Annika Fuller
Annika Fuller is a member of Palm Lake Christian Church in her hometown of St. Petersburg, Florida. She has been involved with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) since she was born, and both of her grandfathers served as pastors within the DoC. She has been a member of the Florida Regional Youth Ministry Council as well as the General Youth Council for more than two years. In her free time, she enjoys playing soccer and canoeing. She is also a professional musician and singer-songwriter and plans to someday try to sell her songs to a producer or an artist. While she is not entirely sure which career path she would like to follow, she does know whatever she chooses will relate to helping others. In the fall she will be attending New College of Florida and majoring in either Neuroscience or Biopsychology.
Ella Gordon
Ella Gordon is from Corvallis, Oregon. She loves to read and write and has been writing fiction stories for as long as she can remember. She also enjoys other forms of art, including drawing and painting. For exercise, Ella runs whenever she has the time. At her church, First Christian Church of Corvallis, she is involved in Sunday School activities with her peers and adult teachers and plays the violin in the folk band. In the fall she will attend the University of Oregon and plans to major in English.
Hayden Skaggs
Hayden Skaggs is from Mansfield, Texas, and will be pursuing a degree in Sociology and Psychology with a minor in Religion & Philosophy at Eureka College in Eureka, Illinois. While in high school, Hayden was a part of the National Honor Society, a leader in the school’s marching band, and ran cross country. At his home congregation, The Welcome Table Christian Church, he has been the youth representative in the hiring and ordination process of two student ministers. While attending The Welcome Table, he has seen it become an open and affirming congregation, which he believes is an important step into the inclusion of all. His time as a Disciple has propelled him to serve his community and helped it to become a place of inclusion today.
Ruthie Weeks
Ruthie Weeks is from Mechanicsville, Virginia, and is a member of Slash Christian Church in Ashland. She says that growing up in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) helped her develop a strong love for God and the community of her denomination. Her passion lies in journalism and videography, and she enjoys using these gifts in and out of the church. She served Hanover County Public Schools as a TV99 Intern, creating video content, along with serving as the Editor-In-Chief of Atlee High School’s newspaper. These opportunities allowed Ruthie to develop her skill set and she notes that taking her interest in writing and video production and channeling them into life as a Christian is extremely important. She has done this in a variety of ways over the years, including the creation of a video highlighting her youth group’s volunteer experiences for a Youth Sunday worship service and documenting Vacation Bible School each year through photography, including the creation of slideshows detailing each day’s Bible story. During the COVID pandemic, she videoed and edited communion, music, and the sermon. Ruthie is a member of the National Honor Society, the Beta Club, and Girl Scouts, where she earned the Gold Award by working to make her home congregation Green Chalice Certified. In the fall she will attend Chapman University to pursue a degree in Broadcast Journalism and Documentary.
Virginia Fullerton
Virginia Fullerton is from Kansas City, Missouri. She loves creating, reading, chatting, hiking, and spending time with her family and friends. This fall she will be attending Kansas State University and pursuing a degree in Fashion Studies with a concentration in Business. She hopes to blaze a path in the fashion industry and create inclusive, accessible, and sustainable fashion. She works for Pro Athlete Inc. and has had the opportunity to take part in the Community and Charitable Outreach team, creating innovative projects to touch the community including donating stuffed animals to local children’s hospitals and providing goodie boxes for healthcare workers. Virginia has served as Moderator to the Regional Youth Cabinet of the Greater Kansas City Region from 2019-2021. She is excited to be a part of the Leadership Fellows Program and can’t wait to experience all the future holds.
Katie Madole
Katie Madole is from Nashville, Tennessee, and will be attending Birmingham Southern College, pursuing a double major in Biology and Secondary Education with a concentration in Social Justice. She served as president of her high school’s environmental club, Livable Schools, and was an active member of the National Honor Society. Katie also enjoyed performing with her school’s theatre and choral departments. For the past four years, Katie has attended the School for Science and Math at Vanderbilt (SSMV) one day a week where she engaged in interdisciplinary scientific research. Katie loves hiking, exploring nature, traveling, trying any and all coffee shops, performing theatre, singing, and playing with kids. Katie regularly performs theatre with the Theater Bug, a youth arts group in Nashville which performs original works about social issues facing today’s youth and kids. She is a member of Eastwood Christian Church, where she has enjoyed engaging with the youth group, helping out with the children’s ministries, and deepening her faith through the rich, thought-provoking, and diverse community that Eastwood provides. Additionally, Katie has loved serving as Chaplain for the Christian Church of Tennessee’s regional camp, Bethany Hills. Both Eastwood and Bethany Hills have helped Katie gain a deeper understanding of the unconditional love of God and sparked a desire to make the Church more equitable, inclusive, anti-racist, and loving. Through HELM, Katie is excited to see how this passion further blossoms.
Julia Vasquez
Julia Vasquez is from Arlington, Texas, and is a member of Rush Creek Christian Church. Some of her interests include watching movies, reading, crocheting, and hanging out with friends. She is a member of the National Honor Society, Spanish National Honor Society, and Youth Ministry Council, and she is excited to join new clubs once her university studies begin. In the fall she will be attending Texas Christian University and plans to major in Environmental Science
Anna Whittle
Anna Whittle is from Louisville, Kentucky, and is a member of Beargrass Christian Church. She loves reading cool books, hiking with friends, and traveling. She served as a three-year member of the Louisville Youth Philanthropy Council, which led to her involvement with various nonprofits in her community. Through volunteering and working at both TreesLouisville, a local environmental organization, and Just Creations, a fair-trade marketplace, Anna has developed her passion for environmental and economic justice. At her school, Anna was captain of the Future Problem-Solving team and competed at state and international competitions during her senior year. Anna is a youth elder at her church and has loved attending Camp WaKonDaHo, Kentucky’s Disciples camp, during the summers. In the fall, she will be attending Hope College in Holland, Michigan, and plans to double major in Environmental Studies and Spanish.