Alabama

Annalisa Fowler | Haleyville High School | Halyeville, Alabama

Annalisa is a senior at Haleyville High School. She was her school’s 2008 Alabama Girls State representative. She is a member of the Girl Scouts, President of the Haleyville Chapter of Junior Civitan, Historian of Haleyville High School’s National Honor Society, a member of FBLA, a member of National Society of High School Scholars, and takes dance at Florence School of the Dance. Annalisa works as a lifeguard and a tutor. She volunteers at her church working in both the nursery and teaching a children’s ballet class. Annalisa also volunteers at the local library. In her free time she enjoys reading, attending renaissance festivals, and cooking with her mom. She plans to pursue a degree in Mechanical Engineering while exploring creative writing.

Arizona

Amita Gupta | University High School | Tuscon, Arizona

Amita is a sophomore Honors student attending University High School. She has been playing piano and performing traditional Indian dance since elementary school. She likes to choreograph and dance hip hop as well. In grade 7, Amita took  the SAT exams and attended a program in Essay Writing, taught by the Center for Talented Youth of the Johns Hopkins University. The following year, she was selected for their Study of Exceptional Talent program after receiving the highest overall SAT scores in Arizona. Amita has completed training in CPR and First Aid with the Red Cross and works with the Southern Arizona Volunteer Center on issues related to environment. She enjoys dancing, participating in Model UN conferences, photography, tennis and spending time with friends. Amita is hoping to pursue Biological Engineering in college.

Arkansas

Erin Morbeck | Pulaski Academy | Roand, Arkansas

Erin lives in Little Rock, Arkansas, and attends Pulaski Academy, a private college-prep school. This summer, Erin is traveling to France to tour Paris and the Mediterranean coast. Over the past few summers, she has hiked the Rocky Mountains in Yellowstone and the northern California coast. After Hurricane Katrina, Erin joined a small group of workers to scrape mold off the interior of houses in Biloxi, Mississippi. She has also done community service in Costa Rica and Mexico. Erin's extracurricular activities include tutoring elementary school students, writing for her school's newspaper, and playing soccer. Erin plans to go to college next year and eventually join the Navy.

California

Siddharth Nair | Chaminade College Prep | Thousand Oaks, California

Siddharth is a senior at Chaminade College Preparatory in West Hills, California, a small city just north of Los Angeles. At school, he pursues his interests in argumentation, law, and writing as the co-captain of policy debate and pre-trial captain of Mock Trial. He is also the Features editor of his school newspaper. In his spare time, he enjoys tutoring his peers for the SAT, reading, and playing computer games. Siddharth volunteers at the Therapeutic Recreation Center, a summer camp for children who are autistic and plans to continue working with disabled in the future. He writes for the Sankara Eye Foundation, a non-profit organization that sponsors eye surgeries for the poor. For his volunteering efforts, Siddharth received the Gold President’s Volunteer Service Award. He is a National Merit Finalist and plans to major in political science in college before entering law school.

Colorado

Megan Lang | Niwot High School | Longmont, Colorado

Megan is a senior at Niwot High School in Longmont, Colorado. She is enrolled in the International Baccalaureate program and plays violin in the symphony orchestra.  She also runs track and cross country for Niwot. In the community, Megan has helped teach beginning string players through the school district’s summer orchestra program and has also served as captain on a Relay for Life team. Throughout the past couple of years, she has worked to end atrocities in Darfur through the Enough project. After high school, Megan plans to study International Relations and Economics at a liberal arts college in order to pursue a career in diplomacy.

Connecticut

Nicole Boucher | Northwest Catholic High School | Hartford, Connecticut

Nicole Boucher lives in Hartford, Connecticut and attends Northwest Catholic High School.  She will attend Brown University and plans to major in biochemistry.  She has focused her time on community service, political science, and the arts.  Most notably, she served as a Connectikids Tutor, was the Youth Representative on the Christian Education Board at her church, and participated in the Youth Services Opportunities Project in New York City. Nicole also advocated for urban poverty awareness through the Take the Lead Program at Mt. Holyoke College.  She was recently awarded the Kiwanis Stars for Kids award in recognition of her service.  Nicole writes political feature articles and serves as a copy editor for her school newspaper. Her artistic pursuits include participation in community theatre and playing the piano and flute.  She has been recognized as a Connecticut Governor’s Scholar, National Merit Finalist, National Honors Society member and an AP Scholar.

