Jesse Mattleman, 18

Accomplishments: During her freshman year, Mattleman created a mentoring program that teams a high school band student with one or more middle school students. The program started with more than 100 students, now involves about 300, and inspired the school orchestra to create a similar program. As a sophomore, Mattleman launched ``Make a Statement Day" to break down social barriers between school cliques. During the event, which is held annually in December, students and staffers write a statement on a T-shirt with glue and glitter and then talk about it in class. The event and the mentoring programs should continue next year.

Destination: Central and South America to teach for a year and then Clark University in Worcester

In her words: ``Middle school to high school is a big step. Anything that can bridge that gap is important. The program is more than the band and the instruction. If you know you have an ally who is like a big brother or a big sister figure, then everything feels safer and more comfortable and that's important in life. There have been days when I've walked into the middle school and the pairs have not only been playing music but are playing board games and talking about life. It really has snowballed into something much bigger.

``I'm much more about people and creativity. I just try to do my thing. I will always be involved in community or nonprofit work. The focus for me is creating and communicating, and empowering people through that."

In the words of middle-school instrumental music teacher John McLellan: ``She doesn't just go with the flow, she wants to change the world."