Exceptional Young Women in the Community: Meet Kelly Mills

 

Calvary Day School student Kelly Mills is ambitious, intelligent, and possesses a passion for giving back to her community. By speaking to Kelly on the phone, you would never detect that she is only a senior in high school. As a well-spoken member of five National Honor Societies and the National Speech & Debate Association, she excels academically and has worked her way to becoming an AP Scholar with Honor and a former 2021 Junior Marshal. For years, Kelly looked up to older students who were elected to join Calvary’s Executive Leadership Council, a coveted group of five students who plan events and act as liaisons between students and administration to settle any issues effectively and maturely. As a senior, Kelly has been able to make her dream a reality and was elated to become a member of the Executive Leadership Council – a true testament to her motivation and drive.

After moving to Winston-Salem from West Virginia in the eighth grade, Kelly was grateful to have been welcomed by her new classmates and neighbors and wanted to pay her peers’ kindness forward. She and her friends noticed a need for new avenues for her and her peers to get involved and become a part of the community, which led to Kelly establishing The Tomorrow Project in July 2020. The Tomorrow Project is a non-profit organization that empowers youth, inspiring them to become change-makers, advocates, and leaders in order to create improvements in their communities. With over 50 members in 17 states and 6 countries, Kelly and The Tomorrow Project members connect students to volunteer opportunities and host student-led projects such as fundraisers and food drives. Kelly also works diligently to secure grants for student-led projects to ensure that finances won’t prevent any members from participating.

In addition to The Tomorrow Project, Kelly works closely with the Forsyth County Young Leaders Program. The program provides students with the opportunity to connect with leadership mentors, community leaders, and other students in order to bridge the socioeconomic mobility gap in Winston-Salem. Because of Kelly’s prolific work with the program, she currently serves on FCYLP’s Executive Board.

When she’s not busy studying or serving others, Kelly enjoys a peaceful Saturday morning at Lewisville Coffee Mill or Lavender and Honey Kitchen, although she and her sister must arrive early to snag a few of Lavender and Honey’s iconic cinnamon rolls before they sell out. With an interest in learning the Spanish language, Kelly hopes to one day travel to the beautiful country of Spain to become fluent in Spanish.

Through Kelly’s experience leading her peers and juggling a heavy schedule as a high school student, she has learned to persevere and conquer hardships in order to achieve her goals and succeed. Her hard work and giving heart has already made an impact in the community, which helps fuel her fire and avoid burnout. After high school, she plans to continue her philanthropic efforts while pursuing a degree in law and public policy, aspiring to one day work in government or run for office. A jack of all trades, Kelly also participates in Calvary’s Theater Program, in addition to having taken dance lessons since the age of four outside of school.

 

As for now, Kelly awaits acceptance letters from various colleges she has applied to, although by her resume and work ethic, we can almost guarantee her success. To learn more about The Tomorrow Project, follow @_thetomorrowproject on Instagram and follow the link linktr.ee/thetomorrowproject to find out how to support the cause and make a change. Read more about the Forsyth County Young Leaders Program at fcyoungleaders.org, and apply to become a mentor by sending inquiries to fcyoungleaders@gmail.com.

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