20 Under 20: Students Making A Difference
Directions: Read EACH research project. Choose the project that is of
most interest to you. Then:
 Write a paragraph explaining why the project interested you
 List secondary research the student in the project may have
accessed before beginning the project
 Develop a complete survey (introduction, 3 closed and 3 open
ended questions) that the student may have used as primary
research in his/her research
Submitted by collin on Friday, 1 January 2010One Comment
This issue features our second annual 20 Under 20
project recognizing students who have passion and take initiative to help others in the community. Billy
Wren and Chris Calvert suggested that we focus on students and, with Oglethorpe University’s Peter
Rooney, we developed this feature to honor kids and teens who give back. It’s an uplifting way to start the
new year.
This year’s honorees have stories that are remarkable, heart-warming and inspirational. And, they are just
beginning their life’s work. One of our ‘09 20 Under 20 alumna, Emory University’s Kieu-Thu Bui wrote
to me, “since Atlanta INtown’s feature, I have more confidence to pursue bigger goals and dream bigger
dreams. You have helped me realize my potential to be someone unafraid to step out into the world and
make a difference.” Another student, Paideia School graduate Jeffrey Johnson, is now studying at
University of Pennsylvania on full scholarship. Jeffrey and another 20 Under 20 alumna, Hope Lennox,
nominated students this year – passing along the tradition of recognizing others.
We’d like to thank Drew Charter School for their assistance in this project and for hosting our reception on
Jan. 13. In our February edition we’ll have photos from this event. Please email me if you would like
information on how to submit a nomination for 2011 or to become a sponsor. Thank you to the businesses
and schools whose advertising support makes this section possible. – Wendy Binns,
wendy@atlantaintownpaper.com
Melissa McCoy, 19
Georgia Institute of Technology
Nominated by Randy McDown
Melissa is the vice president of campus relations for AIESEC (aiesec.org), an international professional
student organization that helps develop leaders, at Georgia Tech. She leads a large team of members and is
responsible for recruitment, campus events, philanthropy and faculty relations. Melissa also organized a
campus-wide refugee tutoring effort through the IRC in Atlanta and organized a campus-wide Work
Abroad Fair to showcase opportunities available to students. She’s also the founder and head coordinator of
the Georgia Tech President’s Scholars Mentoring Program, vice president of the Lambda Sigma Honor
Society, volunteers with Adopt A Grandparent and has co-founded Atlanta Social Venture Camp, which
will have its first meeting this year for students to discuss entrepreneurship, specifically social
entrepreneurship ventures. Melissa said: “I feel a great sense of purposefulness and fulfillment when I give
back to the community as I feel like I am doing God’s will and fulfilling the purpose he has for me. I can
only try my best to love him and his children and leave the rest in his hands.”
Eric Estroff, 15
Pace Academy
Nominated by Jonathan Day
Eric’s list of affiliations shows just how committed he is to giving back to the community, and he has a
particular interest in the environment. He is a service leader for Open Hand (projectopenhand.org), which
delivers meals to the homebound. He was selected to participate in the inaugural Student Climate and
Conservation Congress last summer where he met with 100 other student environmental leaders from
around the country to learn about climate change. After the event, he became the National Student
Coordinator for The Green Schools Alliance (greenschoolsalliance.org), a nonprofit organization that raises
environmental awareness, and empower students, as well as faculty and staff. He is planning a green
resource fair and conference to kick off the 2010 Green Cup Challenge, which sees schools from across the
country working to reduce carbon emissions. “I am very proud that I have been able to be an inspiration for
other students to get involved including an inspiration to my family to go green as well as have an impact
on my school and my community,” Eric said. He is the son of Suzanne Blonder and Armand Estroff.
Miranda Lynch, 15
Ben Franklin Academy
Nominated by Manette Messenger
Miranda has worked with the Atlanta Community Food Bank, The Kidney Foundation and helped raise
money to help rebuild homes in Mississippi destroyed during Hurricane Katrina. Last summer, Miranda
and her father, Tom, went to South Africa on vacation, but were so moved by what they saw there and
stayed an extra week working in the remote village of Nzinga. When she got home, Miranda created the
nonprofit Isipho (isipho.org), which means gift, to continue helping the people of Nzinga. The organization
provides tools and information to the people so they can create self-sustaining ways to grow food and
provide basic education to their children. “When you meet the people in Nzinga, you can see your own life
reflected in theirs, and they feel like family,” Miranda said. “When I see them out there gardening, and see
the children working with new blocks, and reading new books, it lets me know that we helped them, and
that so many lives will be so much better.”
Matalia Hill, 17
Christa McAuliffe Academy
Nominated by Vanessa Hawkins
Matalia has worked with The First Tee of Atlanta (thefirstteeatlanta.org) program for five years and is now
a junior administrative assistant managing the Saturday morning sign-in desk as well as working with
coaches and directors during summer programs. She also volunteers as an instructor for the Fernbank
Science Center’s Science Night Out, guiding 60 elementary school students through hands-on activities and
experiments. The daughter of Lillian and Milton Hill, Matalia also volunteers with Dream Makers Youth
Foundation, which provides educational and recreational services to special-needs children and teens. “To
volunteer is something that helped me grow as a young adult,” she said. “I have learned how to give back
to my community in sports and in academics and I plan to continue on as a active volunteer.”
Caroline Ptacek, 16
Woodward Academy
Nominated by Kim Dennis
Caroline, pictured top center, works with Create Your Dreams (createyourdreams.org), an organization
focused on enriching the lives and fulfilling the dreams of underprivileged children in Atlanta. She – along
with her sister and best friend – tutor students every week, work with the art club and Caroline had her
friends donate supplies to the organization rather than buy her presents for her 16th birthday. Caroline said:
“The kids at CYD are exceptional and always show their appreciation. I feel that they give more to me with
their friendship and thankfulness than what I give to them. My work and everyone’s work at CYD will
hopefully inspire others to give back to the community that has given them so much.” She is the daughter
of Kurt and Edie Ptacek.
Nandi Marumo, 18
Paideia School
Nominated by Jeffrey Johnson
Concerned about other Paideia students unwillingness to be open about race relations during the school’s
annual Race Day, Nandi initiated a discussion group that evolved into the group RAD (Race! Action!
Discussion!). The group now meets weekly, has trained a core of 38 student facilitators and plans Race Day
events. For her efforts, Nandi won the Headmaster’s Award at Paideia and the Princeton Prize in Race
Relations, where she spent a weekend with students from all over the country at Princeton’s annual Race
Symposium. “My experience at my school led me to start the conversation of race, and it has changed my
entire relationship to Paideia and to my peers,” Nandi said. “I have built strong relationships with my
friends because we can talk about race. I am proud that I was able to turn my frustration and anger into a
group that continues to question, broaden and expand each other’s ideas of the world and of ourselves.
RAD will exist at Paideia long after I graduate, and I am proud to know that my action has and will have a
positive impact on Paideia students in the future.”
Chloe Johnson, 18
The Lovett School
Nominated by Anna Glaser
Chloe is involved with CARE International (care.org), a nonprofit organization fighting global poverty, and
traveled to Ecuador with a dozen other students from The Lovett School and Paideia. While there, Chloe
focused on youth, domestic violence and micro-lending programs to help lift the country out of poverty. “I
went on this trip under the assumption that I would be able to help people who are trying to help
themselves, but I what I got in return was no comparison,” she said. “I got to influence a culture and
represent my country in a positive way. It was a truly humbling experience.” The daughter of Carolyn Fluitt
and Tyrone Johnson, Chloe has also been involved in the Lovett organization Confronting Atlanta’s
Poverty, which delivers lunches to the homeless on the weekends, and also babysat at the Women’s
Homeless Shelter.
Stephanie Perello, 19
Oglethorpe University
Nominated by Heather Stanizewski
As a member of the Alpha Phi Omega Service Fraternity on campus, Stephanie has worked with FurKids,
Hands On Atlanta and MedChair to name just a few. She also volunteers with The Center for Civic
Engagement, which can range from helping kids at Lynwood Park with their homework to working with
Habitat for Humanity (atlantahabitat.org). She logged 32 volunteer service hours with Habitat and also
spent part of last year’s winter break helping to build homes in New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane
Katrina. The daughter of Mayra Jones, Stephanie plans to become a doctor in the future, and has
volunteered at Doctors Hospital and local nursing homes. “It means a lot to me to give back to the
community,” she said. “The gratification that you get when you have completed building a house for a
family who lost everything or seeing a child’s smile when you walk through the door. Knowing that I am
the one that was able to put that smile and happiness in their lives brings me the greatest joy.”
