Lauryn Ballard is a 17 year-old senior at South Broward High School. She is passionate about writing and literature and plans to use journalism as an outlet for her literary creativity and interest in social issues.

Ballard's greatest academic strengths are English and Composition, with Math being her weakness. She prefers work that is open to interpretation and explication, instead of concepts that are formulaic and inflexible. Despite this, she pushes herself to be proficient in every course she takes.

Ballard currently serves as president of Mentoring Tomorrow's Leaders and as a member of Key Club and Upward Bound. After school, she spends most of her time studying or hanging out with friends. She surrounds herself with people who she feels will support her and her aspirations, as well as facilitate their own. She finds interest in leadership-based activities and someday hopes to become a one herself.

Ballard prides herself on her analytical and organization skills. She knows how to effectively assess a situation, and figure out how to approach it. She prefers to work alone for most things, but wants to become better at working with others.