Delaware

Henry Gorman | Charter School of Wilmington | Wilmington, Delaware

Henry Gorman lives in Wilmington, Delaware, where he has resided since returning from Geneva, Switzerland.  He is a senior at The Charter School of Wilmington, where he swims and plays Quizbowl.  Henry has assisted elementary school students with mathematics through his school’s Science Ambassadors Program, and has also traveled to eastern Kentucky on mission trips to help fix homes.  Henry plans to study Physics and Electrical and Computer Engineering in college.

District of Columbia

Patrick Riechert | St. Anselm’s Abbey School | Washington, DC

Patrick Riechert is a sophomore attending St. Anselm’s Abbey School in Washington, DC.  He actively participates in the Model United Nations program, art club, and the lighting and audio aspect of theatre tech. Patrick is also the co-founder of the Philosophy Club and member of the Neuroscience Club. He recently completed an internship at the Wilson Center for International Scholars. This summer, he will attend an undergraduate course on International Relations and Globalization at Georgetown University. His primary areas of interest are International Relations, Philosophy, History and Art.

Florida

Melissa Charles | Palm Beach Central High School | Wellington, Florida

Throughout her life, Melissa has used the experiences and knowledge gained to produce a lucid portrait of herself. Born in South Orange, New Jersey and currently residing in Wellington, Florida where she is a senior Palm Beach Central High School.  Melissa’s life has been influenced by music and helping people. It is for these reasons that she plans to pursue majors in Music, Political Science, Psychology and/or Creative Writing. During her time in high school, Melissa performed on stage, played basketball and flag football, organized many fundraising events for the genocide in Darfur, learned to play the piano, and taught herself the guitar. She was a member of both the National and Spanish National Honor Society, and has received awards and recognition for her involvement in DECA, FBLA, AP Scholars, and for being a National Merit Finalist. Upon graduation, Melissa plans to attend either the University of Florida or New York University.

Georgia

Nicholas Eberhart | Parkview High School | Lilburn, Georgia

Nick Eberhart is a junior at Parkview High School in Lilburn, Georgia. As a Student Council Representative and Gwinnett Student Leadership Team Member, Nick has established himself as a student leader at Parkview and in his community. Nick also is an active member of National Honor Society, Beta Club, and National Spanish Honor Society where he performs and orchestrates service projects. Outside of school Nick has been involved in scouting since kindergarten, and still enjoys the outdoor activities, service, and leadership opportunities that scouting provides. Nick is working fervently to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout. Africa, especially the developing situations in Sudan and Somalia greatly interest Nick, and he hopes to pursue a career that involves him in the resolution of these situations.

Hawaii

Kyan Renie Agbayani | Aiea High School | Aiea, Hawaii

Biography and photo not available.

Idaho

Michael Kalange | Bishop Kelly High School | Boise, Idaho

Michael Kalange is a student at Bishop Kelly High School. He enjoys reading, skateboarding, building his own long boards, and making French pastries. Michael plans to attend college and then travel as a writer for National Geographic. He cites Jeffrey Lebowski as his primary hero and Franklin Delanor Roosevelt as his favorite President. Michael enjoys volunteering at every available opportunity and has helped out at the Idaho Food Bank, Boise Zoo, and the local parish.

Illinois

Andrew Tapper | Libertyville High School | Libertyville, Illinios

Andrew is a senior at Libertyville High School in Libertyville, Illinois. He will be attending the University of Wisconsin at Madison where he plans to study Economics. Besides playing the guitar in his free time, Andrew has practiced Tae Kwon Do, submission wrestling, and currently boxes. He has a deep love for the United States and one day hopes to serve in government.

