Each year the Treasure Valley Family YMCA invites high school students to apply for the Civic Engagement Scholarship as part of the organization’s commitment to youth development and social responsibility. This year, the Y was able to distribute $47,000 to help three local students with the next step of their educational journey.
Applications were evaluated based on the student’s dedication and passion for working collaboratively to find solutions to civic issues. Each year, scholarship judges learn about passionate students who are finding creative methods to address homelessness, access to healthcare, education, environmental sustainability and more. Each must demonstrate an interest in pursuing civic work that will improve our community, whether that is as a career or volunteer.
“The Civic Engagement Scholarship selection committee was invigorated by our conversations with these outstanding young people. They are each already making tremendous positive impacts on their community, and their dreams for the future are bright. We firmly believe that these three students will continue to bring people together and inspire positive, long-lasting changes in Idaho and beyond.”
David Duro
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Scholarships are made possible thanks to a generous endowment fund from Ed and Dottie Stimpson that was designed to recognize the potential of young people to improve the world through civic engagement and civil discourse.
Ella Driever
Ella is a force of nature working to protect Idaho’s gray wolf population. She is a passionate advocate for healthy and biodiverse wilderness systems which she is eager to point out are dependent on the protection of keystone species such as wolves and other carnivores. Whether co-authoring a scientific paper, testifying at hearings, or starring in a documentary about wolves in Idaho, Ella is determined to help preserve the beauty and health of Idaho’s wilderness. When she’s not busy with her studies or public engagements, you can find her leading young students in hands-on outdoor activities to promote an appreciation for the natural world and to inspire them to pursue their own dreams. Ella plans to study wildlife biology and do graduate work that will prepare her for a career in wildlife advocacy and policy development.
Ella is a proud member of the Timberline High School Wolf Pack Class of 2024.
Taelyn Baiza
Taelyn leverages her art to campaign for environmental conservation, sustainability, and biodiversity. Her colored pencil and wood drawings feature animal and plant life inspired by Idaho and regional ecosystems in need of protection. Her artwork can be found in public spaces such as the City of Boise Traffic Box Art program as well as online and in promotional materials used by galleries and non-profits with an environmental focus. Her piece “Endangered West” was featured in the Fifth National Climate Assessment released by the U.S. Global Change Research Program in 2023, as well as commissioned by the environmental law firm Advocates for the West. Taelyn gets hands-on when working on Boise River clean-ups and planting trees. She is an active member of the Boise High Green Team initiating sustainable practices within the school and has taught art classes at the Warm Springs Care Farm, a local nonprofit dedicated to connecting children with nature through art, music, and animal therapy.
Taelyn will be graduating from Boise High School in 2024.
Lucy Glynn
Lucy sees a future where governing will be focused on collaboration to bring about meaningful change in her community. She strongly believes that youth voices are key to developing innovative solutions to public challenges, and she has lobbied at the Statehouse to ensure those voices are heard. While she has experienced setbacks in some of the initiatives she has supported, her dedication to public service is unfazed. She acknowledges how important teamwork is in this arena and how important it is to support each other especially when success seems out of reach. She notes that it’s not always easy to choose courage over comfort, but her ability to inspire and lead others will no doubt ensure that forward-thinking, courageous voices will continue to make a difference in our community.
Lucy will be graduating from Bishop Kelly High School in 2024.
