Meet the Founder
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I am a scholar, leader, social entrepreneur, performing artist, and language and culture enthusiast who is committed to service.
Kennedi M. Bickham
Kennedi Bickham, a senior at the University of Chicago Laboratory High School, is dedicated to service and leadership to her family, church, school and community. As a Daniel Murphy Scholar, Chicago Scholar and Yale Young Global Scholar, Kennedi has a global perspective on leadership that has helped her to be sensitive, empathetic and accepting of people from all backgrounds and abilities.
Since the age of 7, Kennedi has been heavily involved in scouting through Girls Scouts and more recently, American Heritage Girls. Through her personal growth in character development, mastery of many life skills, exposure to the outdoors and conviction about her personal faith, Kennedi has made service to her family, church, school and community a top priority in her life. At church, Kennedi enjoys serving by singing, dancing and playing the drums. As a Presidential Volunteer Service Award recipient, Kennedi has amassed over 2,600 service hours as a high school student.
In 2013, Kennedi co-founded, Swap and Share, the largest annual giveaway of clothing, shoes and household items in her community. Through Swap and Share, over 900 underprivileged, low-income and homeless people were served and more than 18,000 pounds of clothing, textiles and furniture have been kept out of landfills. Kennedi also founded two organizations, Get Away From Your Everyday and Thrift N’ Vinyl, that focus on sustainable living and the importance of caring for the mental health of youth between the ages of 13 - 18 - more than 80 students have been served.
Kennedi was recognized by her school as the recipient of its highest service award and currently serves as Vice President of Student Council, Board Member of Student Experiential Theater, Captain of the Dance Troupe, Maroon Key Society member, A Peer Mentor, A Peer Advisor and member of the Director’s Subcommittee on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Kennedi’s latest endeavor is “The Pretty Hat Project” which is a national wig drive dedicated to helping women who are suffering from hair loss due to cancer. She founded the project to serve cancer patients and survivors and to honor family members who lost their battle to cancer. Grants that Kennedi has received from the Karma for Cara Foundation, Generation On, The Power of Youth Challenge, and Points of Light have supported her various service projects. Kennedi was recently selected as the Illinois Volunteer of the Week, is a regional finalist for the Coca-Cola Scholarship, a quarter-finalist for the Elks Most Valuable Student Scholarship, and a semi-finalist for the Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholarship. In her spare time Kennedi enjoys spending time with family and friends, reading, watching movies, thrifting, styling clothing, creating make-up looks, dancing and attending athletic events.
Since the age of 7, Kennedi has been heavily involved in scouting through Girls Scouts and more recently, American Heritage Girls. Through her personal growth in character development, mastery of many life skills, exposure to the outdoors and conviction about her personal faith, Kennedi has made service to her family, church, school and community a top priority in her life. At church, Kennedi enjoys serving by singing, dancing and playing the drums. As a Presidential Volunteer Service Award recipient, Kennedi has amassed over 2,600 service hours as a high school student.
In 2013, Kennedi co-founded, Swap and Share, the largest annual giveaway of clothing, shoes and household items in her community. Through Swap and Share, over 900 underprivileged, low-income and homeless people were served and more than 18,000 pounds of clothing, textiles and furniture have been kept out of landfills. Kennedi also founded two organizations, Get Away From Your Everyday and Thrift N’ Vinyl, that focus on sustainable living and the importance of caring for the mental health of youth between the ages of 13 - 18 - more than 80 students have been served.
Kennedi was recognized by her school as the recipient of its highest service award and currently serves as Vice President of Student Council, Board Member of Student Experiential Theater, Captain of the Dance Troupe, Maroon Key Society member, A Peer Mentor, A Peer Advisor and member of the Director’s Subcommittee on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Kennedi’s latest endeavor is “The Pretty Hat Project” which is a national wig drive dedicated to helping women who are suffering from hair loss due to cancer. She founded the project to serve cancer patients and survivors and to honor family members who lost their battle to cancer. Grants that Kennedi has received from the Karma for Cara Foundation, Generation On, The Power of Youth Challenge, and Points of Light have supported her various service projects. Kennedi was recently selected as the Illinois Volunteer of the Week, is a regional finalist for the Coca-Cola Scholarship, a quarter-finalist for the Elks Most Valuable Student Scholarship, and a semi-finalist for the Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholarship. In her spare time Kennedi enjoys spending time with family and friends, reading, watching movies, thrifting, styling clothing, creating make-up looks, dancing and attending athletic events.
2600+
Hours of Community Service
Educational Travel Abroad
Italy, England & France
Daniel Murphy Scholar
Chicago Scholar Yale Young Global Scholar
Presidential Volunteer Award Recipient
Some of Kennedi's Favorites...
ACTIVITIES
Northwestern Medical Discovery Program
Advocate Christ Hospital
IL Chapter - National Organization of Minority Architects
Covenant Harbor Bible Camp
American Heritage Girls
Younglife
INTERNSHIPS
University of Chicago - Department of Economics
DuSable Museum of African American History
SCHOLARSHIPS
CIEE Global Navigator Study Abroad
- Seoul, South Korea (Summer 2022)
Young Entrepreneurs Academy
Global Leader
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Student Guide
Dance Troupe
American Heritage Girls
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