Indiana

Tyler Thomas | Elkhart Central High School | Elkhart Indiana

Tyler is from Elkhart, Indiana, and is a senior at Elkhart Central High School. He is the youngest of three brothers. Tyler plans to attend Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis next fall, where he will study Economics. He has much interest in music and enjoys the outdoors. This summer, Tyler plans on visiting Costa Rica and spending time with his friends and family. 

Iowa

Dhrooti Vyas | Valley High School | Urbandale, Iowa

Dhrooti is a junior at Valley High School in West Des Moines, Iowa. Dhrooti is involved in Mock Trial, Model United Nations, and Speech and Debate. She is the treasurer of Iowa Youth Congress, a minority youth group that proposes legislation to the Iowa House. She is also a co-president of World Cultures Club, which has recently hosted a cultural talent and fashion show fundraiser for UNICEF. Dhrooti is an avid chess player and has received the honor of representing Iowa at the Susan Polgar National Invitational tournament for three years. She is looking forward to implementing the Hoover Chess Initiative, a pilot program where she will teach underprivileged elementary school students chess, in the upcoming academic year. Dhrooti is also a passionate flautist and a loyal Kobe fan.

Kansas

Anne Collingwood | Beloit Junior Senior High School | Beloit, Kansas

Anne Collingwood is from Beloit, Kansas and is a senior at Beloit Junior Senior High School. Throughout high school, Anne has been involved in Student Council, National Honor Society, Interact, and Scholars’ Bowl. She has also been President of her sophomore class, President of World Explorers club, Vice President of Art and Photo Club, and secretary of Speech and Drama Club. In her free time, Anne enjoys baking, cooking, reading, and art and volunteering at Hilltop Assisted Living. In the fall, she plans to attend Kansas State University where she will major in Bakery Science. She also hopes to minor in Leadership Studies.

Kentucky

Chelsea Spata | Notre Dame Academy | Taylor Mill, Kentucky

Chelsea is a junior at Notre Dame Academy in Northern Kentucky. She has been involved in Student Council, French Club, National Honor Society and the Academic Team. Chelsea, along with six other girls, launched an Anti-Slave Trafficking Committee which works with local human rights coalitions in order to spread awareness of domestic human trafficking to high schools in her area. The project involves organized presentations, speeches, fundraisers, and first-hand accounts from victims of such crimes. Her writing has been recognized in both the Scholastic and Overture competitions. This summer she will attend Columbia University's summer program as a member of the creative writing class. As for a career, she has narrowed her choices down to journalism, law, and backup vocals for Barry Manilow. Chelsea is looking forward to a very eye-opening and travel-packed summer.

Louisiana

Brandi Pembrook | Haynes Academy for Advanced Studies | New Orleans, Louisiana

Brandi Pembrook is a junior at Haynes Academy for Advanced Studies. She participates in the Key Club, National Honor Society, National English Honor Society, Spanish Club, and Student Council. Brandi is also the captain of the cheer leading squad. She is a volunteer at Ochnser Hospital. Brandi plans to attend college pursue a career as a pediatric nurse.

Maine

Mary Kircher | Biddeford High School | Biddeford, Maine

Mary is a senior at Biddeford High School in Biddeford, Maine. She enjoys being involved in her school and community as a member of the National Honor Society, Interact Club, and church youth group. As class president, she is looking forward to senior activities at the end of the year. Inspired by her year abroad in Ecuador, she intends to pursue studies in sustainable development and international relations. A lover of travel, books, and exotic foods, she plans to attend Columbia University in the fall.

Maryland

Rebecca Neubauer | Hereford High School | Parkton, Maryland

Rebecca is a senior honors student at Hereford High School in her hometown of Parkton, Maryland. She is a member of three national honor societies and Students Against Destructive Decisions. She has played in the school orchestra and been on a championship varsity cheerleading squad. Her academic interests include history, political science, biology as well as the study of French and Chinese language. She is excited to be starting college in the fall at Bucknell University where she plans to major in Neuroscience.

