Student Profile: Becca Houlehan
There’s no denying that for many high school students life becomes a blur, jumping from activities, to school work, to jobs, to family responsibilities. Becca Houlehan takes that to the next level as she balances her course work as a junior at Notre Dame de Sion High School, her role as captain of the robotics team, cofounder of Equity.Period., Youth Research Advisory Board member for Children's Mercy, and most recently as a Social Change Intern with Startland EDU. We caught up with Becca in between passing periods and study halls to discuss what led her to participating in the Social Change Internship, her plans for the future, and how the Internship and Showcase led to more confidence, new friendships, and even successful fundraising.
Q: What is life like right now for Becca?
Becca and Izzy started Equity. Period. their freshman year of high school
A: A big part of my life right now is a friend of mine and I started a charity our freshman year called “Equity.Period.” and it’s all about providing period products for girls in the KCMO area. We support over seven schools and we give them menstruation products that they might not otherwise get. We stock in bathrooms, we hand them out, and we make period packs for the homeless. Recently I had the opportunity to testify in front of the Kansas State House to diminish the tax on period products. The bill was unfortunately not passed, but it was a really great opportunity.
I’m also really interested in STEM. I was asked to join my high school’s robotics team as an eighth grader and I’ve been captain of the team since freshman year. I was sent the information about Startland from the Youth Research Advisory Board which I’ve been a part of for around two years. With them I’ve been able to shadow a doctor and have been a part of multiple studies including ones on vaping, IUDs, and patient sedation.
Q: What do you want to do after high school? What are your goals?
A: I definitely want to achieve higher education and possibly get a PhD. I’m really interested in biomedical engineering and biology. I really love the idea of creating and helping with vaccines, medications and playing a part in increased dispersion of westernized medicine and fighting Malaria, and other fighting diseases that are so prevalent in developing countries.
Q: Where did you get the inspiration for starting Equity.Period.?
Equity. Period. Supplies 6+ schools with products.
A: It’s not a new or unique problem, to go into a restroom and you have these really old machines that are either empty or don’t work or that require quarters and not a lot of people, especially younger girls, carry around quarters. Both my friend and I experienced that. So we started with a bake sale just to get people to donate. We said we would put free period products in all the bathrooms at school and it was a really big hit. We then did some more digging and we found that period products are taxed as luxury items which is ridiculous. It’s not a luxury, it’s not something we choose.
We were thinking if we are privileged to go to a private school, we’re privileged to be able to go buy a pack of products and there’s a lot of people who don’t have that luxury so we started getting more invested in this issue. What if we looked into nurses and social workers at nearby schools? We found that they don’t have enough to support girls and we know girls who can’t come to school because they logistically can’t because of their periods so we started fundraising. We reached out to some people on Facebook and we started an Instagram account. Then we just started working on this issue and it really just snowballed. People started donating things like makeup pouches so we partnered up with Free Hot Soup and made period packs. At first we started going downtown with Free Hot Soup and handed them out with food and clothes and then people asked “Do you have wipes? We need wipes and other odds and ends that really make a big difference.” So we started doing more bake sales and doing drives. We started an Amazon Wishlist which was really great, and we have a Google form for nurses to fill out to request more products.
Q: What’s it like seeing this go from an idea to an organization?
A: To be honest these past two years have been a bit of a blur. I’ll have a freshman now, who runs into me or a friend of mine and has no idea that I helped start this and say, “Did you see? We have like three products here now. They’re like the stuff I would use at home.” It’s such an eye-opening experience that really showed me I am impacting people in my community.
Q: Why did you decide to apply to the Startland Social Change Internship Program?
A: I did some research and found that this really aligned with my interests, especially giving equal opportunities for girls and getting out into the community, pairing with community partners and overall making an impact which is something I’m really passionate about.
Q: How has working with Startland impacted your life?
A: I was really nervous because I didn’t know anyone in my group and I think I got really lucky because Startland put me in the women’s rights group and we really clicked. We still text after the internship and we talk about our lives, like applying for college. I love these girls. I love hanging out with them and seeing them. That was a big part and not a part I was expecting. Startland also connected me with so many amazing people in my community doing such amazing work. I was able to see the non-profit leaders and the politicians out there like Ms. Weber whom I thought was incredible.
Also, we (Equity.Period.) actually just presented to the Leawood Rotary Club and the showcase helped me prepare to talk and to give a presentation to the people who were there. Because of that preparation they actually emptied their wallets and gave us a check for $1000 right after our presentation, and they’ve never done that. Startland helped me grow in my confidence, especially with presenting and talking with people. A lot of people my age get a little intimidated, thinking that we don’t have a lot to say or that we don’t have a voice and that people don’t want to hear what we want to talk about. Seeing that people want to hear from us, and are really interested in what we’re doing was a big part for me and was really inspiring. It helped me become more confident and secure.
Q: What would you say to encourage students to apply for this internship?
Becca’s cohort of the Social Change Internship
A: Even if you don’t think that this is for you, there are a lot of different directions you could take this opportunity. It helps you grow as a more confident person and become more secure. This program helps you with real life experiences and prepares you for things down the road. It connects you with a bunch of amazing community partners and opens a lot of doors for you.
Q: As a young person with hopes of changing the world, why is it important for you that adults invest in your generation now?
A: It’s fostering and taking care of the future generation who will be in their spots in a few years. It’s important that they are leaders and role models but it’s also important because their time, their donations, they shape us and help us experience life changing opportunities. They foster our ability to grow as stronger people, as more involved community members, and that’s really important. Taking care of your community, giving back, and in turn it helps us give back to them in the long term.
Q: Tell me about a time that you were recently inspired by someone or something.
A: To be honest, the biggest time I have been inspired recently was definitely by Ms. Weber. Coming from a different background with the art degree I know there are probably a lot of people out there like that. I was just really impressed with her story and am grateful that Startland was able to connect us.
Q: What’s your favorite type of Pop-Tarts?
A: I’d probably say the strawberry kind with the frosting on top.
