For participants under 13, an adult ally (for example, a teacher, youth worker, parent, or mentor) must complete the submission on your behalf. The story itself should be written in the young person’s own words and perspective. The adult’s role is purely administrative, ensuring safeguarding requirements are met and that you are supported through the process. This is simply to make sure we’re following safeguarding best practice and that you’re supported throughout the process by someone who knows your journey.
I am an adult ally submitting this on behalf of a young changemaker
Name
Kristine Kvamme
Role / Relationship to the young person
parent
Email address
Preferred Contact number
6194173549
Organisation or school name (if applicable)
Harvard-Westlake School
Name of young person or team
Lauren Kvamme
Date of Birth
2009-07-15
If you are between 13 and 18 years old, please download this form, have your legal guardian fill it and then upload here.
Location (city or town)
Los Angeles
School or community group name
Harvard-Westlake School
Category of story
Youth Voice & Inclusion
Title
The Gap Between Knowing And Doing
Tell us your changemaking story.
When I was six, I traded a rare Disney pin for a glittery one I did not realize was common. I walked away thinking I had won. The trade was unfair because of information. Years later, tutoring students, I noticed the same pattern in conversations about money. Students would quietly ask, "I don't really know how a bank account works, is that bad?" They were not unintelligent. They were afraid everyone else already understood. I started Wealth Bridge Global to close that gap, building a team of eighteen student instructors who lead workshops with Junior Achievement and Boys & Girls Club. But teaching showed me something larger. Even informed students still made impulsive choices, because modern payment systems are designed to remove deliberation. Wealth Bridge now teaches both: confidence to participate and awareness of the systems shaping their decisions.
How do you hope your story will inspire others?
I want others to recognize that many of the struggles people face are not simply individual failures. Often, they are shaped by systems, environments, and access to information. When we treat every bad decision as a personal flaw, we miss the larger structures influencing those decisions. The students I work with are often highly capable; what they lack is confidence and the feeling that they belong in the conversation. Once that changes, learning becomes much more possible. I hope other young people understand that meaningful change can begin with noticing something small that others overlook. The most important work often starts not with expertise, but with curiosity, empathy, and the willingness to keep asking questions about how the world works and who it works for.
Who else is collaborating with you on this?
The team of eighteen student instructors at the heart of Wealth Bridge is what makes the work possible. The first students who joined the program now help recruit, mentor, and train newer instructors, so the work is increasingly being led by other young people rather than only by me. We also work closely with organizations including Junior Achievement SoCal and Boys & Girls Club, which connect us with the students and communities we serve. Through Junior Achievement’s network, I have been able to extend the research internationally, conducting fieldwork in Costa Rica and arranging conversations with Junior Achievement Tokyo for this summer. The research side of the project has also been shaped by conversations with senior leaders at Goldman Sachs and Delta Airlines. This summer, I will work with HW Forge to build interactive learning modules, and I was recently selected as one of fifteen students nationwide to serve on Snap Inc.'s Council for Digital Well-Being, where I contribute a youth perspective on how platform design shapes young people's decisions.
I confirm that all information submitted is accurate and that I have obtained all necessary consents for participation and media use.
1
I understand that selected stories may be featured in the UK Changemaker Showcase and that Ashoka UK may contact me regarding next steps.
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I understand that this is not a competition but a celebration of youth leadership and changemaking.
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User Email
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