Massachusetts

Margo Balboni | Rockport High School | Rockport, Massachusetts

Margo Balboni hails from a lovely seaside village which boasts a sizeable population of wild turkeys but not a single traffic light. She is a devoted student of international affairs and languages, and hopes to volunteer with the Peace Corps after graduating from college. Margo is a proud co-founder and co -president of her school’s Environmental Club, as well as editor of the school newspaper. She works to raise awareness about the genocide in Darfur and has organized three different fundraisers to benefit its victims. She recently won first place in the JFK Profiles in Courage Essay Contest. For fun, she loves to act, explore new places and dive off rocks at the quarry with her friends. She would like to thank the two kindhearted postal workers who let her in the back door of the post office after it had closed on February 1st so her NPEC entry would be postmarked by the contest deadline!

Michigan

Matthew Vengalil | Grosse Pointe North High School | Grosse Pointe Shores, Michigan

Matthew is a junior at Grosse Pointe North High School. In his spare time he enjoys reading, hanging out with friends, and perusing maps. Two years ago, Matthew was the captain of the US team at the National Geographic World Championship.  His team won 2nd in the competition. In addition to social studies and researching such topics as the preservation of human rights, he also enjoys biology and chemistry. Matthew is the co-captain of his school’s Science Olympiad team.  Although he isn’t exactly sure of what he wants to do in college, he knows that with his passion for both social studies and science, he has a lot to choose from.

Minnesota

Hannah Nemer | Henry Sibley High School | Mendota Heights, Minnesota

Hannah Nemer is a junior at Henry Sibley High School. As a debater and speaker for her high school’s teams, Hannah avidly follows current events. Passionate about encouraging youth activism, Hannah is a third-year member of Youth Service America’s National Youth Council, empowering youth through service, and a core member of TVbyGIRLS, promoting social change through media. Hannah's film work has been screened nationally and she has created pro bono videos for nonprofits. She has organized city-wide service events, including a post-Katrina benefit performance for New Orleans that engaged fifty youth volunteers. She received the 2006 MN Prudential Spirit of Community Award for her efforts promoting youth voice. Although unsure of the path she wishes to take, Hannah would like to pursue public policy.

Mississippi

Timothy "Sean" Ray | Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science | Columbus, Mississippi

Sean is a senior at the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science (MSMS), a residential high school in Columbus, Mississippi. He is originally from Southaven, Mississippi, where he attended DeSoto Central High School. During his time at MSMS, Sean is actively involved with the Quizbowl team, serving as co-captain. He also serves as an MSMS Emissary and is an avid Model United Nations participant and has represented Slovakia and the United States at various conferences. His major interests include history, geography, foreign cultures, and rock and roll.  Sean plans to attend the Croft Institute for International Studies at the University of Mississippi, where he hopes to become proficient in Russian and prepare for a career as a Foreign Service Officer.

Missouri

Sophia Sanchez | Ladue Horton Watkins High School | St. Louis, Missouri

Sophia Sanchez is a graduate of Ladue Horton Watkins High School in St. Louis, Missouri. She has served as president of Young Moderates, a club dedicated to political discussion, and as a captain of her school’s speech and debate team. Sophia is also the treasurer for her school’s chapter of the National Honor Society and as a member of Mu Alpha Theta. Additionally, Sophia is passionate about music, playing both piano and flute outside of school. In her free time, she likes to play soccer in the park and go salsa dancing with her friends. She plans to attend Yale University in the fall to study Psychology and Neurobiology.

Nebraska

Benjamin Kotopka | Saint Pius X High School | Lincoln, Nebraska

Benjamin is a senior at Saint Pius X High School in Lincoln, Nebraska. The highlights of his high school career include running on his school’s state winning cross country teams both junior and senior year, playing various roles in school musicals, serving as copy editor and ad manager for the school paper, and leading the school’s quiz bowl team. Ben helped start an All-City Catholic Schools Mathcounts Program for the city of Lincoln and was active in coaching and helping run the program the past two years. Ben is interested in world politics and has volunteered on the local level for candidates he supports. The summer after his junior year, Ben spent six weeks at the University of Nebraska conducting research on aphid populations. He will pursue his interest in biomedical engineering at Princeton, MIT, or CalTech in the fall.

