1. The Personality: Samiyah Womack
Age: 11 / Fifth grader at Kennard Classical Junior Academy
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Samiyah’s résumé is nearly as big as her personality—not surprising for someone with her own IMDb page. As a toddler, she landed a nationwide print ad with Walmart, and a star was born. Since then she has excelled at acting, Afro-fusion dance, and archery; has created one-of-a-kind eyeglasses (a successful company called Visions of Love); and has done voiceover work. She not only lights up the stage but also lights up life.
When was your big break? Last Friday, when I was cast in a Nickelodeon movie! I jumped up and down and sang, and I shed one tear when I found out.
Who has been your biggest influence? My biggest influences in acting are Zendaya Coleman and Skai Jackson.
What do you want to be when you grow up? I want to continue to be an actress, and I want to be a doctor and maybe a dancer.
2. The Entrepreneur: Sidney Keys III
Age: 12 / Seventh grader at Loyola Academy
Reading has opened many doors for Sidney Keys III. “I never thought that reading would take me to the next level,” he says. “I have been able to travel, meet really cool people, and spread awareness to thousands of people about how important reading is and how important African-American literacy is.” In an effort to boost literacy rates, Sidney founded an African-American book club in 2016 for boys ages 7 to 13 called Books N Bros. He’s since received praise from Oprah and received CNN’s Young Wonder Award. Today, Sidney spends about 10 to 15 hours per week preparing for the monthly book club, which has about 85 members nationally. And this budding entrepreneur has no plans to stop there.
Who has been your biggest influence? My mom! She has helped me to be a great reader and spread awareness about it!
What do you want to do as an adult? I still want to have Books N Bros—like, forever—but I want to have other people working for me all over the country and have other businesses. I am not quite sure what else to have a business for right now.
3. The Humanitarian: Madeline Domian
Age: 13 / Eighth grader at Rockwood South Middle School
Two and half years ago, Madeline began to deliver “Katie-Do Kare Kits” to young patients going through chemotherapy. She wanted to do something for others to keep alive the memory of her aunt, Katie, who passed away from gastrointestinal cancer in 2015. To date, she’s made 1,100 kits. Each kit has activities (such as coloring books and crayons), comfort items (blankets, pillows), and everyday essentials (lotions, sanitizer). Madeline’s won several awards and gained national recognition, but knowing that she’s making a difference is all that matters to her.
What was your big break? When my whole school helped me put together kits. My goal was to make 20, but with everyone helping we ended up making 50 kits!
Who has been your biggest influence? My Aunt Katie-Do, a special lady who I looked up to, but I also get photos of the kids receiving their kits. These photos truly make my heart melt. Their reactions are priceless.
What do you want to do when you grow up? My dream is that every single kid diagnosed with cancer gets a kit! It’s a big goal, but I’m really determined to try.
4. The Academic: Alice Liu
Age: 11 / Seventh grader at Crestview Middle School
Alice may be among the top five performers at regional, state, and national level competitions in math, but it’s spelling that’s garnered her fame. As a fifth grader, she was the youngest competitor at the Scripps National Spelling Bee in 2017. To qualify, she first won the local St. Louis Post-Dispatch Spelling Bee (two years in a row!), which earned her a spot at the national bee in 2017 and again in 2018. She finished 34th this year— but she still has two more eligible years ahead of her.
What was your big break? My second-grade teacher recognized my talent to memorize words was way above my grade level, and I then I won my school bee in fourth grade—the earliest grade a student is eligible to participate at Wild Horse Elementary. Participating in spelling bees has been an extraordinary journey for me, because it not only expanded my vocabulary but also improved my ability to manage pressure. Really, the journey all started with my insatiable desire for reading, probably even before kindergarten.
Who’s been your biggest influence? My mom! She is beautiful, caring, fun, inspiring, hard working, and always patient. She, my dad, and my brother have been extremely supportive throughout my journey.
What would you like to do as an adult? I would like to be a doctor and make people happy and healthy. Or I would like to be a teacher, so I can read fascinating books to my class, return home early, and enjoy summer time.
5. The Song Bird: Peyton Long
Age: 11 / Sixth grader at Blessed Sacrament Catholic School
It’s all about the music for Belleville resident Peyton Long. She’s not only the lead singer of a band (currently called Stompbox and the Mixtapes) but she also plays the bass and keyboard. The band, made up of a friend and two cousins who started jamming together at the School of Rock, has performed at Busch Stadium, The Pageant, Delmar Hall, and the Old Rock House but is also a regular act at school picnics, community events, and fundraisers. They mainly cover classic hits from Janis Joplin, the Beatles, Nirvana, and the like. In Peyton’s free time, she focuses on charitable pursuits.
What was your big break? School of Rock! I started going when I was 8, and that changed everything.
Who has been your biggest influence? My parents. They are always listening to music and have been taking me to concerts since I was a baby.
