Brittney Burns uses both the left and right sides of her brain. The high school senior sings, dances, acts, and loves engineering. However, she truly lights up when she talks about her volunteer trip to the Dominican Republic.

“We interviewed a group of women and asked which neighborhood project they wanted most,” she says. “They chose a playground.” Brittney and her fellow Global Glimpse students refurbished the local playground and built a gazebo in the center of the park.

Brittney credits her parents for shaping her drive, ambition, and passions. Her dad, a veteran, sparked her interest in biomedical engineering. At an engineering summer camp at the University of Chicago, she saw how STEM could change the lives of veterans and others who had lost limbs to disease.

Her mom also influenced her deeply. When her mom returned to school at 46 to earn a master’s degree, she showed Brittney that learning has no age limit. That example motivated Brittney to pursue graduate-level education in the future.

It’s no surprise that Brittney chose “compassion” as the one gift she would give to the world. She heads off to college this fall, and we’re thrilled to support her dream of becoming a biomedical engineer. Watch her video to hear her share her story in her own words!