Emily Huff, 11
Sutton Middle School
Nominated by Wendy Binns
In 2008, Emily started a jewelry company called Pop Rocks Jewels (poprocksjewels.org) with inspiration
from her role model, Haley Kilpatrick, founder of Girl Talk, a program in middle schools to empower
young girls. Proceeds from the sale of the jewelry goes to the Ronald McDonald House, Bert’s Big
Adventure, Atlanta Humane Society and Girl Talk. In the last two years, Pop Rocks Jewels has donated
nearly $3,000. “Through Pop Rocks Jewels, I have gotten to meet some amazing kids that inspire me with
how they handle some seriously tough illnesses and hard times,” Emily said. “It’s also super cool when
adults tell me that I inspire them to get more involved and help the community. That makes me really
proud.”
Daniel Feuer, 17
The Weber School
Nominated by Rebecca McCullough
Daniel created Smoothie Kidz, a nonprofit that gives complementary smoothies and baked goods to cancer
patients in the process of receiving chemotherapy, as well as providing support and comfort to the families.
The organization, which has raised more than $2,000, is sponsored and supported by Planet Smoothie and
has nearly 70 volunteers. Smoothie Kidz began by visiting the chemo suites at Northside Hospital, but now
visits other metro hospitals and hopes to add more. “I am proud of the incredible relationships that have
been established with the cancer patients,” Robert said. “It is the greatest feeling in the world to know that
you have made their day. While they constantly deal with pain and nausea, I know that my smoothies will
not only soothe their physical pain but fill a gap for those who have no family with them and going through
this horrible experience on their own.” Robert is the son of Dr. Gerald and Judy Feuer.
Randon Holt, 17
Benjamin E. Mays High School
Nominated by Vanessa Hawkins
Randon has been volunteering with The First Tee of Atlanta (thefirstteeatlanta.org) since 2007, where he
mentors children and assists with clinics during summer camp events. He’s also been one of Zoo Atlanta’s
Volunteens since 2006, where he interprets animal exhibits for visitors. Randon, the son of Stacie Stepney,
has also volunteered at the Piedmont Heart Institute, Spread the Word Church Ministries and America’s
Youth Alliance Impact Academy, where he is working to create a financial literacy component that
involves golf for the The First Tee program. “It’s important to me to help other people and organizations
who have helped me to get to where I am today,” Randon said. “It warms my heart to know that I made an
impact in a junior golfer’s life just by showing him/her how to properly hold a golf club and how to
persevere when they may be having an off-day.”
Carol Ross, 19
Emory University
Nominated by Harold McNaron
This Tennessee native, pictured far right with other volunteers, began her volunteer work while still in high
school in Memphis, working with peers in the Youth Villages group home. She worked to help empower
the teens there, and brought that experience to college, where she became a member of Volunteer Emory
(volunteer.emory.edu). Carol is now working with fellow student Caitlin Keese at the United Methodist
Children’s Home, organizing activities ranging from jewelry-making to poetry workshops. The daughter of
Alice Ross and the late Charles Ross, Carol has also participated in Hands On Atlanta Day, volunteered at
local homeless shelters and plans to spend her spring break with the Appalachian Service Project. “My
favorite part about giving back is changing the community through the growth of the volunteers I work
with,” Carol said. “To me, service work is equally about the volunteers and the people served. Everyone
learns and grows and changes and benefits, and they all have the potential to take that experience and turn
it into something bigger in their lives.”
Sara Cohen, 18
Woodward Academy
Nominated by Marci Mitchell
Sara works with community service organizations including the Boys & Girls Club, working on the Jesse
Draper Walk-A-Thon, which recently raised $14,000, and helped organize a field day for 6-to-9 year olds
on campus. Sara also serves as co-advertising chair on Woodward’s chapter of Habitat for Humanity and
has assisted in many build days. As a leader on the task force for Junior Civitan, she organizes the annual
canned food drive for the Atlanta Community Food Bank (acfb.org). The daughter of Jeffrey and Diane
Cohen, Sara likes the hands-on involvement of her service work. “It is so easy to write a check these days,”
she said. “To me community service has meant putting in that extra effort to be part of something so much
greater than yourself, which is a humbling yet important experience in so many ways.”