Nevada

Constance Dutra | Reed High School | Sparks, Nevada

Constance Dutra is a senior at Reed High School in Sparks, Nevada. She plans to attend the University of Nevada, Reno in the fall of 2009. Connie is a gold member of the Renaissance Club, an organization that rewards students for their scholastic achievements.  She has been a member of the National Honors Society and served on the Student Council as a representative. She is active in her community and volunteers at an assisted living center and the local animal shelter. Connie enjoys reading cooking and socializing. She is an avid outdoors enthusiast and loves spending time at Lake Tahoe. She will graduate in June with an honors diploma.

New Jersey

Lisa Wang | East Brunswick High School | East Brunswick, New Jersey

Lisa Wang is a junior at East Brunswick High School, where she participates in Model United Nations, Model Congress, Science Olympiad, Biology League, National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta, Amnesty International, and American Civil Liberties Union. It was in a Model UN conference’s Security Council Committee where she first participated in debate about the Responsibility to Protect, giving her the foundation for her essay on the situations in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda. Lisa attends the Columbia University Science Honors Program and interns for her local Congressman, Representative Rush Holt (D-12). In her spare time, she takes ballet and plays piano. This summer, she is looking forward to attending the New Jersey’s Governor School for International Studies at Ramapo College. She is interested in studying International Relations/Legal Studies and following a pre-law program.

New Mexico

Arik Burakovsky | Los Alamos High School | Los Alamos, New Mexico

Arik Burakovsky is a senior at Los Alamos High School in Los Alamos, New Mexico. He is an active member of the speech and debate team at his school. He has been on the team for four years, and he has been the team's president for two. He is a state champion in policy debate, and is a two-time qualifier to the NFL national tournament. Arik is also an active member of the National Honor Society, Pegasus literary and art magazine, the water polo team, and the school newspaper. He is planning a career centered around making the world a better place to live in, because he finds that altruism has many intrinsic benefits. In college, Arik plans to major in political science.

New York

Archit Verma | Horace Greeley High School | Mount Kisco, New York

Archit Verma is a freshman at Horace Greely High School in Chappaqua, New York. He is treasurer of his student government. He is the recipient of the 2008 Advocacy for Gifted and Talented Education in New York State Student Academic Excellence Award. He has authored five books to  teach Hindi to nonresident Indian children. Archit is a member of his school Science Olympiad, Geo-engineering and Academic Challenge clubs. He plays basketball and is on the junior varsity soccer team. He enjoys playing the piano, violin and guitar. His academic interests include science, math, economics and international affairs. He teaches neighborhood elementary school children and during summer break runs a free Lego Robotics workshop at the Boys and Girls club. Archit intends to pursue a career in an intersection of economics and technology.

North Carolina

William Killinger | Ravenscroft School | Raleigh, North Carolina

William, who goes by the nickname Trip, lives in Raleigh, North Carolina and is a junior at Ravenscroft School. Academically, Trip is particularly engaged by Social and International studies. He participates in his school's World Affairs Council World Quest team and volunteers for Habitat for Humanity. He also organized a fundraiser for Cystic Fibrosis research and serves on the local Cystic Fibrosis Foundation student youth board. Trip has worked as a page for the North Carolina governor, as a youth lacrosse camp coach, and as a lifeguard. He plays goalie on his high school and club lacrosse teams, skis competitively, and enjoys scuba diving. Trip plans to pursue a career in the United States Army and hopes to attend the United States Military Academy after high school.

North Dakota

Jiyeon "Joan" Baek | South High School | Fargo, North Dakota

Jiyeon "Joan" Baek lives in Fargo, North Dakota and will be a sophomore at South High School in the fall of 2009. She has traveled to over 40 states in the US and to three other countries. She plays the clarinet and is a member of the Pep Band, which performs at sporting events. Joan helped fight the Red River flood of 2009 with the people of Fargo by filling sandbags. In the Destination ImagiNation 2005 ND State Tournament, Joan’s radio program won first place and was invited to the National Competition in Tennessee. Joan was a finalist in the 2006 Regional Spelling Bee. She won first place (Literary Merit) in the NASA Space Settlement Design Contest 2008 and has won Honors in the National Letters about Literature Contest in 2005 and 2008. She has been the editor of her school paper and plans to pursue a medical degree in college.

