Palmer Award: Finalist Spotlight, Part 1

Each year, through the Palmer Award application process, we learn about amazing LeaderShapers who are out doing good work. Earlier this month we announced the 2015 recipient, Carolina Ruggero. Now we'd like to take the opportunity to introduce you to the work of this year's group of finalists. Here are two of the six Palmer Award finalists:


Let's introduce Anastasia Ostrowski from the University of Michigan.

Anastasia is eager for students to be exposed to engineering principles as early as elementary school. She wants to inspire and encourage students to to pursue engineering. Towards that effort, she and her friend Anya have partnered to become co-directors of Elementary Engineering Partnerships (EEP). They are constructing curriculum that will introduce students to important engineering concepts such as collaboration, problem identification, design brainstorming and evaluation, and idea communication. 

Anastasia and EEP have established a partnership with Ann Arbor STEAM School (A2STEAM), recruited 16 undergraduate students representing seven fields of engineering, and received funding from the University of Michigan's Center for Entrepreneurship Jumpstart Grant program. They are launching their program with 4th and 5th grade classrooms at A2STEAM.

Another of our finalists is David Chen, from York University in Canada. David is passionate that no youth, in particular those battling depression, be uninspired to overcome their hurdles. 

David and a group of 12 like-minded people from across Ontario have come together to create the organization You Inspire Youth. The team works to inspire young people around the world through "capturing people's stories through cinematic interviews." 

You can find You Inspire Youth's videos on their YouTube page. And you can view on video right here:

#Day7 and the Palmer Award

Day 7 is all about Staying in Action. So this month we are eager to highlight someone who has embraced the idea of “Staying in Action”, this year’s Palmer Award recipient and the work she has done moving her vision forward. We are so excited to introduce you to Carolina Ruggero, Institute graduate from the 2014 Florida State University session of the Institute.

“When I attended the Institute, I was a marketing major with dreams of learning the craft of video production.” Carolina Ruggera, Palmer Award Application

The Vision

To use film as a medium to give people the chance for their voice to be heard, to serve as a resource for those who feel alone, and to promote a society in which we accept and understand one another.

“With every story I share, I become more convinced that a single story has the potential to change how someone sees the world.”

The Inspiration

After staying up late one night reflecting on the kind of videographer she wanted to be, Carolina made the connection between her goals of video production and the value she places on relationships. The very next day she took her camera equipment to campus to begin filming.

“I have been able to able to further develop my personal identity and values because of experiences working on this project.”

The Results

Tell Your Story: Tallahassee (TYST) is Carolina’s vision in action. It is a video project series that allows the people of Tallahassee to tell their stories. It sounds simple, but the impact is tremendous.

Additionally, this experience has solidified Carolina’s commitment to story-telling in a documentary style fashion. This clarity has also provided the space for Carolina to invite others in this journey and has created an organization to support the project and engage the skills and talents of others in the FSU community.

Watch and Learn More
The Tell Your Story: Tallahassee project can be found on Facebook and YouTube. You can also find Carolina on the Florida State University Day 7 tumblr.