan Cox Foundation Scholarship for photojournalism. She is currently writing a book about her experience as an Afro-Latina female experiencing the Me Too and Black Lives Matter Movements alongside the global pandemic. Savannah is passionate about social justice and has conducted research on equity and access to advanced coursework for marginalized students, the beauty myth, and the impact of COVID-19 school closures on students of color. Savannah is part of National Honor Society, Math Honor Society (Mu Alpha Theta), and Student Council, is Varsity Cheerleading Captain, was named an All American by the Universal Cheerleaders Association (UCA) and volunteers as a youth leader at her church. Savannah will attend UGA as a Foundation Fellow where she hopes to marry her love for journalism and math as an applied mathematics major.
www.21stcenturyleaders.org
AWARDEES SAMYUKTA IYER Wheeler High School, Class of 2022
Samyukta Iyer
is the founder and executive of two initiatives: IuvaTech and
the Atlanta Mask Project. In 2019, Samyukta founded IuvaTech to address the lack of application-based computer science education and the major racial and
gender
disparities
in
STEM
fields.
IuvaTech
engages,
educates
and
empowers the next generation to use STEM to solve social issues. In total, Samyukta including
has two
volunteered
over
events.
Hackinar
The
500
hours for
for
Social
IuvaTech-related Good
taught
initiatives,
25
students
engineering design and Python programming, and let them develop their own project plan to address a social issue of their choice. The CS for Change program served 50+ students from all over the world with holistic tech education in multiple pathways, languages, and frameworks. Samyukta founded the Atlanta Mask Project in April 2020 to combat the immense lack of PPE in the metro Atlanta area. With the help of 50 volunteers and in partnership with the Emory University Urban Health Initiative and the Love to Share Foundation, the Atlanta Mask Project donated over 1,700 masks to various hospitals and community centers in Atlanta. Samyukta is also a Research Program Officer at Biocrowd Studio in the Coskun Lab at Georgia Tech, a Research Intern at Emory University, a Chief Science Officers State Leadership Council member, professional musician, and multidisciplinary artist. Samyukta aspires to become a biomedical engineer, researcher, and software engineer and continue her work of empowering minorities and youth to succeed and achieve their fullest potential through STEAM.
ANJALI JOSHI Anjali Joshi
South Forsyth High School, Class of 2021 is
the
author
of
Learning
About
You
Preventing
Type
Two,
a
children’s book on type 2 diabetes with wide distribution, and the co-founder of Ken’s
Corner
Foundation,
a
registered
nonprofit
that
works
directly
with
community members across 6 states to create change. When Anjali was a child and her grandparents were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, she discovered a lack of educational material available for children on this disease. Anjali then began authoring a series of children’s books to provide knowledge about type 2 diabetes and living a healthy lifestyle, in an age-appropriate and engaging manner. Anjali’s book has been distributed nationally and internationally to pediatricians’ offices, Boys and Girls Clubs, libraries, and schools. Her book is available through popular retailers and can be found in over 13 countries. Through over 12 charity events, Ken’s Corner Foundation has donated over 1,000 essential products for COVID-19 relief and 250+ backpacks filled with school supplies to underserved elementary schools. Anjali is a lead summer camp counselor for Gujarati Cultural Association of North America, a tutor for Mentor Me North Georgia, and a volunteer for Wellstar North Fulton Hospital. At school, she serves as the VP of Science Olympiad, VP of HOSA: Future Health Professionals, and Treasurer of Mu Alpha Theta. Anjali aspires to become a physician and serve rural and underserved Georgians.
www.21stcenturyleaders.org
AWARDEES ARIE'UNA LONG Lake Oconee Academy, Class of 2022
Arie'una Long
is
a
history-making
peer
leader
and
entrepreneur
whose
service has impacted over 1,000 people in her community. In 2017, Arie’una won
the
Georgia
REACH
scholarship
which
is
maintained
with
positive
character, great academics, and great behavior. Arie’una saw a need for more leadership and encouragement for leaders. As a dedicated volunteer, she has served over 1,000 people in her community through Beta Club and Youth Leadership Greene, and as a volunteer at Greenville Baptist Church. She shares her passion for music as a member of a student-led traveling gig band and mentors thirty 6th-grade students 2-3 times a week in music. She is also passionate about addressing the lack of leadership opportunities in her small town, the lack of access to them, as well as the lack of youth entrepreneurs. In 2020, Arie’una chose to challenge herself to do more things outside of her comfort zone and create an opportunity, so she established her own jewelry design business, Mystical Kreations. Arie’una wants to become a music business owner and plans to continue navigating around the limitations of the pandemic and make the best of this trying time.
