Tanner Holliday completes Envision National Youth Leadership Forum: STEM

Tanner Holliday, a sixth-grade student from Hillsboro, recently completed the Envision National Youth Leadership Forum: STEM, held at Bowling Green State University. Nominated by his teacher for this prestigious opportunity, Tanner joined students from across the United States to dive into a week of immersive, hands-on learning in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).

Throughout the program, Tanner explored a variety of STEM disciplines, including forensics, robotics, CAD systems, and several branches of engineering. One of the most memorable parts of the program for Tanner was participating in a science module where he had the opportunity to dissect a lamb—a first-time experience that left a lasting impression.

The program director emphasized that their goal was to avoid a traditional classroom atmosphere and instead foster an engaging, leadership-focused learning environment. All activities were designed to be hands-on, challenging students to collaborate, innovate, and problem-solve in real-world contexts.

Tanner also had the unique opportunity to stay over-night for 5  days on Bowling Green State University's campus, giving him a glimpse of college life and the chance to build lasting friendships with students from around the country.

Reflecting on his experience, Tanner shared, "It was a very clean place. I liked dissecting the lamb, and the robotics class was awesome. The experience overall was great, and I would do it again."

Tanner’s parents expressed their gratitude to everyone who supported him in making this journey possible, including those who contributed through a fundraising campaign. "This was truly a once-in-a-lifetime learning experience for Tanner, and we are so proud of how he represented our community," said his parents," Brandan and Bethany Holliday.