Young Women in Leadership
Award
The Zonta Young Women in Leadership Award recognizes young women*, ages 16-19, for demonstrating leadership skills and commitment to public service and civic causes, and encourages them to continue their participation in public and political life.
*To be eligible, you must consistently live and identify as a woman.
Complete Your Application for the
Young Women in Leadership Award Below
The Zonta Foothills Club of Boulder County is honored that you want to share your impressive accomplishments as a leader in your school and your community.
2027 APPLICATIONS ARE DUE BY 11:59 PM, MONDAY, MARCH 1st, 2027.
To qualify for this scholarship, you must :
be 16-19 years old on April 1, 2027.
be studying at a secondary school, college, or university in a Zonta district/region.
You will be evaluated for your:
Active commitment to volunteerism.
Experience in local government, student government, or workplace leadership (paid or unpaid).
Volunteer leadership achievements.
Support in Zonta International's mission of building a better world for women and girls.
The Zonta Foothills Club winner will be awarded $5,000 and can be considered at the district/international level, for an additional financial reward of $6,000. The district/international winner will be announced on July 1.
The initial steps are easy. All you need are these four main elements:
Candidate’s contact information
Two Letters of Recommendation (emailed to president@zontafoothills.org)
Contact information for your two Recommenders
Complete the official YWLA Application - Download Here
Please note the “Verification of Current Enrollment” on page 7 must be completed by your school.
Let’s get started…
The Zonta Foothills Club winner will be awarded $5,000.
The winning application will be sent for consideration at the district/international level, and the opportunity to be awarded an additional financial reward of $6,000. The district/international winner will be announced on July 1.
Our 2026 Young Women in Leadership Award Winner, Sena Williams
The Zonta Foothills Club of Boulder County is honored to introduce Sena Williams, a graduate of Monarch High School. She was the chair of the Louisville Youth Advisory Board, where she worked with a group of peers to create annual community projects, including running the City’s Pet Mayor election. She also led presentations to City Council and presented to the Regional Air Quality Committee to share youth perspectives on climate change and air quality. She participated in theater at Monarch, where she was a Thespian Officer and the head of the costumes department, organizing theater events and designing and creating costumes for the school productions. She was also the Co-President of Eco Club, and she worked on several initiatives to make her school and her community more sustainable, including the creation of a pollinator garden and an effort to implement composting in the school cafeteria.
In college, Sena plans to double major in Environmental Science and International Relations. She hopes to integrate the study of the environment with her passion for global studies. She hopes to work on solving environmental issues in communities across the world and mitigate the effects of environmental injustice.
Our 2026 Young Women in Leadership 2nd-place Winner, Chelsea Dietz
Also a graduate of Monarch High School, Chelsea is driven by a commitment to health equity and community impact. She plans to pursue a pre-medical track studying Biology with a minor in Spanish. Her passion for medicine has been shaped by over 200 hours volunteering in the New Life division at AdventHealth Avista Hospital, where she witnessed how language barriers and systemic inequities affect patient care.
A dedicated leader, she served as captain of the school’s cross country team, fostering a culture of inclusion and mentorship, and held leadership roles in multiple honor societies, connecting peers with real-world science and service opportunities. Beyond school, she worked with her city’s Youth Advisory Board to elevate youth voices and organize community initiatives.
As a future physician, she hopes to combine clinical care with advocacy to ensure all patients, especially women and underserved communities, receive compassionate, culturally informed healthcare.