What do you want to be when you grow up? I’m not exactly sure yet, but I know I want to travel.
6. The Commentator: Gabe Fleisher
Age: 16 / Junior at John Burroughs School
In 2008, Barack Obama won an historical presidential election and somewhere a 6-year-old found his calling. At that time, politics had sparked something in Gabe’s mind, but it took three years to catch fire. In 2011, at age 9, Gabe began writing a blog called Wake Up To Politics primarily as a way to talk to his mom about what was going on in the news. As parents often do, she had to rush out in the mornings to go to work, so instead she subscribed to his email newsletter. Now, seven years later, Gabe has grown the newsletter and blog to include tens of thousands of followers and has appeared on CNN and TBS’s Full Frontal with Samantha Bee. And yes, his mom still subscribes.
What was your big break? Being profiled in The New York Times last year was definitely the biggest moment of growth for my mailing list. I had about 2,000 readers before the profile, and I gained 35,000 more in the days after.
Who is your biggest influence? There are a number of journalists whose reporting I admire: Maggie Haberman of The New York Times, Dan Balz of The Washington Post, Jonathan Swan of Axios, to name a few.
What do you want to be when you grow up? I’d like to continue working as a journalist.
7. The Coder: Ryan Fogarty
Age: 14 / Freshman at John Burroughs School
As a fourth grader, Ryan taught himself how to write code with Scratch, a free programming language and online community created by MIT. The following year, he entered his LEGO EV3 robot at The Academy of Science St. Louis Science Fair and took home a first-place ribbon. A few years later, his tech prowess earned him the prestigious Certificate of Achievement at the National Youth Leadership Forum: Pathways to STEM, a week-long career advancement camp for students. Besides coding, Ryan plans to play soccer and tennis in high school.
What was your big break? “He hasn’t had one big break,” says Ryan’s mom, Carolyn. “It has all been very natural and easy going for him.”
Who is your biggest influencer? James Halliday, a programmer in the [book and] movie Ready Player One. He created the Oasis, a wonderful space that brought people together and let them experience all kinds of video games. He didn’t do it for the money but for the joy of creating something wonderful.
What would you like to do as adult? I want to be a computer programmer and a part-time YouTuber, posting video-game videos.
8. The Performer: Nicaya Wiley
Age: 17 / Senior at Kirkwood High School
The youngest of three kids, Nicaya is a passionate, outgoing teen. Earlier this year, she won the St. Louis Teen Talent Competition (hosted by The Fox Performing Arts Charitable Foundation) and took home an $8,000 college scholarship. She credits her time as a student at COCA to introducing her to the dance world. After an intensive summer training with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in New York City, she hopes to return to the city next year as a freshman at Juilliard, Fordham, or SUNY.
What was your big break? Being featured on Season 2 of Lifetime’s Dance Moms, in 2012, because it got me recognized worldwide as a dancer.
Who has been your biggest influence? Anthony Burrell has been a major influence for me, because he has done everything that I dream of doing as a dancer.
What do you want to be when you grow up? As an adult, I’d love to be in a modern dance company, such as Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. I’d also like to spend some time doing commercial dance, such as hip-hop and Broadway shows.
9. The Acrobats: St. Louis Arches (Circus Harmony)
Malik Leeks / Age: 13; Sarah Kuhlman /Age: 14; Sabrina Skaggs / Age: 15; Finn McNamee /Age: 13; Jahlah Baum / Age: 15; Kyran Walton / Age: 14; Oliver Layher / Age: 17
To be a member of Circus Harmony’s youth performance troupe, students must be able to tumble, juggle, and do aerial acts—skills that don’t come easy. The Arches practice 30 hours per week during the summer, in addition to acting and dance classes. Besides Saturday performances at City Museum, they’ve traveled to Puerto Rico, NYC, and Chicago.
What was your big break? In 2017, the troupe performed at the Smithsonian’s 50th Anniversary Folklife Festival on the National Mall and on the Millennium Stage at The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
Who is your biggest influencer? Sidney Iking Bateman, who is touring with Cirque du Soleil.
What do you want to be when you grow up? Among the seven members, five want to be circus performers, one a pediatric oncologist, and one a dermatologist.
10. The Champion: Jason Zhou
Age: 17 / Senior at John Burroughs School
St. Louis is not only home to the World Chess Hall of Fame but also this three-time state chess champ. He’s not just an elite chess competitior, though. Last year, he qualified for the American Invitational Mathematics Examination, featured his artwork in the St. Louis Artists’ Guild’s Young Artists’ Showcase, and played violin with the all-state orchestra.
When was your big break? In third grade, when I got first in a state chess tournament.
Who has been your biggest influence? My parents. They gave me opportunities to try things out in elementary school and encouraged me to pursue what I wanted.
What do you want to be when you grow up? I am purposely leaving my future careers open.
