Photos: (Seventeen Magazine)
Ready to feel like a complete failure?! Kidding (sort of)! Ready to feel totally inspired by 5 amazing young women?! Seventeen magazine has selected finalists in its Pretty Amazing contest, and each of them definitely lives up to the title.
Now it's up to you to help select the winner, who will be on the October cover of Seventeen and receive a $20,000 scholarship from Neutrogena Wave for Change. Check out the girls' bios, and then head over to the contest's official website to vote for your fave. Warning: when reading the following, try your best not to feel like crap because you didn't cure an incurable disease in your adolescence!
+Brittany McMillan, 17, LGBT Activist
True story: I celebrated Spirit Day last year not knowing that it was started by Pretty Amazing finalist Brittany McMillan! In 2010, Brittany's request for people to wear purple in honor of bullied members of the LGBTQ community spread like wildfire -- from a single Facebook status to a yearly event with 2 million participants. NBA, MTV, the cast of Glee, and tons of other celebs rock purple every October 20. Brittany's story demonstrates the power every individual has to change the world. It all starts with an idea.
+Kim Anyadike, 18, Record-Setting Pilot
In 2009, Kim became the youngest African American female to fly across the country. She was only 15 years old, which means she took a 7,000 mile, 13-day flight before most teens can even drive to 7-Eleven for a blue raspberry Slurpee! Kim's dream is to become a cardiovascular surgeon and use her flying skills to get from patient to patient in third world countries. BTW, I was 15 when I finally learned to microwave a Hot Pocket without turning it into a scalding weapon of mass destruction. Pretty amazing, huh?
+Lindsay Brown, 21, All-Star Athlete and Mentor
Lindsay B. is an all-star soccer player (she helped Notre Dame win the 2010 NCAA Division 1 Women's Soccer Championship) who knows that the benefits of playing sports are much more than just physical. During a trip to Nepal with nonprofit She's The First, Lindsay helped start the country's first all-girls soccer team, and instantly noticed a positive change in the girls' confidence and demeanors. Lindsay recently started her own nonprofit, The SEGway Project, to connect athletes with girls in developing countries.
+Chloe Freytag, 18, Ballet Starlet
Three years ago, Chloe left the comfort of home to pursue her dreams. Today, at 18, she is the youngest professional dancer at the Miami City Ballet. As a member of the Corps de Ballet -- a position that many dancers don't reach until their 20s -- Chloe tests her physical and emotional strength daily, all the while making it look so easy! Chloe is most def. a black swan!
+Lindsay Giambattista, 21, Fashionista for a Cause
Lindsay G. is an aspiring fashion designer and the founder of Taylor's Closet, an organization that gives girls in foster care access to brand new designer clothes. Since its inception in 2005, Taylor's Closet has transformed from a makeshift shop at a foster agency into a large boutique that is partnered with major retailers such as XOXO and Free People. Lindsay believes that all girls should have access to beautiful clothes and the confidence that comes from wearing them, regardless of where they come from. With all her style and success, I kinda wonder if Italian fashion designer Giambattista Valli was named after her! Kidding, 'cause obvi GV is older than LG but you get my joke.
Now take action below to vote for your fave! And remember, while we may not all be pilots or protégés, it's never too late to be Pretty Amazing in our own ways.