Ohio

Vipul Shekhawat | Dublin Jerome High School | Dublin, Ohio

Vipul Shekhawat is a junior at Dublin Jerome High School in Dublin, Ohio. During his freshman and sophomore years, he attended Lakeside High School in Augusta, Georgia, where he was a member of the Debate, Science Olympiad, and Science Bowl Teams, and a violinist with the Suzuki Strings of Augusta. This year, Vipul has continued his Debate Team and Orchestra involvement while beginning his participation in other extracurricular activities such as Mock Trial, Model United Nations, National Honor Society, and Quiz Team. Next year, he plans to be co-President of the Debate Team, Vice President of Model United Nations, and a founder and President of Science Olympiad. Vipul has volunteered at soup kitchens and libraries, nationally with the Arthritis Foundation, and internationally, serving on medical expeditions to remote villages in the Himalayas. Although he is undecided about his future plans, Vipul’s interests range from English to sociology to medicine.

Oklahoma

Michelle Stamper | Jenks High School | Tulsa, Oklahoma

Michelle Stamper, who goes by Shelly, lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma where she is a sophomore at Jenks High School. Shelly is fascinated by the arts and has played piano for five years, and has played cello in her school's orchestra for three years. She will listen to almost any genre and loves discovering new music. Shelly is also a member of the Thespian Club and has been involved in several school plays. She plans to major in Music Education and eventually become a piano teacher.

Oregon

Maren Killackey | St. Mary's School | Medfor, Oregon

After living in New Mexico, New Zealand, Northern and Southern California, Maren has settled in Southern Oregon and is a sophomore at St. Mary's. She is a member of the National Honor Society, her school's Interact Club, Community Service Committee, and Arabic Club. She has competed on her school's JV Soccer, Fresh/Soph Brain Bowl, and Model United Nations teams. She is an avid fencer and enjoys volunteering in her community. Last year Maren won Youth Volunteer of 2008 for the Lifespan Respite Network of Jackson County, and the regional Violet Richardson award this year for her work with Lifespan Respite. Last summer Maren won a full scholarship to attend the Oxbridge Academic Program at Cambridge University where she studied social psychology and medical sciences. That experience has inspired Maren to pursue a career in either the medical field or international relations.

Overseas Schools

Isabel Yoon | Daewon Foreign Language School | Seoul, Gyongi

Isabel is a senior at Daewon Foreign Language High School in Seoul, Korea. She is head of the school’s Department of Editing and Publications, former member of the Student Self-Governing Committee, and a guitar player in a rock band. Currently on the girls’ volleyball team, Isabel plays other sports like ice hockey and taekwondo. She has also worked as a cameraman for her school’s broadcasting station. Isabel is a volunteer for Human Rights campaigns for Amnesty International. She also builds houses as a Habitat for Humanity volunteer. Isabel traveled to Tibet in 2007 to experience a new culture and do volunteer work in Tibetan schools. Although she loves to explore diverse fields, one of her primary interests is art. She participated in “2008 Project Standing By” where students collaborated with international artists and held an exhibition. After high school she hopes to pursue studies in Art History and Medicine.

Pennsylvania

Matthew Roseti | Roseti Home School | Henryville, Pennsylvania

Matthew is a homeschooled senior, and lives in Henryville, Pennsylvania. He enjoys writing music, singing, and playing the piano. He has also participated in several local and high school musicals. Creative writing is his favorite hobby, especially writing novels and short stories. Three trips to New Orleans to help with Hurricane Katrina relief have been a highlight of Matthew's high school experience. He is a believer in Jesus Christ and hopes to spend his life serving others through Him. Matthew will be attending Moody Bible Institute to study print media communications and Bible. He plans to become a screenwriter.

