STELLAR KIDS We had the chance to sit down with some Stellar Kids here in the Lowcountry. These are children, tweens, and teens who truly stand out among their peers.
DAKOTA LEHRSCHALL 7th Grader at H.E. McCracken Middle School WHAT: Dakota Lehrschall is a young leader in LGBTQ advocacy. She was recently awarded Student of the Month for Courage. The award praises her self-confidence and fearless defense of others. Her goal is to create a safe space for all students to be recognized and validated. She does this by acknowledging and normalizing preferred names and pronouns of her fellow students. Dakota is especially known for her tactful interventions. She addresses bullying with a no-tolerance policy, consistently responding with empathy for both sides. Demonstrating maturity beyond her years, she describes the process as restorative! Dakota attributes her confidence and fierce defense of others to her parents, both U.S. Marines. 60 ParenthoodIQ.com • SPRING 2020
ADVICE: “You are not alone in this!” FUN FACTS: Dakota’s favorite subject in school is science. Not surprising since her long-term goal is to become an obstetric surgeon. “Yale is my top choice!” On the weekends, she likes to stay up late watching scary movies with a big bowl of buttery popcorn. Fearless is right!
