Our Rising Stars program recognizes outstanding young people in our community who are ALREADY serving their neighborhood, community, or school – who are ALREADY noticing needs of the less fortunate and doing something about it – or who are ALREADY accomplishing GREAT things while they’re still middle-schoolers & high-schoolers…while they’re still just KIDS. We want to pinpoint these kids and make sure they realize how proud we are of them and how excited we are to see the world grow in their hands.
Finalists will receive a $1,000 grant for their favorite cause and a savings account from the Ohio Tuition Trust Authority’s 529, CollegeAdvantage Savings Plan!
Meet our 2021 Class of Rising Stars!
Elaine Smith: Elaine is a senior at Bishop Ready High School. She earned her Girl Scout’s Gold Award by designing a canoe clinic for day campers at the Grove City YMCA, and she’s close to also getting an Eagle Scout Award from the Boy Scouts for working with the Muha Foundation to convert an old barn into an art studio for kids! She’s the captain of her swim team. She wants to become an intervention specialist for elementary students to help them with dyslexia. She volunteers with Special Olympics (swimming & bowling), and bakes for the Ronald McDonald House. We thank Elaine for being such a Rising Star!
Margaret Lee: Margaret Lee is from Hilliard and recently graduated from Hilliard Darby High School. While at Darby, Margaret realized that there were classmates in food crisis when they went home on the weekends. She approached the school’s administration and was able to start a food pantry at the school for those students. Since the start of the food pantry at Darby, other schools in Hilliard have adopted the program as well. Margaret is now attending the University of Cincinnati and hopes to work in the non-profit world when she graduates. What a Rising Star!
Claire Block: Claire Block is a 15-year-old from Dublin who has done a lot of work in the past years to support “My Comfy Kits.” My Comfy Kits is a program of Orphan World Relief, providing personal comfort items to children as they are entering the foster care system to make them feel more at home in their new place. Claire has done bake sales, penny wars at her school, and a donation drive to support them. Empathy, what a wonderful trait for us to learn from a Rising Star. Thanks Claire!
Eliana Vogt: Eliana Vogt is currently 11 years old and a 6th grader at Tree of Life Christian School. In the 2nd grade, Eliana had a horrible experience which triggered severe depression. She joined a cross-country team and started looking for opportunities to run a 5k. She came across the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Butterfly Run and decided to participate because it raises money for kid’s mental health. Eliana ended up the 3rd highest individual fundraiser for the Run! When asked why she did it, Eliana said “because I don’t want other kids to feel how I felt.” She encourages other kids to “…be honest and tell people what you’re going through so that they can help you.” Bravo Eliana – you are an incredible Rising Star!
Soliana Tadesse: Soliana Tadesse has established herself as a leader within the Dress for Success Boss Girl Program and within her school. The program is designed to help young women prepare for their next steps in life – the workplace, college, or a trade school. Soliana spearheaded a mask-making initiative for a local senior living home. She has served as the Vice President for the Multicultural Club, which she co-founded at Reynoldsburg High School, and she’s also helped to lead a fundraiser for C.R.I.S, which aims to facilitate sustained self-sufficiency and successful integration of local refugees & immigrants. Thanks for leading like a boss, Soliana!
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Markel Davis: Markel Davis is a senior at Upper Arlington High School and wants to become a police officer. It inspired him to start an organization called “Bridge The Gap,” encouraging unity between the police & protesters. Markel has been involved with “Shop with a Cop” and over the summer of 2020, with protests going on around Central Ohio, Markel started making lunches and delivering them to the officers. He received praise and backlash for aiding the officers, but that didn’t deter him. Markel just wanted to do the right thing and that is what felt right to him. Thank you Markel for your leadership and for being a Rising Star!