Rhode Island

Dylan Neel | Moses Brown School | Providence, Rhode Island

Dylan Neel lives in Providence, Rhode Island, and is a sophomore at the Moses Brown School.  At school, Dylan plays the cello in the string orchestra, is the news editor of the student newspaper The Quaker, participates in Model UN, and is on the disciplinary committee.  He is passionate about tennis, plays tournaments year round, and hopes to play in college.  Dylan is bi-cultural; his dad is American, and his mom is from Sri Lanka.  He has traveled extensively, and spent last summer working for the Red Cross in Australia.  He is very interested in international issues of public health and hopes to pursue a career in medicine and public health.  Dylan is a twin.

South Carolina

Alexia Arani | South Aiken High School | Aiken, South Carolina

Alexia is a senior at South Aiken High School in South Carolina and will enroll at North Carolina's Guilford College to pursue a major in International Relations with a regional concentration in Africa. She was part of a group of students who formed South Aiken's first "Schools for Schools Club" to raise funds for the construction of new schools in war-torn Uganda. In addition, she participates in national Invisible Children events. Alexia formed a South Aiken chapter of STAND (Students Taking Action Now: Darfur). She appeared on WIS News to explain the "Vote for Darfur Campaign" and to educate South Carolinians on helping Darfur. Alexia's  interests include music, journalism, and foreign languages. She played the flute for the marching band for three years; participated in her school's yearbook for three years; and was Yearbook Copy Editor for two.

South Dakota

Jonathan Talbott | Roosevelt High School | Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Jonathan is a Senior at Roosevelt High School in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. After he graduates in May, he will attend South Dakota State University. Jonathan plans to major in Biology and Chemistry. He is a member of the Spanish club at his school and is also a very involved member of the debate team. Other than those two groups, there is nothing in his life but school. Jonathan is very excited to be traveling to DC and plans to make the best of his time there.

Tennessee

Ioana Florea | Girls Preparatory School | Chattanooga, Tennessee

Ioana Florea is a junior at Girls Preparatory School in Chattanooga, Tennessee. She was born in Bucharest, Romania. Her primary interests are international relations and science. She is an avid participant in Model United Nations, Amnesty International, and the GPS Global Ambassador program. Ioana participated in the Science Olympiad and attended the Summer Science Program in 2008. Additionally, she is the Clubs Editor on the school yearbook, the World News Editor on the school newspaper, a member of the National Honor Society and Beta Club, and an extremely passionate piano player. In college, Ioana hopes to double major in Physics and another science discipline. She aspires to go on to graduate school and earn an MD, PhD.

Texas

Christopher White | The John Cooper School | The Woodlands, Texas

Christopher White has lived in The Woodlands, just north of Houston, for all of his 18 years. He has played the trumpet for ten years in school, community, All-Region, and All-State bands. As a senior, he was captain of the Quizbowl and Worldquest teams, and treasurer of JSA and the robotics club. Additionally, he fences epee and rings handbells in a church choir. He primarily applies his spare time to science fiction, history (particularly of the Middle East), recreational physics, and programming. Christopher will be majoring in Physics and History at Rice University next year.

U.S. Territories

Ana Rodriguez | Academia del Perpetuo Socorro | San Juan, Puerto Rico

Ana was born in Connecticut and raised in Puerto Rico. She has been involved in her school Student Government for the past four years, currently the Coordinator of Activities. She is a reporter for her school's journal. In her community, Ana has shared time with orphan girls and spent time aiding the homeless. As class president, Ana organized an activity to collect school supplies for children in Guatemala. She has participated in science research, winning first and second awards at regional level. Ana plans to attend college and major in Art History and French Language. She would like to spend a year abroad in order to learn about other cultures and ideas. Afterwards, Ana would like to study International Law and work for UNESCO, specifically to defend art patrimonies that are being destroyed every day in many parts of the world.

Utah

Sidney Bell | Davis High School | Kaysville, Utah

Sidney enjoys participating in and leading various service opportunities in her community. She will serve as the president of the PTSA Student Board next year. Sidney has a love of learning, and especially enjoys studying psychology, biology, and literature. Outside of school, she loves hiking, yoga, public speaking, playing and teaching the violin, and spending time with friends and family. In the future, Sidney's dream is to find a career where she can help children overcome challenges.

