Distinguished Finalist

Sareana Kimia, 16, of Bethesda, Md., a home-schooled junior, founded and is the president of "Youth for National Change," a national youth advocacy organization with 12 chapters that aims to provide a youth voice in government, and has advocated for all state boards of education to include at least one student member. Sareana, who overcame physical and emotional abuse as a child, and mistreatment and discrimination, works toward equality so others do not suffer the way she did.