Our new Empower Rising Star Award recognizes an Empower Leadership Academy attendee who has applied skills and strategies from the academy to their life and is impacting their community. They demonstrate one or more of the 4 pillars of Empower (Leadership, Confidence, Well-Being, & Resilience) through self-growth and impact on others within their school, academics, team(s), and/or community.

Avery Seed, a participant at our Empower Leadership Academy hosted by Medtronic, showcased a remarkable commitment to self-empowerment that inspired everyone around her. She is a determined individual who is not afraid to chase her dreams and make them a reality. From calling recording studios to launch her music career, creating a blog with her best friend during the Covid pandemic, to moving away from home a year early to pursue her musical dreams at Perpich, Avery has actively taken steps to achieve her goals. Moreover, she believes in the importance of showing others, especially girls her age or younger, that anything is possible with hard work and determination. Avery’s journey is a testament to the valuable lessons on confidence, resilience, and leadership development that she gained at the Academy, which will undoubtedly serve her well as she continues on her path of self-empowerment and inspiring others.