Brittany Patton
Public Relations
Senior Elyse Gilmore takes any chance to rise as a leader, promoting social and school justice. Next year she takes that skill to Mizzou.
Gilmore is a part of Students for Awareness in Action (SAA), which made her Friendship queen nominee, Student Council, Webster Challenge and Students as Allies, where she and other students sit with administrators and discuss ways to improve the school while giving them a look into the students’ eyes.
Not only does Gilmore stand for the students, but she also helped with the school’s walk out for Michael Brown, who was shot by former officer Darren Wilson on Aug. 9, 2014.
“Basically, I made sure it stayed peaceful, made sure people got back to their classes, and also that people knew the reason we were out there,” Gilmore explained the role she played.
While students walked out their classes, some stayed behind. About why she took part in it, Gilmore said, “At some point you need to speak up, and it really hit close to home because it was my people, in my city, and he didn’t deserve to die.”
Next fall, Gilmore will be taking her belief of change to the campus of Mizzou. She plans on taking up education. She wants to be a teacher and eventually a counselor.
“I just always felt in my heart to help people and make sure they’re on track,” Gilmore said about why she wants to be a counselor.
