Emily Gibson was born in Hickory, North Carolina where she currently is a senior at Hickory High School. As a co-president for the school’s environmental club called H.E.A.T. (Hickory’s Environmental Action Team), she is passionate about educating the students and community about climate change and its effects on poverty. Emily is also an advocate for food justice and works toward supplying healthier meals to students in the public school system. Her club helped begin a recycling program at their school and also introduced solutions to cut down on daily food waste in the cafeteria. In addition to educating her peers on climate and social issues, Emily enjoys playing tennis, reading books, and tutoring at the local middle school.