Max Astrachan

Enola, PA | 18

Max harnessed his experience as a witness to prejudice within his own school and founded SPIRIT to organize for policy, programming, and curricular changes which combat discrimination.

Abe Baker-Butler

Rye Brook, NY | 18

Abe was motivated by the smoking-induced illness in his own family and started Students Against Nicotine to reduce and eradicate teenage smoking and vaping through education and legislative advocacy.

Nathan Balk King

Provincetown, MA | 19

Nathan created Model United Nations: Indigenous to empower other indigenous students to participate in Model United Nations as well as public policy and human rights advocacy within the public sphere.

Peyton Barsel

Las Vegas, NV | 18

Peyton started Trauma-informed Training for Educators to organize legislative action and provide teachers the training to support students who have experienced trauma.

Hollis Belger

Larkspur, CA | 15

Hollis turned her concern about pediatric cancer into Juggling for Jude, a sustained fundraising campaign which supports St. Jude Children’s Hospital’s mission to provide pediatric cancer treatment at no cost to its patients.

Sonia Chajet Wides

Brooklyn, NY | 16

Sonia was inspired by her experience campaigning during the 2016 election to help teenagers educate themselves about global issues and get involved in politics through Teens Resist.

Isha Clarke

Oakland, CA | 17

Isha fights to reverse the climate crisis and address the iniquitous effects it has on low-income and communities of color by organizing community action and battling for legislative change through Youth Vs. Apocalypse.

Jacob Cramer

Pepper Pike, OH | 19

Jacob was inspired by experience as an assisted living facility volunteer and started Love for the Elderly to address the isolation and loneliness prevalent in senior facilities.

Sophie Draluck

Highland Park, IL | 18

Sophie champions equity for women and girls who lack affordable access to or education about menstrual products through Cycle Forward.

Liza Goldberg

Clarksville, MD | 18

Liza discovered there was no data tracking system for global mangrove loss and, during an internship with NASA, developed EcoMap to provide scientists, conservationists, and communities the information they need to identify mangrove ecosystems that demand intervention and make informed policy decisions.

Jonah Gottlieb

Petaluma, CA | 18

Jonah founded the National Children’s Campaign to amplify the voices of young people in the political arena through organizing, direct action, and lobbying.

Jamie Margolin

Seattle, WA | 18

Jamie was moved to act by the United States’ withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement and launched Zero Hour to battle for climate and environmental justice through youth-led action and organizing in cities throughout the world.

Zachary Patterson

San Diego, CA | 16

Zachary established a Student Board Member within his school district, and founded a Student Advisory Board, to provide students representation in their school system and advocate for youth-centered policy at the state and federal levels.

Noah Rubin

Boca Raton, FL | 17

Noah developed computer programming workshops and facilitated peer mentorship for children who lack access to or cannot afford extracurricular activities through canCODE.

Olivia Seltzer

Santa Barbara, CA | 15

Olivia developed a news outlet following the 2016 election cycle to keep teens informed about important issues through the platforms they utilize the most.