Lillian Ellmore Wins Denny’s Hungry for Schooling™ Scholarship Contest

Denny’s Hungry for Schooling™ Digital Winners’ Celebration introduced PYD’s Lillian Ellmore because the nationwide winner of the Hungry for Schooling scholarship contest. Lillian was chosen by Denny’s Variety, Fairness & Inclusion Counsel made up of workers from enterprise useful resource teams. She was additionally awarded a $1,000 scholarship by means of PYD for her training at Excessive Level College the place she is majoring in Pre-Regulation.

Lillian plans to attend legislation college and desires of engaged on Capitol Hill as a incapacity lawyer the place she will have a good larger influence. “Winning would mean that I am closer to my goals of promoting greater inclusion for all. And since medical science has us all projected to live longer, the work we do now to empower those with disabilities will also help our future selves live a full life,” Lillian wrote in her utility.

Lillian has participated in PYD programming for a number of years, together with one-to-one mentoring and the Youth Management Discussion board (YLF) the place Lillian has been each a delegate and a Peer Chief.

“PYD has helped me significantly,” Lillian wrote. “In middle school, I struggled to find role models people who could show me how “this” (my incapacity) was imagined to be achieved. However there weren’t any that I may discover to narrate to. I linked with PYD and have met probably the most superb function fashions and mentors who've offered tons of steerage, laughter and help.” Lillian continues to be shut together with her final mentor and values her participation in YLF so she may give again to others and the power to provide again to others and promote the facility of mentorship.

Selling inclusion for these residing with disabilities has been a ardour for Lillian since a younger age. At 10 years previous, she started talking throughout the nation to fundraise for organizations supporting individuals residing with disabilities together with the Boston Crimson Sox, Women Scouts, and Canine Companions for Independence. She additionally spoke at Procter & Gamble on empowering workers with disabilities, leaving a optimistic impression on the viewers.

Excerpts from Lillian’s essay on how Denny’s can convey the group collectively:

By no means earlier than has one thing so simple as sharing a pancake breakfast turn into so vital to the well being and emotional stability of a nation. There's a large alternative for Denny’s to turn into a comforting house for communities to collect. Denny’s has offered that chance for individuals of numerous talents, ethnicities, and beliefs, to return collectively as a group, for over 60 years and may construct on its legacy and produce communities collectively by means of three initiatives:

1. Weekly meal sharing of group seniors and college students from an area college. Seniors in the present day are going through elevated isolation and the chance for them to spend time with youthful vitality could be very useful. For the kids, there may be a lot to be gained from studying from the knowledge of these with a lot larger life expertise.
2. A abilities coaching program for disabled younger adults consisting of a week-long program of instructing primary cooking, cleansing, serving and cashier abilities, and Denny’s providing employment to the scholars that excel.
3. Have each Denny’s dangle a TV monitor and invite of us to take photos of themselves with their family and friends, consuming at Denny’s and celebrating life’s moments; or a reminiscence board/nook, for many who don't want photographs, to as an alternative dangle up a newspaper article concerning the native staff or show a successful pumpkin.

Because the nationwide winner, Lillian will be a part of Denny’s as a Hungry for Schooling Model Ambassador on numerous occasions and campaigns, together with the Hungry for Schooling Tour scheduled for September by means of November 2022. Lillian will seem in-person, dwell streamed, or pre-recorded. The tour contains 5 school campuses and permits Denny’s to attach with college students for internship alternatives, rent graduates, and promote the scholarship alternative.

As well as, Lillian will probably be featured on Denny’s Hungry for Schooling web site, a print advert marketing campaign, and presumably a tv business. Denny’s can even work towards initiating a few of Lillian’s concepts to convey communities collectively.

View the Denny’s Hungry for Schooling™ Digital Winners’ Celebration on their Facebook page.