Elizabeth (Lizzie) Markowitz
Elizabeth Markowitz, “Lizzie,” a senior at Hilton Head Island High School, has a love for volunteering. To Lizzie, “service means being able to give back to a community that has done so much for me and aiding those around me purely for the good of others.” Her passion for volunteering inspires her to be more involved and dedicated in the work she is doing.
Lizzie’s school service includes math tutoring through Mu Alpha Theta Honor Society, promoting mental health awareness through Morgan’s Message and leading the recycling program of the environmental club at her school. In her school recommendation letter, Lizzie is described as “hard-working, conscientious …an inspiring leader…a positive role model for other young women…because of her service and leadership potential.” Within the community, Lizzie has dedicated herself to nurturing and protecting the local environment through The Outside Foundation. She is described “as a tireless leader among her peers, an academically gifted student and sincerely committed steward of our local environment.”
After high school, Lizzie plans to attend Dartmouth College and pursue studies in climate science, the environment and public policy. Future goals include attending law school to become an environmental defense attorney so that she gains the “knowledge, experience and leadership skills” to have a “positive impact on my community and society as a whole.”
Rebecca Wohn
Rebecca Wohn, a senior at Bluffton High School, feels that “service is not always about grand gestures, often it is about patience, empathy and treating others with respect when they are at their most fragile.”
Her many volunteer experiences with Teens for Healthy Youth, Mu Alpha Theta math honor society, Spanish Honor Society, National Honor Society and Dance Honor Society, and her time with Hilton Head/Bluffton’s Chamber of Commerce Junior Leadership and the Rising Stars Program “reshaped (her) understanding of service, leadership, and (her) responsibility to the community around (her).
With more than 260 hours of service to her school and community, Rebecca has received the National Ambassador, Honor and Merit Award as well as the Bluffton Mayor’s Service Award. To Rebecca, “service has come to represent going beyond boundaries to support those who need it most…It allows students like myself to not only help a community but to become part of one.”
In one of her recommendation letters, Rebecca is described as kind, motivated and resilient with her “commitment to community service commendable” and “demonstrating her dedication to making a positive impact.”
Following high school graduation, Rebecca plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree in chemistry, possibly at Clemson University, and hopes to participate in student-led research which will lead to “innovations that benefit society.” Her future goal is to have a career in pharmacy where she hopes “to embody the leader who gives more than they take and advances both science and humanity through curiosity, innovation, and dedication.”
Myla Greene
Myla Greene, a senior at May River High School, is described as noticing “those that are overlooked” and taking “quiet, meaningful action to make others seen and respected.” Throughout her life, Myla has been “immersed in diverse environments that have shaped how (she) sees the world…and given (her) a deep appreciation for different cultures and a deep concern for the people affected by global policy decisions.”
Recognized for her service by the Bluffton Mayor’s Service Award, Myla has volunteered over hundreds of hours at her school’s inclusion club, Shark Buddies; math tutoring through Mu Alpha Theta Honor Society; youth ministry at her church; and Ambassador’s Soccer. She has a “heart for students who want to grow and put in the effort.” Her experience as a residential Support Worker with Cristo Por Su Mundo, a children’s home in Oaxaca, Mexico, solidified her “passion for international relations…in advocacy and policy.”
In one of her recommendation letters, Myla was noted as possessing “a genuine passion for global justice, cultural understanding, and diplomacy, one that has been evident since childhood and refined through education, leadership, and service.”
Myla has been accepted by multiple colleges and universities, and she plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree in international relations. Future goals include attending law school with a concentration in international law so that she may one day serve as a US diplomat or ambassador, or work within the United Nations.
Tamyra Bolden
Tamyra Bolden, a Senior at Bluffton High School, feels that “volunteering has always been a way for (her) to connect with her community” and has “influenced the person (she) is today.”
Her countless hours of service with Teens for Healthy Youth, Young Life, The Sisterhood Innovators, Beaufort Parks and Recreation Adapted Sports and Bluffton Community Kitchen instilled in her “the importance of community and showing up for those in need, ensuring everyone is treated with dignity and respect.” Her service with Adapted Sports and helping individuals with autism gave her “the unique opportunity to build their communication skills and foster joy within a sports environment.”
Recognized for her community service by the Bluffton Mayor’s Service Award, Tamyra is described as “a leader who combines thoughtful reflection with effective action.” Her “service is guided by a clear personal philosophy: leadership means serving others with empathy, modeling responsibility, and using one’s voice to uplift peers and community members.”
Upon graduation from high school, Tamyra will pursue a degree in criminology and criminal justice. Her interest in this field “stems from (her) passion for incarceration reform and advocacy.” Her dream career is to become a criminal defense attorney to “represent wrongfully convicted individuals…and advocate for exoneration through legal representation.” Tamyra one day aspires to become a South Carolina Circuit Court Judge, upholding integrity within the courtroom and “strengthening equality within the legal system.”
Georgia Denckhoff
Georgia Denckhoff, a Classical Conversations Homeschool Community senior, feels “the greatest gift (she) can share is (her) time. Listening, showing compassion to one another, and letting people know they are loved and valued is what (Georgia) has learned most through (her) times of volunteering. She feels “blessed” to have been born and raised in Hilton Head and to serve in her community.
Georgia’s dedication to community service has been recognized multiple times with the Hilton Head Island Mayor’s Service Award. During her middle and high school years, Georgia has volunteered hundreds of hours through her participation in Vacation Bible School, ballet outreach programs and international mission trips.
Georgia is described as embodying “responsibility, compassion, and initiative. She does not wait to be asked – when she sees a need, she steps in willingly and serves without recognition.”
Following high school graduation, Georgia plans to attend the University of South Carolina to pursue a major in nursing. She “chose this path because of her desire to help and serve others.” Once she receives her nursing degree, Georgia plans to “return home to the Low Country…to work with children to serve them and create a welcoming environment for kids.” She also hopes “to serve others on medical mission trips and even to assist with local programs that help others after natural disasters.”
Carlisle (Carly) Clarke Anthony
Carly Anthony, a senior at Heritage Academy, feels that “Ghandi’s wise words, ‘Be the change you wish to see in the world’ resonate deeply within (her).” After a “life-changing experience at the St. Jude Leadership Society” during her freshman year, Carly “uncovered a passion for serving others.”
Her “work ethic, drive, and passion” inspired her to use her many talents to make significant contributions to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. She created her own business, Carly’s Cards, to enable her to make significant donations to St. Jude. After attending the 2024 St. Jude NextGen Experience, Carly organized the first Hilton Head Island Run/Walk for the Cure 5K Benefitting St. Jude on Coligny Beach. She ultimately raised more than $35,000 for St. Jude. The recipient of the Mayor’s Youth Volunteer Service Award, Carly has volunteered more than 500 hours to her community.
In her recommendation letter, Carly is described as possessing “a heartfelt desire to make the world around her better” and “who personifies service to her school and community.”
Carly has been accepted by multiple colleges and universities and plans to pursue a degree in business followed by a master’s program in nonprofit management and fundraising. Upon completing her education, she hopes “to work with St. Jude not only to help those served by the organization but to inspire others to serve and to be part of something bigger than themselves.”