February Youth of the Month Raised $7,000 for Riley Children’s Hospital

By Jessie Mitchell

Castle High School senior Audrey Titzer has devoted much of her last four years to serving others, most prominently as an Executive Board Member for Castle’s Riley Dance Marathon (RDM). Her devotion to serving and leading at school and within the community has earned her Youth Resources’ February Youth of the Month honors.

“Service and leadership are very important to me. I love the feeling of knowing I am helping others in my community,” Audrey said. “The first two years of being involved with RDM, I was on a committee where I raised money at grocery stores, sporting events, and within my neighborhood. My junior and now senior year, I was nominated to be on the Executive Board as the Vice President of External Affairs. I am now in charge of setting up givebacks at restaurants, creating fundraising opportunities in the community, and continue to work at sporting events as much as I can.”

During her years at Castle Audrey has raised over $7,000 for Riley Children’s Hospital through her involvement.

Audrey’s Academic Advisor Emily Garett nominated Audrey for Youth of the Month and described her “unmatched passion” for the clubs and activities she is involved within school. “There are not many student leaders that have a passion for getting a job done. Audrey works tirelessly to make sure that the work is done,” Garett said. “She carries herself with great pride and is well respected by students and faculty. She also is humble and honest in all of her approaches as a leader, which makes her wonderful to work with.”

One of the ways Audrey motivates herself to “get the work done” is through her ability to be empathetic to the needs of others: “I often try and put myself in the shoes of the kids at Riley Children’s Hospital and think that if I was having to stay in a hospital bed due to an unfortunate illness or disease, I would hope that someone was out there in the world trying to raise money for me – so that someday, there would be a cure for my illness which would allow me to go home to my own bed. This is the type of drive that keeps me wanting to do more and more for these kids, every second that I can,” Audrey said.

“Audrey works tirelessly and selflessly to accomplish her goals. Whether it be in sports, academia, or service, she stops at nothing to accomplish her goals,” said English teacher Lauren Moore. Moore is also a co-advisor for the Riley Dance Marathon, where she says “it has been a joy to see her passion ignite” for the cause.

Aside from her involvement with RDM, Audrey has also spearheaded other service events during her time at Castle.

When a fellow student passed away due to bone cancer over the summer of their sophomore year, Audrey wanted to do something to honor her peer. “He was one of the sweetest guys you’ve ever met. I talked to others in Student Council, and we decided to make this our class project,” Audrey said.

The students raised $300, which they used to purchase a tree and plaque, that they later planted at his family’s restaurant. Audrey described this project as one of the most meaningful she did while in school.

“Being named Youth Resources’ Youth of the Month means so much to me. I try my hardest to care and put others before myself. I’ve learned that helping others just makes me feel more positive and joyful,” Audrey said.

After graduation, Audrey will attend Rockhurst University in Kansas City, Missouri, where she will continue to play lacrosse. She plans to major in Pre-Law and minor in Business Marketing, and hopes to one day become a defense attorney.

To nominate a student ages 5-18 for Youth of the Month, click here.