High-Flying Bolles Freshman Takes International Spotlight for Advocacy, Philanthropy Bolles students throughout history have known achievement at the highest heights. Joe Kittinger '46, in the most literal example, set a world record for the highest skydive from space and was the first man to fully witness the curvature of the Earth. Others have been at the top of their game, like longtime Atlanta Braves third-baseman Chipper Jones '90 who was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. Bolles freshman and international STEM advocate Taylor Richardson '22 is blazing new ground for Bolles students in much the same way through unprecedented global fundraising and advocacy work uncommon for a student her age. Just this fall, Richardson was nominated as a 2018 Ebony Power 100People's Choice Award nominee for her community work in STEM. This accolade comes on the heels of a two-year, much publicized and well-funded campaign to inspire more young women of color to aim for the stars. Energized by her own positive experience at Space Camp, Richardson has spent the past several years trying to encourage more girls to get interested in science, space and STEM. Her advocacy work has been nothing short of epoch-making. Also known as Astronaut StarBright, Richardson hitched her philanthropic efforts to the sponsorship of movie screenings for "Hidden Figures" and "A Wrinkle in Time." Both mega movies promote positive representations of young black women excelling in science, technology, engineering and math. Through GoFund Me campaigns, Richardson raised more than $100,000 for screenings of "A Wrinkle in Time" across the Southeast with the support of entertainment luminaries like Oprah Winfrey, JJ Abrams and Chris Pine. This summer she hosted more than 10 "A Wrinkle in Time" movie screenings in Jacksonville and funded more than 15 campaigns across the United States and Australia. This summer she also made her first international speech in Ireland before hopping over to Ghana to support an orphanage for 17 girls. Richardson, has spoken extensively across Jacksonville and the U.S., including a talk at the 2017 March for Science event in Washington, D.C., but her trip to Ireland was the first time she presented on an international level. Called InspireFest, the Dublin-based festival attracted participants from around the world. Richardson spoke on her experiences as an "advocate, activist and philanthropist" and talked about a new "Lottie Doll" that has been designed in her image.
Vogue and has been the subject of many television interviews, including "Good Morning America." Most recently, she appears in a new Clean and Clear promotional video. As part of being named to the Teen Vogue 21 Under 21 list last year, she has enjoyed meeting many luminaries across the country including Serena Williams, whom Richardson met in Los Angeles at the 2019 Teen Vogue Summit. Richardson also hit the big screen this fall. Jacksonville filmmaker Lana Taylor, a Douglas Anderson School of the Arts student, made a movie on Richardson's efforts called "Astronaut StarBright: The Story of a STEM Advocate." The movie has received numerous awards that has taken both Richardson and Taylor to film premieres and festivals all over the country. The documentary premiered at the All-American High School Film Festival in October. Thanks to the generosity of mega-hit movie producer JJ Abrams and wife, Katie McGrath, Richardson and Taylor flew up to New York City to take part in the festival honors. The film was named an official 2018 selection at the Hollywood Independent Filmmaker Awards & Festival, the Los Angeles International Children's Film Festival and the Austin Film Festival. It was a winner in the 2018 Independent Documentary Awards. The film will premiere at the Atlanta children's Film Festival this summer. Richardson will premiere in her second documentary, "Fly Like a Girl," in 2019. The film is co-directed by Bolles alumnus Matt Wiatt '01.
During her trip to Ghana, she brought with her books, backpacks, magazines and toiletries for the girls, as well as soccer balls and cleats.
And just when we thought Richardson had reached the stars with her STEM advocacy philanthropy and film work, she proved there is always more work to be done right here on the ground. This Thanksgiving, Richardson hosted what she hopes will be her first annual senior luncheon. She raised funds to feed more than 360 seniors- and her grandmother- on Jacksonville's Northside. Richardson's fundraising enabled more than 10 vans to transport seniors to The Legends Community Center, where they enjoyed a catered meal and a take home bag from Farm Share.
Richardson has appeared on the cover and inside many international publications including Forbes, Sclwlnstic, Aviation far Girls and Teen
Bolles students are always finding ways to achieve AU Things Possible in their own trailblazing ways! •
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