Jordyn Schara

At 14, Jordyn Schara created Helping Our Peers Excel, or HOPE, which recognizes, educates and inspires youth to grow by utilizing community service and volunteerism as tools to encourage them to take action and make a difference in the world. Through HOPE, Schara has inspired teens by creating community service projects like Comics 4 Change, Project Reading Equipment for America’s Defenders and Wisconsin Prescription Pill and Drug Disposal (WI P2D2).

After reading about the contamination of water from drugs being dumped down the drains, Schara created WI P2D2. But she discovered that these same drugs, if left unsecured in our homes, are causing the overdose deaths of teens. Our medicine cabinets are the new drug dealers. The prescription drugs that we leave unsecured in our homes are fueling the newest drug problem among America’s teens.

Schara and her first 24/7 pill and drug disposal drop box that was installed in the police station at Reedsburg, WI.

WI P2D2 has held numerous drug collection events, created more than 10 permanent drug collection programs, hosted a flu shot clinic, a free mercury thermometer swap, raised more than $40,000 and has helped keep more than 1,200,000 pounds of drugs out of our groundwater and the hands of children and teens. Her work has served more than 100,000 people in Wisconsin and she has spread awareness of the importance of proper prescription drug disposal.

Proving that age is just a number, Schara has achieved a great amount through her grassroots movement. She has addressed a serious problem and has helped keep thousands of teens and children safe in doing so. She is a source of knowledge for other communities who now turn to her for help with their own drug collection programs. Schara has inspired other teens to take action and become the problem solvers and change makers of their generation.