This year we are very proud to add 5 outstanding Young Visionaries Fellows!
The overall $1,000 award goes to Elayna Hasty, 19, of Steuben County who operates G.A.B. Girls [Girls Against Bullying].
Elayna has operated G.A.B. Girls since 2010 (yes, she has been operating it for over a decade). Started as a vehicle to help a friend who was being bullied, the nonprofit has grown to reach over 3,000 people and has held 73 workshops - all to promote positive self-esteem, suicide awareness, and anti-bullying prevention. Great work, Elayna!
The remaining four awardees received $500 awards.
Madeline Phuong, 16, of Allen County operates A Second Chance Fort Wayne.
Madeline is an awesome artist. Through A Second Chance Fort Wayne she sells her tremendous artwork as notecards - and the proceeds go to local animal nonprofits like Pet Promises. By the way, that bench you see behind her is Madeline’s design for the Humane Fort Wayne Public Art Project - go find it in downtown Fort Wayne!
Scotlyn Moncour, 12, of Allen County operates Bear's Beanies.
Bear’s Beanies (which double as scarves or COVID masks, by the way) are not only beautiful, but for each one she sells, Scotlyn gives one to a child battling cancer at Riley Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis (with the help of the Ronald McDonald House there). Way to make an impact, Scotlyn!
Dayani Guevara, 18, of Allen County, operates Stronger Together Latinx
Dayani and her co-founder, Irasema Hernandez Trujillo (a prior Young Visionaries Fellow from 2019), have formed a new nonprofit designed to empower Latinx youth economically, socially, and culturally by providing scholarships, mentorships, and resources. Latinx youth approaching college age face various challenges that can hold them back from pursuing higher education that others don’t face. Stronger Together Latinx addresses these challenges head on. If you follow the Pave the Path Youth Leadership Summit, you may have noticed that Irasema and Dayani ran a “what to expect at college” workshop at this year’s event.
Taryn Martin, 17, of Allen County - Girls Who Code
At the 2021 Pave the Path Youth Leaders Summit, Taryn and her Young Visionaries project team formed the concept for Girls Who Code. This project recognizes that females (and other groups) are under-represented in software and related technology careers in our community. They intend to remedy that by providing not only coding education, but a supportive social setting for young girls to stimulate interest in technology careers. Very cool!
Please join us in congratulating ALL of the 2021 Young Visionaries Fellowship winners!