HADASSAH NEHIKHUERE Dutchtown High School, Class of 2021
Hadassah Nehikhuere
is the founder of the Social Diversity Education Project,
an education initiative that teaches elementary students the importance of diversity, inclusion, and unity. In the Social Diversity Education Project, 10-20 upperclassmen volunteers meet with 20-30 elementary students each week to mentor them through mini-course lessons and academic tutoring after school. Hadassah also established the Scholarship Academy at Dutchtown H.S., which has
provided
opportunities
over
60
and
inviting
students
with
guest
information
speakers
to
about
advise
finding about
scholarship the
college
application process. Hadassah is also co-creator of the "Flash Pass," an automated hall pass system that helps increase security in her school district. She is passionate about advocacy and volunteering, dedicating over 300 hours to serving her community, encouraging youth to vote and informing them of opportunities. She is President of Beta Club, a Student Government Association Officer, a Dutchtown High School Student Ambassador and is in National Honor Society, a Henry County NAACP Youth Liaison, and a Youth Leadership Henry alumni. She was Washington Youth Tour Delegate in 2019. Hadassah plans to attend college in the fall and hopes to always ensure that she advocates for the betterment of society in every way possible.
www.21stcenturyleaders.org
We're proud to support 21st Century Leaders. www.goizueta.emory.edu
.
AWARDEES TOMI OLADEJI Homeschool, Class of 2023
Tomi Oladeji
is passionate about STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering,
Arts, and Math) and teaching kids more about it. In 2019, Tomi started an organization called STEAMKidz, which teaches kids about STEAM through fun, hands-on activities. As a Regional Honorable Mention for the National Center of Women & Information Technology (NCWIT), Tomi received a grant to fund a virtual STEAM summer camp. She ran the camp in 2020 with over 25 girls in participation to learn about STEAM through activities including spaghetti tower building,
watercolor
paintings,
learning
HTML
and
CSS
to
build
their
own
webpages, Python and coding an Arduino Uno. She also ran an online afterschool coding club in the fall of 2020 for both boys and girls so that they could learn how to code with Python, HTML, and CSS. Tomi is passionate about teaching girls about STEM because they are greatly underrepresented in STEM fields. She won the Society of Women Engineer Northropp Grumman award in the fall of 2019 for finding and presenting solutions on how to decrease the gender gap in STEM fields and get more girls interested in STEM. Tomi is also interested in business management and entrepreneurship as potential majors in college and career fields. Tomi also loves to volunteer in her community, including her church’s pre-school and elementary-school divisions, as well as with events they hold within the community.
GLORY OLOWOJOBA Chamblee Charter High School, Class of 2021
Glory Olowojoba
is a dedicated hospital volunteer and an advocate in her
community. Glory has volunteered at Grady Memorial Hospital for the past 3 years. In addition, she dedicated 60 hours to conducting field research in 15 clinics and led a team of 5 volunteers to create a hand hygiene module used to train over 100 healthcare professionals. Glory was inspired to volunteer at Grady after learning about healthcare disparities across the globe; she then made it her goal to promote equal access to health services. Glory is in the Health Occupation Students of America (HOSA), where she was one of the first people from her chapter to compete at state level. Trough her leadership role in Women of Distinction, she empowers 30 minority women to be change agents in their community. At school, Glory is the co-founder of Black Excellence Understood, an affinity group for students of African descent. As a NigerianAmerican, Glory recognizes the importance of diversity and hearing unique perspectives; she provides a platform for diversity and communication through International Club, where she invites students to celebrate various cultures, try global cuisines, and engage well in cross-cultural interactions. Glory is also the President of French Club, hosting events for 50+ students to learn about French language and culture. Glory will attend college in the fall where she plans to pursue her career goal of becoming an orthodontist.
