Aly Barnes
I am Alyson (Aly) Barnes, and I am a graduate of North Central High School in Indianapolis, Indiana. In high school, I took part in Feminist Club, Recycling Club, Spanish Honor Society, Earth Club, Young Democrats Club, and played the flute. I was part of the swim team and always stayed active. Starting this fall, I will pursue my interest in Sociology and Spanish at Chapman University in Orange, California. At my local church in Indianapolis, I have taken part in the food pantry as well as being a deacon. I hope to continue this at a congregation in Orange. I am looking forward to expanding my knowledge at Chapman this fall as well as exploring my faith. I hope to take part in numerous clubs and opportunities at Chapman, involving Spanish or community outreach. I enjoy meeting new people, spending time outside, coffee trips, and thrifting. I am excited for the new opportunities ahead, including exploring college, adult life, and faith with the other HELM fellows!
Hannah Dunn-Helton
My name is Hannah Dunn-Helton and I am from Seven Hills, Ohio. In the fall I will be attending Kenyon College, where I plan to major in English with a focus in creative writing and minor in Spanish. In high school, I was involved in the marching band as band president and sousaphone section leader; the orchestra as first chair violin; National Honors Society as treasurer; the environmental club; and the poetry club. I was the second violin sectional coach for both my junior and senior years. Both of my parents are ordained in the Disciples of Christ and my father currently serves as the pastor at St. Peter UCC. When the pandemic started and my church began streaming our worship services, I assumed the role of Facebook Worship Service Producer. This is a role I continue serving today. I recently worked at the polls during a local election and hope to continue doing so in the future. Two of my passions are reading and writing. My favorite books are Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Pride and Prejudice, and Kafka on the Shore. I write a lot of poetry, as well as some short fiction, and I plan to write a novel one day. I’ve had one poem published already and hope to publish again soon. Another of my passions is music! I have played or am learning to play violin, sousaphone, saxophone, guitar, and ukulele. In the past few months, I’ve picked up embroidery and can often be found working on a piece while watching Netflix. I love exploring the outdoors and am passionate about the environment! My younger sibling and I go hiking and biking in our local metro park, and my goal is to visit every national park in the future.
Eugene Lim
Hello! My name is Eugene Lim. I am a Canadian-born Korean from Nashville, TN. Some of my hobbies are watching movies, listening to, and making music. In high school, I sang in the choir and participated in the Midstate honors choir. I also played a small role in my school’s rendition of “West Side Story.” Music has been a big part of my life and I hope that one day I will make music that will inspire people. At church, I led in worship at the English service by playing guitar, I pushed for the youth group to have weekly Bible studies, and I live-streamed the church service during the pandemic. I will be attending Boston College this fall and I hope to learn about leadership and business to make a positive impact on this world. I am excited to be part of this program!
Hope Riester
Hope Riester lives in Annandale, Virginia and is a graduate of Thomas A. Edison High School. She is a member of First Christian Church of Falls Church, VA. At Edison HS, Hope was a member of the Academic Team, Desk Chief of News for the school newspaper, President of the Latin Honor Society, and co-founded the school’s linguistics club. She will be attending Transylvania University, where she intends to pursue an interdisciplinary major in Politics, Philosophy, and Economics. She also intends to swim on their swim team. Hope is Passionate about advocacy and communication, and wants to work in government. She likes to study history and economics, especially through the lens of income inequality. In her free time, Hope likes to bake, read, write, and talk to her friends. She aims to study abroad during her education, especially in Germany.
Nina Rivera Figueroa
My name is Nina Rivera Figueroa, and I attend Central Christian Church in Indianapolis, IN. There, I am an active member of the congregation, specifically serving as a deacon. I also participate in activities for the youth. This fall, I will be an incoming freshman at Indiana University Bloomington, where I will be majoring in Media. As a Media major, I hope to concentrate in Film, Television, and Digital Production. In college I hope to make new friends and make connections that could help me professionally in the future. Another thing I hope to do is develop my identity in a new place. In high school, I was involved in Spanish Honor Society and Young Democratic Socialists of America, which avidly reflected my interests and talents.
Libby Skaggs
Libby Skaggs graduated from Mansfield High School this past May after spending seven years in MISD (Macomb Intermediate School District.) An Oklahoma native, Libby was born in Tulsa before moving to Texas in the 5th grade. During high school, Libby was active in many programs including color guard, theatre, Gay-Straight Alliance, and student council. She held leadership positions in various clubs including president of her church youth group and founder of GSA. Libby is excited to attend Culver-Stockton College in the fall where she will be double-majoring in Political Science and Journalism. Libby is excited to combine her two passions to help improve her community.
Hannah Stanley
I am a rising freshman at the Georgia Institute of Technology majoring in Biomedical Engineering. During the summer, I conducted research at the University of Louisville on Creating Nanofibers via Electrospinning with Certain Electrical and Mechanical Properties and presented at Montana State University at the National REU Convocation in August.
While in high school, I was a student ambassador and president of the Health and Science Club while also participating in microbiology research with Dr. Janelle Hare, researching the effects of arabinose and DNA damage treatments on the bacterium Acinetobacter baumannii, presenting it at the national ASBMB conference in Seattle, WA.
I was a member of the Stewardship Team within my church, meeting monthly with the pastors to discuss budget, future plans for the congregation, and necessary next steps to ensure success. I also participated in outreach service projects such as our food distribution program, school supply drive, and Worship and Wonder for the little children.
Outside of the classroom, I am an avid piano player and reader (mostly fantasy and historical fiction). I love to relax and watch Netflix with someone else or go on a run or bike ride outside if the weather permits. Most importantly though, I can’t wait to be a member of this Leadership Fellow program and am excited to meet everyone else!