A few days ago, the Howard County Board of Education announced that for the 2026-2027 FY, $1.82 million will be allocated to fund 13 full-time athletic trainers for each and every Howard County high school. 1K+ petition signatures, 5 testimonies, and 3+ years later, I am so grateful to finally see this happen. Our student-athletes deserve proper care, and this is a massive step forward for sports safety in our community.

Along the way, I’ve had the privilege of sharing my advocacy on NATA Now, CBS News, and The Baltimore Sun. A huge thank you to Lydia Hicks, M.S., Dennis Valera, and Jacob Steinberg for amplifying this story and helping push this critical issue into the national spotlight.

I, and all my fellow student athletes, are so appreciative to everyone who signed, shared, and spoke up. We could have not done it without you!