Teen STEM Advocate Rima Sets Community Change in Motion

Whenever Generation Z is called “lazy,” “unambitious,” “unwilling to listen” or “apathetic about the future,” I have to laugh. Those words don’t describe us at all!

I’m Rima, and I’m part of a generation of change-makers and advocates; creatives and non-conformists. We want to live in a society that includes and benefits everyone, and I’ve got big plans for how we’ll get there.

Remember my name, because you’ll be seeing it on the 2044 ballot for President of the United States of America. My campaign will be about leveling the playing field; providing more resources that aid and empower ALL people. Because if there’s one thing my Boys & Girls Club taught me, it’s that everyone has the potential for greatness.

And when it’s time for my election year, I know I’ll have supporters across all generations who believe in my vision, too.

Regaining My Sense of Control

Joining Boys & Girls Clubs of Northern Indiana Corridor coincided during a hard time for my family. I was five years old and my family of 12 was still grieving after losing my older brother to gun violence a few years prior. As part of our healing process, my parents enrolled my twin brother and me in our local Boys & Girls Club to provide us with a source of stability.

Over the next two years, I found mentors and friends who coaxed away my shyness and ignited my confidence. Then, I enrolled in a school that made it more difficult to attend the Club regularly, and I lost touch with many of the people with whom I confided in most.

Years later, the pandemic further disrupted my sense of control. I was a model student throughout elementary school, but when my school closed and classes moved online, my grades and enthusiasm for learning dropped. I went from being able to high-five my favorite teacher walking into class to waving from my laptop at home. The social disconnect I felt outside of my family affected my mental health, too. My parents saw the change in me and realized how much having a consistent structure to my day mattered to me, which led me back to the Club in ninth grade.

To help me feel more in control, my Club mentors empowered me to be more organized and independent. I began using to-do lists and calendars to stay ahead, which helped me rebalance my grades when in-person classes resumed. At the same time, my Club peers made me feel accepted and wanted, restoring my energy and self-worth. Realizing how much I needed to feel connected to others was a huge moment of growth for me, and I’ll always be grateful to my Club.

Advocating for My Community through Robotics & STEM

Since overcoming my shyness, I’ve learned that speaking up for myself and others is just one way to help my community. Breaking barriers is another.

I care deeply about investing in resources that prevent community violence and support young people’s mental health. By participating in STEM, arts and other after-school activities, more kids and teens can build the confidence, relationships and resilience they need to be successful in life.

Robotics helped instill these values in me — from competing nationwide on my Club’s robotics team to teaching an eighth-grade robotics course at our local charter school. My team and I even had a hand in developing our Club’s RV There Yet? Great Futures Inventor Center — a high-tech lab on wheels bringing STEM experiences to Indiana kids across five counties. I’m excited to keep up this momentum by launching robotics teams and LEGO leagues at all 35 of our Club’s locations, where I’ll help train teens to teach little ones the power of STEM.

Being Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s 2024-25 Midwest Youth of the Year also puts me in a powerful position to advocate for more young people. Through my Club, I’ve traveled from my state’s capital to Washington D.C. to discuss issues of critical importance to youth such as equal access to STEM opportunities, mental health resources and addressing community gun violence. Alongside my peers, I lobbied for a bill to provide funding for robotics teams in our area, even bringing my team’s 125-pound, blue-and-orange robot to the Indiana Statehouse to show lawmakers.

As a young woman of color, it would be easy for me to just be angry at how inequality affects our world every day. But I’ve learned that when I take the time to talk to others about their experiences, I am in a better position to share my own with them. Forging these relationships built on empathy is how I believe we can change hearts and minds.

Becoming a Leader in STEM, Healthcare (and one day) Politics

As a high school sophomore, I’m already taking dual college enrollment courses to pursue a career in healthcare.

I believe STEM and healthcare are equally important and interconnected. Not just because I find joy in them, but because women and people of color are still underrepresented in these fields, even more so in positions of leadership. I don’t plan on waiting until I’m well into my career before I start stepping up in these fields.

Good leaders care about those around them and work together to build stronger communities.

That’s what my teachers, family and Boys & Girls Club taught me, and it’s the kind of leader I want to be for all people in our country. So, don’t forget, vote Rima for President in 2044!

Great Leaders Start Here

Boys & Girls Clubs of America provides caring adult mentors and life-shaping programs to millions of kids and teens each year. In safe, inclusive places, youth build the skills and resilience to thrive in school, the workplace and in life. Join us on our mission of helping all young people reach their full potential: