(Q) Who are you and where did you go to school?
Emilie: My name is Emilie Schramer, and I went to DeKalb High School, graduating class of 2019.

(Q) How many years were you in YEP?
Emilie: I was in YEP for four years.

(Q) Where are you now and what are you up to?
Emilie: I am a student at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign studying linguistics, speech and hearing sciences, and Spanish.

(Q) What’s a recent accomplishment you are proud of?
Emilie: I am proud of obtaining an internship this summer as a classroom aide for a speech therapy clinic. This internship is a great match for my area of concentration in school and I’m excited for the experience it brings.

(Q) How did YEP shape what you are doing now?
Emilie: YEP has led me to be comfortable and eager to be involved in volunteering and community involvement on my college campus (for example, I volunteer for an organization called Books to Prisoners).

(Q) What were some of your greatest takeaways from YEP?
Emilie: Some of my greatest takeaways are that philanthropy is accessible to any community member, including youth. Also, that leadership can start at the grassroots level, as I learned in the proactive grant committee (YEP 2.Pro).

(Q) How are you currently (or plan to in the near future) giving of your time, talent, and treasure?
Emilie: I am currently volunteering at Books to Prisoners, a nonprofit that accepts book donations and responds to prisoner letters for book requests by sending packages out to prisons. I also will be starting a position as a communication minister at my campus church this fall.

Her advice to current and future YEP members:

My advice is to pursue your passions wholeheartedly, while integrating philanthropy and community involvement in what you do. Don’t forget the potential impact you can make on your community– you matter! – Emilie Schramer

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