Vermont

Heron Russell | Mount Mansfield High School | Richmond, Vermont

Heron Russell is a Junior at Mount Mansfield High School. After attending the Iraqi Young Leaders’ Program, a peacebuilding program sponsored by the US State Department, Heron was inspired to take action in support of a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Iraq.  She organized the Vermont Student Summit on Building Peace is Iraq to kick off the campaign and has since founded the Student Peacebuilding Coalition (SPC), a statewide organization.  Heron is chairman of SPC in Vermont and is president of the Mount Mansfield High School chapter.  She also runs the school’s Peace Club and is a member of the National Honor Society, the Outing Club, and the Varsity Cross Country Team.  Heron hopes to double-major in International Studies and Peace and Justice Studies with the goal of working overseas building peace.

Virginia

Anna Boynton | Home School | Lynchburg, Virginia

Anna lives in Lynchburg, Virginia where she makes life interesting by finding beauty in ordinary things. She enjoys writing, theater, photography and dance.  She has written a novel, a screenplay, several short stories and plays, and countless poems, several of which have won awards or been published. Her theatrical life revolves around Shakespeare; she has performed leading rolls in Henry V, Romeo and Juliet, Twelfth Night, Hamlet, The Tempest and Much Ado About Nothing. She enjoys directing, and most recently directed a production of Moliere’s Tartuffe. Anna also volunteers for an arts education program. She is passionate about politics, worked on the Obama campaign, and organized a protest supporting gay rights. She plans to spend a year between high school and college touring China and volunteering in Chinese orphanages. Anna plans on majoring in Psychology.

Washington

Eldo Kim | Kamiak High School | Mukilteo, Washington

As a sophomore, Eldo attends Kamiak High School in Mukilteo, Washington. Aside from being on the Varsity tennis and swim team, he is a member of his LD debate team at school. Eldo is also a member of National Honor Society and tutors students in mathematics. He is enrolled in the Seattle Conservatory of Music and plays the viola. Eldo is a voluntary research assistant for Professor Young Min of Korea University, and has assisted in the development of a model for public acceptance of the management of radioactive waste. During the summer of 2008, he traveled with fellow high school students to Peru and rebuilt rural communities. He enjoys writing and competing in sports. Eldo plans to major in Political Science and is excited for what the future holds in the coming years.

West Virginia

Kathleen Kovalick | Linsly School | Wheeling, West Virginia

Kathleen is a junior at the Linsly School in Wheeling, West Virginia. She plays volleyball and maintains a 3.8 grade point average. Kathleen enjoys volunteering at the local children's museum and being involved in the Social Awareness Group. She had the pleasure of traveling to England and France with the People to People Student Ambassador Program, because of her merit. Kathleen plans to attend college, although she is still undecided on a major.

Wisconsin

Emily Schapira | Nicolet High School | Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Emily Schapira is a senior in high school at Nicolet High School in Wisconsin. Emily is actively involved in Amnesty International and has been a part of the Other America Tour, which brings together a diverse group of students from the city of Milwaukee to discuss issues of race, gender, and education. In her spare time, Emily enjoys reading. Some of her favorite books include The Nine by Jeffrey Toobin, The End of Poverty by Jeffrey Sachs and The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald.  Emily will attend the University of Pennsylvania in the fall of 2009 and plans to pursue a combined major in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics. 

Wyoming

Samantha Compton | Worland High School | Worland, Wyoming

Samantha lives in Worland, Wyoming, a small town of approximately 5,000 people. She plans to attend Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas, and major in Architecture. Samantha is very involved in her youth group at Worland's First Baptist Church, and sings in the praise band. She is involved in her high school's jazz choir, and had the recent privilege of joining the All-State Jazz Choir. This year, Samantha went to Hawaii with the All-State marching Band. She is the president of FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes), and is active in the National Honor Society. She is happy to now be given the opportunity to attend this prestigious awards program!