Distinguished Finalist

Grace Billhartz
St. Louis,
Missouri
Grace Billhartz, 16, of St. Louis, Missouri, a junior at Villa Duchesne and Oak Hill School, started “World Shelter,” a service project through which she collects vinyl material previously used on billboard ads and donates it to be repurposed into shelter in areas affected by natural disasters. Grace, who has delivered nearly 4,800 yards of vinyl material, was first inspired to start this activity after learning that billboard materials are typically thrown away after use.