Maya Sterling
Senior, Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School
The Pennies for Patients program at Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School was floundering. Most classes that participated in the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society fundraiser had raised $60 to $100 apiece, at best. That is, until Maya Sterling decided the school could do better.
As a freshman, her encouragement led her English class to raise $1,200—typically, the whole school only brought in about $5,000. During her sophomore year, she single-handedly organized a silent auction that raised $8,300. And as a junior she got the rest of the school in on the act, raising $14,600 through bake sales, restaurant nights and other activities.
Teachers and administrators say the Chevy Chase senior attacks every class and activity with the same energy and tenacity. Two years ago she pioneered Baronpalooza, a school-spirit event that was so popular it has become an annual occurrence. Since taking over as business manager of The Tattler, B-CC’s school newspaper, as a junior, she has helped to dig the paper out of debt. “She has sold more one-page ads in her short tenure as business manager than The Tattler had seen in the [previous] decade,” says newspaper adviser David Lopilato.
Fluent in Spanish, Maya helped add a Spanish-language section to the paper this year. She was also instrumental in creating a newsmagazine television show for MCPS-TV, a cable channel for Montgomery County Public Schools.
Maya, 17, is also part of the school’s International Baccalaureate program and co-chair of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Committee in the Student Government Association (SGA). “I’m just enthusiastic about the things I care about,” says Maya, who will attend Vassar College. “My spirit animal is a squirrel who’s got to find those nuts.”
“Charismatic, energetic and full of ideas” is how SGA sponsor Tim Gilmore describes her. “I’m starting now to recruit the five people I’ll need to replace Maya next year,” he says.