www.21stcenturyleaders.org
AWARDEES KYRA ROGERS Chatham Hall, Class of 2021
Kyra Rogers is the founder of two clubs at her school: the Black Student Union (BSU) and Voices for the Voiceless, a slam poetry club. She formed the slam poetry club because she wanted poetry to be an outlet for the girls at her school just as it is for her. The club consists of about 15 members who meet monthly to write original pieces and has performed at school events such as the LGBTQ+ chapel service and MLK Chapel Services. The Black Student Union had been in the back of Kyra’s mind for a while, but she never had the push to start it until summer of 2020. This past summer was hard for many and Kyra saw that the Black girls at her school needed a place that they felt like they belonged. The BSU is also a resource for other girls of color and white students to go to if they have any questions about some things that they may not know about being Black. Being at a predominantly white institution, the Black Student Union tries its best to be a safe haven for the Black girls at Chatham Hall. The club consists of 14 girls and was the mind behind a recent Black History Month service, where Kyra choreographed a step show, which is something that the school had never seen. Kyra is also a member of her school’s Honor Council, which is an elected position for seniors who demonstrate honor and leadership. She is also a captain for the varsity basketball team. Outside of school, Kyra is involved in programs such as 21st Century Leaders and VOX Teen ATL, a writing collective for Metro Atlanta teens. Kyra would like to become a journalist in the future.
ISAIAH SCOTT South Effingham High School, Class of 2021
Isaiah E. Scott
is the founder of Ike’s Birding Hikes and CEO of The Rookery
Collection Art & Home Décor. To educate the community about nature and birding, Isaiah leads small groups on hiking adventures through southeastern Georgia
and
the
coastal
Islands
of
South
Carolina.
Isaiah
believes
the
"outdoors belong to everyone," and is partnering with a PhD student at Cornell University on strategies to increase diversity among birders and ornithologists. TheRookeryCollection.com features his bird art and home décor. Isaiah is the youngest recipient of the 2021 Eckleberry Fellowship from Drexel University's Academy of Natural Science, which supports his project of researching and illustrating a cultural and birding field guide of the historic Gullah Geechee Corridor. Being of Gullah descent, Isaiah wants to study the influence of nature on the lives of his ancestors. As the recipient of the Hogg Island Scholarship, Isaiah traveled to Maine for ornithology research. His passion for birding has gained recognition with recent accolades of becoming a brand ambassador for L.L. Bean, a guest panelist for The Feminist Bird Club and a featured birder with Environment For The Americas International Migratory Bird Day. He is a member of FFA and earned “Outstanding Student in Natural Resources Pathway” in 4-H. Isaiah plans to major in Environment & Sustainability at Cornell University and own a coastal research and avitourism center in the Lowcountry.
www.21stcenturyleaders.org
AWARDEES AWARDEES SARAH SIMS Chattahoochee County High School, Class of 2021
Sarah Sims
is a servant leader in her community and has been involved with
the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) since her freshman year. This program
has
taught
her
about
leadership,
teamwork,
dedication,
honor,
respect, integrity and so much more. Sarah has implemented and participated in many projects and programs to help improve her small community. She has helped orchestrate several blood drives which have collected over 300 pints, packaged hygiene care packages and delivered them to nursing homes, reads books
to
elementary
school
students,
and
mentors
middle
school
students
about their transition into high school. In 7th grade, Sarah founded her school's news program, called The Chatt, and has been a steward of it since, currently leading as Head Anchor. The Chatt is well known throughout the school. As President of the Chattahoochee County H.S. National Honor Society, Sarah organized canned food drives for her community, which collected and distributed over 4,000 canned and dry food items. Outside of school, she is a proud member of Distinguished Young Women of Chattahoochee County, Georgia State Ambassadors, St. Paul United Methodist Church Youth Group and Leadership Team, an active Team Member at Chick-Fil-A, and is a skilled elite dancer at Company C Academy of Dance. Sarah will attend the University of Georgia in the fall to pursue a degree in Broadcast Journalism with a concentration in Sports.