Ariella Axler, 17
The Weber School
Nominated by Rebecca McCullough
Ariella – or Ari, as friends call her – created Take A Swing (takeaswingtennis.org), a nonprofit that
provides tennis instruction to under-privileged Atlanta children. Take A Swing has partnered with several
organizations, including Wilderness Works and the Atlanta Union Mission. The organization was also
recognized by Nike’s Youth Venture program as an example of great sports programs created by youths. “I
was motivated to create Take a Swing, Inc., because I wanted to use my skills as an avid tennis player to
benefit the community,” Ari said. Over the course of two years, Take a Swing has expanded to involve
more than 50 high school volunteers and served more than 300 children. Ari said that her organization
strives to be a “gamechanger” for potential at-risk children. “The definition of Gamechanging is not simply
to score points or to hit an ace; it means teaching others to take initiative, inspiring confidence, sparking
action and spreading hope. I strive to live my life as a Gamechanger.”
Tyler Alexis Sturdivant, 10
Charles R. Drew Charter School
Nominated by Laura McCrodden
Tyler has become the face of Drew Charter’s After School Program (drewcharterschool.org). Mature
beyond her years, Tyler is regularly called upon to give adult visitors tours of Drew’s ASP and has received
rave reviews. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, she helps other fifth graders with their homework. “I enjoy
tutoring and that’s why I want to be a teacher when I grow up,” Tyler said. “I like the way others’ faces
light up when they get the concept. When I am able to help someone understand it gives me a sense of
pride. I can give a lot, but knowledge is priceless to me and to pass it on is free.“ Tyler is the daughter of
Tavarres and Tasha Sturdivant.
Sofia Broffman, 12, Sutton Middle School
Audrey Broffman, 11, E. Rivers Elementary School
Nominated by Hope Lenox & Beth Pann
Despite their ages, these sisters have proven they have a gift for giving back. Three years ago, the duo set
up a lemonade stand every Saturday at the Peachtree Road Farmers Market. Their outgoingness has
attracted plenty of customers, and every dime they’ve raised – more than $2,000 – has been donated to The
Bridge (thebridge-atlanta.org), a residential facility for abused teens. The daughters of Elisa Gambino and
Neal Broffman, the sisters are proud of their efforts. “It makes me happy and proud that we raised a lot of
money to help teenagers who were abused learn to cook good food and take pride in their
accomplishments,” Audrey said. Sofia echoed those sentiments: “When we give to The Bridge we might be
helping someone have a better chance in life and this means everything to me.”
Robert Sewell, 18
The Lovett School
Nominated by Anna Glaser
Robert has been active with the Darius Goes West Foundation (dariusgoeswest.org), which raises
awareness and funds to find a cure for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, the number one genetic killer of
children. For his Eagle Scout project, Robert held a showing of the documentary Darius Goes West at The
Lovett School, and helped raise $12,000 by selling copies of the video, t-shirts, bumper stickers and other
merchandise. Robert also organized a carnival for the foundation in Athens, arranging the entertainment
and appearances by UGA football players. Robert said: “I am very fortunate to be healthy. My friend,
Darius Weems, isn’t as fortunate. He already lost his older brother to Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and is
fighting a valiant battle himself. Darius is a role model to me. He decided to make a difference while he
still can. As a result, he has touched so many lives, including my own.” Robert is the son of Kim and James
Sewell.
Alfred Rudzki, 19
Oglethorpe University
Nominated by Heather Staniszewski
As the Philanthropy Head of the Rho Delta chapter of the Chi Phi Fraternity (chakettclub.org), Alfred
organized a team and raised money for the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life last year. He also
participated in a Boys & Girls Club of America day on Greek Row for Halloween, and last year he
volunteered at the Lynwood Park Recreation Center after school program, spending 13 weeks helping
children with homework and leading activities. “I’m most proud of working with the children at Lynwood,
more than anything else,” Alfred said. “I love working with children. You’re one of the important forces
early in their life, and you are adding to the bedrock that everything else is built on.” He is the son of Nita
and Anthony Rudzki.
Tavarez Tate, 16
Carver Early College
Nominated by Christopher Bennett
Tavarez began his volunteer work at church, working as a youth leader with Fern Avenue Holiness
Church’s outreach program to provide free food and clothes to the community throughout the year. He is
also the president of the Waller Scholars student board, a nonprofit for at-risk youth that emphasizes
creative writing and speech. As part of Waller Scholars (wallerscholars.org), Tavarez created the Project
G.A.P.S. (Give a Pair of Socks) program. He also has volunteered at a local nursing home and is an active
member of the CREW Teens, which provides academic support for teens in the East Lake community.
Tavarez, the son of Shamica Tate, said his desire to give back came from his grandmother, who always
says, “Give and it shall be given back to you.” Tavarez said, “I’ve come to realize that my greatest support
team in life is the community, and it’s important for me to acknowledge how much I care.”