Biography

In the past year I have been involved with groups and many people in order to make 1ife easier for the youth of america. I have spent hundreds of hours in meetings and conferences trying to get as many ideas as possible. Some of the things I have done have been successful and some have been a little on the scary side, but none the less I do it for the cause.

I attend the grants High school Career Academy and work at Future Foundations Family Center. These two places are very important to me because they move me forward in my life. At school I get the education I need to go to work and make the changes that my community needs. I started my community work in the fall of 2003 when a teacher recommended me to the Future Foundations Family Center Youth Council where I quickly began to learn about the issues that' face me as a teen and as a leader of tommorow. It was very little time at all before I was spending a great amount of time in trainings so I could become more educated. Also, I was going out in the community to educate people about the harmful effects of tobacco, alcohol, and drugs. In the past three years I have educated over 9,000 people about the consequences of making the wrong choices. Every year I take place in many projects that help my community out. This year was particularly diffrent. I was going places I just didn't know it.

In late May I was accepted into the American Legacy Youth Leadership Institute to receive even more education and to become a national level youth activist. In July, I found myself in an Embraer Jet flying to the American Legacy headquarters for the institute. There I met 15 young and inspired youth similar to myself. While working together we all came up with so many plans for the future. Also, we held a youth rally right in the center of Washington D.C. to help get our message out, "tobacco kills and only you can help stop the murder". There, many people came by took our flyers and some threw them away. When I saw the first person throw a flyer away I thought to myself why are we waisting our time and what is the point of our mission. I thought about that as I was in Reagan International Airport looking at the foggy outline of our nations capitol. Then it came to mind that if I am working to make life better for youth then that should be my mission. After all that, what's really important.

After I got home I found myself just looking and looking for ways to help out whereever possible. I was setting on economic development comittees, health boards, and every student orginization I ever knew existed. I really didn't expect what happened next but it happened anyway in the most unusual way. While at a health summit in Albuquerque I listened to adults bad mouth teenagers and then I listened to fellow youth try to defend themselves. One of the teens said that the reason kids don't listen is because neither do adults and they are going to listen to theit friends first. Then it clicked that's what I should do. I knew what I wanted to do. For the next three months I carefully planned what has been named the Peer Education Center. It's a place where teens use their heart, vision, and brilliant minds to improve the lives of their generation. In early 2007 funding proposals will be submitted for $90,000.00 to fund this center which will create youth jobs and then use teenagers with power and those who don't to improve the lives of their peers. As well as prevent tobacco use drug use, alcohol use, and teen pregnancy. This center will also expand into large issues like violence, depression, and suicide.

I have made it my mission to make sure that every child and teenager is loved, fed, and warm. I DARE SOMEONE TO TRY AND STOP ME because this is something I am sticking to and care about.