KAYDEN SKEETE Atlanta International School, Class of 2022
Kayden Skeete
is the founder of The Social Justice Project, a platform for
social change and expression. She is passionate about leveraging diversity within her community, empowering youth to share their voices, and using her own voice to make a change for the better. In addition to leading The Social Justice Project, she is contributing to the diversification of her school community through her role as a student ambassador, interviewing potential staff members and speaking with prospective families. She was selected to attend the Student Leadership
Conference
and
apply
what
she
learned
to
make
her
school
community a better place, and she started a monthly newsletter within her school that highlights black excellence. Through Sankofa, a black affinity group she helped found, she mentors black middle school students and facilitates talks on racial identity topics. In addition, she writes articles for VOX Teen Communications and other platforms, and started a podcast called Unapologetically Melanated. She was a presenter at the North Georgia Chapter of Jack and Jill of America’s Teen Rap Session on Race, Identity and Equity, at which she delivered education on systemic racism to an audience of over 60 people. Through her work, she has been able to touch the hearts and souls of so many, and is driven to continue her journey of making positive change in any way that she can.
www.21stcenturyleaders.org
AWARDEES ANVITHA SURAM Cambridge High School, Class of 2022
Anvitha Suram is the co-founder and host of the Slam Trunk Podcast,
in which
she discusses current events, racial inequalities, and pop culture, while offering a safe space for her generation to curate change together. After attending one of 21st Century Leaders' summer leadership institutes, she was inspired to use her visionary perspective to reach various facets of her community outside of school. As a 6-year Varsity Policy debater, Anvitha has learned the benefits of excellent communication skills which have allowed her to raise awareness about important global issues. After deciding that she needed to expand her efforts outside the debate community, Anvitha, along with her best friend Ambuja, started a hit podcast, “Slam Trunk Podcast.” Within 6 months her podcast had already made an impact on over 1,000 listeners and continues to grow. Aside from the recording aspect of Slam Trunk Podcast, Anvitha is the head of design where she creates exciting, engaging graphics that only fuel her passion for art. For 9 years, she has contributed original art to the Fulton County Water Art Calendar - which promotes water conservation - and she has been a state qualifier for the Reflections Art competition. She is working towards her Girl Scout Gold Award, which aims to make art and its opportunities more accessible. Anvitha aspires to double major in business and graphic design, as well as leverage her passion for both business and art to create lasting impact on her community and beyond.
GEORGE TIAN Lambert High School, Class of 2022
George Tian
is the founder and head-teacher of the Association of Student
Leaders in Action's (ASLA) Debate Classes, created in 2018 to teach students in elementary and middle school about debate. He started the debate class to establish a foundation of public speaking confidence and critical thinking in his community's young students. In the span of his debate class, George has taught over 80 students, giving them a foundation they can - and do - build on beyond his class. Beyond teaching debate and leading other classes at ASLA, George also co-founded his own online debate summer camp in 2020 with his debate partner Sahil and taught 20 students about debate in an interactive format. George also serves as a mentor for the free mentorship service, The Debate Group. Beyond debate, George is also the founder of the website fruitsandveggiesgeorgia.com
in
which
writes
articles
facing
social
justice
issues
surrounding his local community, and especially those involving the Asian and Asian American community. In school, George is President of the Debate Team and of Launchx, and co-founded Talks On Innovation, Leadership and Entrepreneurship (TILE) club. George's goals are to expand his debate classes and camps nationally by 2022 and win the Tournament of Champions in public forum debate. George aspires to enter politics and represent the Asian American community nationally.
www.21stcenturyleaders.org
AWARDEES AWARDEES ALEX WATTS Decatur High School, Class of 2021
Alex Watts
is
an
advocate
for
change
and
founder
of
The
Rainbow
Connection: An LGBT Letter Exchange Program. His advocacy for the LGBT community started with an internship at Charis Books and More, where he learned about the intersections between feminism, Black Lives Matter, and the LGBT rights movements. His advocacy continued to grow through participation in
various
programs
focused
on
diversity,
servant
leadership,
and
representation, such as 21CL, a Political Internship with June Krise, Brandeis SEED Program, Re:Imagine ATL Youth Advisory Board, and AIDL’s International Relations and Leadership workshop. He was inspired to create his own program to serve a need he found in Georgia: the disconnect in the LGBT community. As someone who had connected with pen pals for several years, he knew that a strong connection could be forged through letter writing. The Rainbow Connection matches up LGBT youth, ages 12-22 across Georgia, as pen pals, connecting youth from different circumstances to forge a stronger, more personal bond than social media offers. Alex plans to continue this program through college, and is hopeful to expand it nationally and internationally. Alex has spent over 180 hours volunteering through several community organizations. He is passionate about film and creative writing, having participated in the Re:Imagine ATL, been the Co Editor-in-chief of his school’s literary magazine, and attended the Sewanee Young Writers conference. Alex plans to major in International Relations and minor in Film Studies.
