Kathryn LaLonde, 2021 Significant Challenge College Scholarship Finalist
Kathryn LaLonde, a graduating senior at Montgomery Blair High School, serves as a member of her school’s Youth Advisory Board. Drawing from her own experiences with sexual assault in middle school, she is striving to launch a nationwide campaign to provide guidance for school districts on sexual assault policy reform. Kathryn refused to remain silent after being placed in the same classroom as the person who assaulted her, and has since continued speaking up as a survivor and as a youth leader for Stop Sexual Assault in Schools (SSAIS).
Kathryn shares, “The school failed me. The system failed me. I knew I needed to do something, so I channeled my frustration with a broken system into advocacy.” She hopes to encourage reform in order to stop the pervasive culture of gender violence in schools through steps such as implementing student and teacher training and making it more accessible to report misconduct in schools. Kathryn recognizes the deep impact of sexual assault, and writes that through her advocacy, “I began to heal, and I also began to help myself by taking the time to self-reflect and recover.”
In addition to her passion for sexual assault policy reform, Kathryn is involved as the Ombudsman of her school’s newspaper, enjoys theater, and volunteers at a food bank local to her hometown of Tacoma Park, MD. She plans to attend American University next fall.
Richie’s Spirit Foundation congratulates Kathryn LaLonde on being selected as a 2021 Finalist!