Active Living Leadership: Empowering High School Athletes to make a difference

The benefits of playing sports are numerous – an athlete can expect to experience health benefits and emotional well-being, gain leadership skills, learn time management, and develop self-confidence and self-esteem. The best part is those benefits are achieved by athletes doing something that they enjoy and have fun doing! Now imagine what can happen when an athlete takes all of those positive qualities and uses their passion for sport to affect positive change in the community. Surely we can all think of a few professional athletes that are using their influence to affect change – LeBron James’ foundation that provides resources to children in his hometown of Akron, Ohio; Serena Williams’ work to finance schools in Jamaica and Kenya, and Michael Phelps efforts to raise awareness about mental health.

But what about our local high school athletes? Are there opportunities for them to give back to the community, influence younger kids, and get a head start on a life of service that is fueled by their love of sport and an active lifestyle? Does a community-minded young athlete have to make it big to make a difference? Of course not!

That’s where the Active Living Leadership ALL Stars program comes in. It’s a program of Sports Backers that provides the education, opportunity, network, and support that empowers student-athletes to get involved in promoting active living. They take the initiative to make a difference in our community now but are also prepared to support active living in the communities they will inhabit as they transition into adulthood.

So who are these ALL Stars? They are high school student-athletes who were nominated by school leaders for the ALL Stars program. The current cohort of 20 high school seniors were selected because of their community involvement, athletic accolades, and academic achievements. This year’s group includes students from the cities of Hopewell and Richmond and the counties of Charles City, Chesterfield, Goochland, Hanover, Henrico, and Prince George. The students represent 15 schools from across our region.

Adrian Chenoweth – Maggie Walker High School

Aliyana Johnson – Hopewell High School

Ashaney Smith – Richmond High School

Charlotte Smith – St. Catherine’s School

Deon Wright Jr. – TJ/Richmond Community High

Ellie Agustin – Hanover High School

Erin Cotman – Maggie Walker High School

Gabriela Linkonis – Collegiate School

Kaleb Smith – Mechanicsville High School

Kenzie Strohhacker – Mechanicsville High School

Lila Donnelly – Monacan High School

Lydia Stumpf – Saint Gertrude High School

Mary Mansfield – Matoaca High School

Mercedes Luna – Maggie Walker High School

Molly Sleman – Freeman High School

Patrick Harlow – Goochland High School

Riley Humphries – Prince George High School

Robbie Seifert – Hanover High School

Sanaa Moore – Henrico High School

Tobias Suarez-Vasquez – Freeman High School

These young leaders have committed to our year-long program, where they attend a series of educational sessions, receive mentorship from our ALL Star team of mentors, participate in active living initiatives, volunteer with local organizations that provide sports and fitness opportunities, and ultimately work with a small group of their peers to complete a capstone project that addresses a need in our community. At the end of their journey, they earn a minimum $2500 scholarship to support their post-secondary goals.

The 20 students in this year’s cohort are following in the footsteps of the inaugural class of 19 ALL Stars, all of whom are equipped to play a role in promoting active living. They have the foundational knowledge, paired with experience in supporting local initiatives, that positions them to serve as active living leaders. The ALL Stars program is building a network of active living leaders that is diverse and representative of Central Virginia. The future is bright with these ALL Stars leading the way!