JAMES WILSON Newton High School, Class of 2021
James Wilson
is an established student leader with a track record of service,
compassion, and accomplishment. His service-oriented pursuits are all centered around service to his community. James works tirelessly to advocate for what he believes in, whether that is providing over 200 letters of comfort to military service members overseas, or overseeing our state’s election processes in 4 elections as a Managing Poll Official - all before he turned 18, before he himself could vote - or working with the American Red Cross to host 3 blood drives collecting over 150 units of blood. In addition to his dozens of service pursuits, James strives to unlock and unleash his leadership potential daily. He currently serves over 15,000 student members of Georgia HOSA: Future Health Professionals as their State Vice President. He has served on Student Advisory boards and councils in a variety of organizations, including 21st Century Leaders and the Georgia Department of Education. In his own community, he has been recognized with the Youth of the Year Award, as well as the Martin Luther King Jr. Young Dreamer’s Award and the Newton County Schools CTAE Student of the Year Award. James’ guiding principle is that of Theodore Roosevelt’s “The Man in the Arena.” You have the choice to stand up and take action, or to sit back and watch those who do.
www.21stcenturyleaders.org
AWARDEES SABRINA ZHU Alpharetta High School, Class of 2022
Sabrina Zhu raising
is committed to increasing youth involvement in table tennis and
awareness
for
genocide
prevention.
Knowing
the
high
costs
of
competitive table tennis, Sabrina felt the need to make table tennis training and equipment accessible to all. As a Vice President of the Student Table Tennis Activists Foundation (STTAF), she raised over $5,000 through charity tournaments to help young players overcome financial barriers to participate in table tennis and to support breast cancer research. Sabrina uses her voice and platform as a JOOLA-sponsored player to foster leadership and community in the table tennis world, and teaches autistic children to play, including them in the sport. She founded the Insight Initiative to promote awareness and discussion of ethnic crises and genocides that are frequently unaddressed by the media and to teach this generation of young advocates to navigate the media critically. Sabrina has leadership roles in 21st Century Leaders as a Youth Ambassador, Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) and Science National Honor Society (SNHS) and serves as a Link Leader and member of the National Honor Society (NHS). Sabrina hopes to continue raising awareness and funds for causes she is passionate about and encourage others to leverage diversity in their own communities and to be more aware of other perspectives and opinions.
SHARE + CONNECT Play/Download our 2021 GYLA Playlist Sponsored by instagram.com/21CLYouth
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GEORGIA YOUTH LEADERSHIP AWARDS March 25, 2021 | Leaders of a New Era
OUR MISSION 21st Century Leaders® is a non-profit organization that connects, transforms, and inspires high school students across Georgia to leverage-diversity, explore career opportunities, and become leaders in their schools, communities, and ultimately the workforce.
VOLUNTEERS Thank you to all of our volunteers who helped make our 2021 Georgia Youth Leadership Awards possible. Co-Chairs: Bridges Holmes + Maria Flores Blackburn Auction Committee: Cristy Jones, Josephine Obiofuma, Bridget Gorta, and Peyton Callanan GYLA Coaches:
Doug Aldridge, Monique Bell, Chadwick Boyd, AJ Brooks, Mike Burgett,
Greg Clay, David Felfoldi, Marty Fleischmann, Jelena Fordella, Quinn Green, April Jackson, JP James,
Dr.
Shaneeta
Johnson,
Debra
Lam,
Jesse
Lindsley,
Jesse
Marinko,
Dr.
Jacquelyn
O’Banion, Dr. Adriane Randolph, Kashi Sehgal, Stephen Smith, and Pamela Stewart
Special thank you to our Board of Directors, Advisory Council, Junior Board of Directors, the entire GYLA Selection Committee and our in-kind donors, WarnerMedia, Living Stories, and our auction item donors!
www.21stcenturyleaders.org
GEORGIA YOUTH LEADERSHIP AWARDS March 25, 2021 | Leaders of a New Era
SPONSORS Presenting Sponsor
Gold Sponsors
Silver Sponsors
Playlist Sponsor
Student Sponsors
Kathy Solley, Ellen & Bruce Lindemann, and The Szalkowski Family
www.21stcenturyleaders.org