Elana Brownstein
Representing a new generation of women activists, Elana Brownstein advocated for countless causes, ranging from body image to AIDS orphans, while still in high school. With a gift for spurring fellow classmates to action, Brownstein organized a clothing and toiletries drive for inner city orphans, raised money for victims of 9/11, and ran a sandwich drive for local soup kitchens. In ninth grade, she participated in GO GIRLS (Giving Our Girls Inspiration and Resources for Lasting Self-esteem), which led to her campaign to encourage local retailers to make clothes displays that reflected the diverse shapes and sizes of real women’s bodies. A committed Zionist, she helped raise $2,000 for Magen David Adom. She also served as a student ambassador to Szarvas, Hungary, where she worked in an outreach summer camp, helping Jewish children from Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union rediscover their Jewish heritage.