Meet Team Clematis
Durham, New Hampshire, February 25th-March 4th
These eight young people are participating in our first-ever Credit-Bearing Program! They are coming from across the state of New Hampshire. Their FFI journey will help them develop their communication, empathetic debating, and public speaking skills. At the end of their program, they will be eligible for 2 credits transferable to their high school.
Interested in sponsoring an activity? Visit here.
Interested in meeting the team? Contact programs@ff.international.
Interested in learning more about our Learn Everywhere Program? Visit here.
Adeesh
Age: 17
Hobbies: Trail and road running, snowboarding, skiing, hiking NH’s 48 4000 footers, flying small aircraft, eating too much sushi.
If she were an animal: Mole
If she were a plant: Fritillaria
Favorite Book: Educated by Tara Westover
Favorite Quote: “The final forming of a person’s character lies in their own hands.” -Anne Frank
Issues she is passionate about: Mental health in schools & Racism, Sexism, or Homophobia in Schools
Envisionment as a Leader: “I see myself leading a movement about something I'm interested in and making true change. That change may lie in the government or in my community but the change does affect others' lives in a positive way. “
Eleanor
Age: 15
Hobbies: Leatherworking, 3D printing, jewelry making, chicken keeping, writing, reading, in-scale-model work, other creative things.
If she were an animal: Crow
If she were a plant: Cactus
Favorite Book: Prison Healer by Lynette Noni
Favorite Quote: “Our scars define us. They tell a story of courage and survival. They tell of who we are at our deepest being, of the challenges we’ve faced and overcome.” - Lynette Noni, The Prison Healer
Issues she is passionate about: Ignorance & lack of community for kids of the same age.
Envisionment as a Leader: “When I think of myself as a leader, I’m not a battle hardened heroine, or the President; I’m just me, more likely to be laughing with others than denying them what they want to achieve. When I think of myself as a leader, I just see me.”
Julia
Age: 16
Hobbies: Reading, swimming, traveling, crafts, music.
If she were an animal: Octopus
If she were a plant: Clematis Flower
Favorite Book: The Cruel Prince by Holly Black
Favorite Quote: “If you can't fly then run, if you can't run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.” - Martin Luther King Jr.
Issues she is passionate about: Ineffectiveness of the school system & Mental health issues in schools
Envisionment as a Leader: “When I imagine myself as a leader I picture myself working within a group to organize a plan or project and helping direct others in their tasks while managing my own.”
Kenya
Age: 16
Hobbies: Drawing, dancing, singing, learning new languages.
If she were an animal: Dog
If she were a plant: Fritillaria
Favorite Book: We Were Liars
Favorite Quote: "Just keep swimming" - Dory
Issues she is passionate about: Racism, and the increasing number of anti-intellectualism.
Envisionment as a Leader: “Me in a suit and a big smile. A crowd of people around me and one of my arms around another person.”
Luna
Age: 15
Hobbies: Writing, reading, playing field hockey, weightlifting.
If she were an animal: Hydrangea
If she were a plant: Cat
Favorite Book: The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab
Favorite Quote: "'Immortality,' said Crake, "is a concept. If you take 'mortality' as being, not death, but the foreknowledge of it and the fear of it, then 'immortality' is the absence of such fear.""Sanity is a valuable possession: I hoard it the way people once hoarded money."
Both by Margaret Atwood (Oryx and Crake, The Handmaid's Tale).
Issues she is passionate about: Insensitivity to Race & Transphobia
Envisionment as a Leader: “I see myself as a self-employed author, using social media and marketing to spread ideas and promote valuable causes and information. I also see myself taking active roles in leading projects to benefit groups I feel personally invested in (the LGBTQ+ community and disadvantaged kids).”
Ophelia
Age: 16
Hobbies: Knitting, other crafting, biking, snowboarding, and other board sports.
If she were an animal: Chicken
If she were a plant: Cactus
Favorite Book: Corps de Fille by Marie Lenne- Fouquet
Favorite Quote: A phrase that my grandmother often repeats is "Il faut de tout pour faire un monde." which translated means it takes everything to make a world.
Issues she is passionate about: Young people committing suicide & Salting/plowing negatively impacting nearby biodiversity
Envisionment as a Leader: "It's important to establish commonalities between peers and identify strengths within the group. That way when the work of addressing the goal of the group arises, the team may easily give different jobs to each individual based on strengths while doing it as friends who respect and know each other well"
Selena
Age: 15
Hobbies: Writing, jewelry making, dirt biking, reading, and singing/acting.
If she were an animal: Duck
If she were a plant: Mimosa Pudica
Favorite Book: anything written by Rick Riordan
Favorite Quote: "Out of every tragedy, " he said, "comes new strength." - Rick Riordan, The Blood of Olympus
Issues she is passionate about: Transphobia & Mental health issues needing to be addressed.
Envisionment as a Leader: "I think that I would be a pretty good leader, as I am a chronically organized person, with many ideas and a love to express." those ideas to people around me.”
Logistical Information
Program Focus
Communication, empathetic debate, and public speaking skills
Number of Participants
7
Number of Leaders
3 (includes FFI Staff and Alumni)
Ages of Students
15-17
Team Interests
Art, music, sports, reading
Dietary Restrictions
Plant-based (Vegan)
Allergies
None
Vehicle
15-Passenger Van
Provide a Scholarship
In order for FFI to make these programs 100% tuition-free for accepted applicants, we rely upon individuals, companies, and foundations to donate towards scholarships. If you would like to do so, please click the button below for an online gift or mail a check to our Headquarters at 1 Morgan Way, Durham, NH 03824. Please be sure to include a note directing your funds.
One full scholarship equals $3,000, but gifts of all sizes make an impact on the lives of the youth participants.