60 Examples of Detroit Genius: 1-10
Detroit youth possess genius. Their talent comes in all forms: academics, arts, sports, service to the community, and more.
To celebrate Detroit genius, we asked the community-at-large to let us know of young people who astonish and inspire.
Here, we highlight the first ten honorees.
Aaron Goodson
Age: 19
Genius: Computer Whiz
Through his work with JOURNi, Aaron creates apps for Detroit organizations and won the 2018 W3R Consulting S.T.E.M. scholarship.
Adelaide Egger
Age: 9
Genius: Gifted Seamstress
Adelaide used her sewing prowess to sew masks for frontline workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Aliyah Ward
Age: 22
Genius: Finance Expert
Aliyah uses her business acumen to teach financial literacy in her community and to help small businesses get off the ground.
America Yahya
Age: 21
Genius: Community Organizer
America spearheads neighborhood programs in Southwest Detroit from cleanup efforts to college prep opportunities for students.
Andrea Hernandez
Age: 15
Genius: Engineer Extraoedinaire
An aspiring engineer, Andrea was an apprentice at Wayne State’s Mobile Energy Lab and has received a full scholarship to attend a prestigious private school.
Auriel Blakey, DaJhai Davis, Laylah Baker, & Mariah Kent
Ages: 15
Genius: Community Service Pioneers
These young leaders are tackling food insecurity by creating the first Little Free Pantry in Detroit.
Autumn Campbell
Age: 14
Genius: Superior Speller
Autumn made Sampson-Webber Leadership Academy proud by representing them in the Scripps Spelling Bee at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History.
Brandon Johnson
Age: 24
Genius: Delectable Chef
Brandon owns and operates Lottie + Grace Catering.
Brandon Johnson, Daria Beavers, Deshawn Lindsay, Diamond Dantzler, Ianna Mosby, & Sarah Scarborough of Cooking with a Purpose
Ages: 19-22
Genius: Culinary Artists
Having won $7,500 in a Community Connections business pitch competition, these young chefs are launching their own catering business.
DEPSA Varsity Girls Basketball Team
Ages: 15-18
Genius: State Champion Basketball Players
Winners of the Girls Varsity Basketball State Championship year after year, they are ranked number six in the nation!
Check out the full list of Detroit Genius honorees and share this blog using #DetroitGenius.
The Skillman Foundation
The Skillman Foundation is a grantmaking organization established in 1960 by Rose Skillman. We have granted out more than $730 million and have served as a vocal advocate to strengthen K-12 education, afterschool programming, child-centered neighborhoods, youth and community leadership, and racial equity and justice.
We are in the process of developing a new strategic framework, co-designed with Detroit youth and their champions.