Age: 17

County: Dublin, Republic of Ireland

Favorite quote: “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”-Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

Hobbies: Basketball, retro video games, volleyball, golf, programming, event coordination

Community Action Project Idea: Hold an event for young people in Dublin to social network and learn new things.

What they hope to gain in this program: Courage, leadership skills, and support to impact his community. 

Age: 17

County: Tyrone, Northern Ireland

Favorite Quote: “I believe that everything happens for a reason, and sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together.” -Stevie Nicks

Hobbies: Painting, singing, reading, listening to music, and pottery.

Community Action Project Idea: Create a youth group and hold art workshops and cultural and diversity days using art, music, and dance.

What they hope to gain in this program: Learn about different cultures and traditions, meet people with different backgrounds, and impact her community.

Age: 17

County: Armagh, Northern Ireland

Favorite songs: Purple Rain by Prince, Every Breath You Take by The Police, Die With a Smile by Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars, Champagne Coast by Blood Orange, and Little Lies by Fleetwood Mac.

Hobbies: Reading, drama, musical theater, spending time with friends. 

Community Action Project Idea: Create safer neighborhoods for people of all ages to live, work, and play. Add more services to these neighborhoods, such as salting stations and more bins for trash.

What they hope to gain in this program: Stepping out of their comfort zone and making new friends. 

Age: 16

County: Antrim, Northern Ireland

Favorite book: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green 

Hobbies: Football, running, walking her dog, reading, spending time with friends and in nature.

Community Action Project Idea: Support youth with special needs by providing them opportunities to engage with sports, holding events for both children and their parents to connect with others.

What they hope to gain in this program: Increased confidence, lifelong skills and friendships, and make an impact. 

Age: 17

County: Armagh, Northern Ireland

Favorite quote: “What we found out is that each of us is a brain, and an athlete and a basket case, and a princess and a criminal.”  -The Breakfast Club

Favorite books: A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson, and Under the Hawthorne Tree by Marita Conlon-McKenna 

Community Action Project Idea: An anonymous box within school communities to encourage open, honest, and meaningful communication in communities such as classrooms, youth groups, and society as a whole.

What they hope to gain in this program: Understanding the impact of the role they have in helping their community.

Age: 17

County: Meath, Republic of Ireland

Favorite books: Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens, Boys of Tommen by Chloe Walsh, and The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris. 

Hobbies: Reading, word games, and reorganizing. 

Community Action Project Idea: Start an Irish youth club to give young people a space to connect with each other and Irish culture. 

What they hope to gain in this program: Making new connections and connecting with nature.

Age: 17

County: Offaly, Republic of Ireland

Favorite quote: “It takes a great deal of courage to see the world in all its tainted glory, and still to love it.” -Oscar Wilde

Hobbies: Drawing, songwriting, collecting records, and going to concerts.

Community Action Project Idea: Enhance her college community by starting a community greenhouse that allows students to access affordable fresh produce or hold weekly meetings for students and the general public to create connections through art, music, poems, food, etc.

What they hope to gain in this program: Broadening their horizons by being exposed to new places, people, and perspectives.

Age: 17

County: Down, Northern Ireland

Hobbies: Coloring, reading, crochet, dance, and cricket.

Favorite books: The Dreamland Billionaires by Lauren Asher

Community Action Project Idea: Create a drop-in area to provide food and warmth for those looking to connect with others. 

What they hope to gain in this program: Increased confidence and new connections. 

Age: 17

County: Down, Northern Ireland

Hobbies: Painting, visiting art galleries and museums, reading, film, and shopping for vintage clothing.

Favorite books: The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath and Anna Kernina by Leo Tolstoy 

Community Action Project Idea: Reduce feelings of social isolation for people aged 14 and older by holding community events such as intergenerational art evenings, cooking evenings, art groups, etc.

What they hope to gain in this program: Gain new perspectives from people who have lived different experiences and enhance leadership skills. 

Age: 16

County: Armagh, Northern Ireland

Hobbies: Writing, playing piano, sewing, photography, and film.

Favorite songs: Toxic by Britney Spears, Spider Web by Melanie Martinez, and Disaster by Conan Gray. 

Community Action Project Idea: Decrease feelings of isolation among the elderly by planning community events and companionship programs. 

What they hope to gain in this program: Leadership skills, resilience, increased confidence, and exposure to other ways of life.