Lindsey Larkin

Hello! My name is Lindsey Larkin. I am a life-long homeschooler and graduate of the Classical Conversations Challenge program (May 2021). I have a great love of history and the American Constitution and I hope to continue sharing the importance of the American founding with others.

I enjoy public speaking and have emceed at both state and national events. In 2019, I was selected to serve as a social media representative at the National 4-H Legacy Awards, where I interviewed nationally acclaimed 4-H alumnae. I have won 4-H state public speaking contests in extemporaneous speech, prepared speech, and radio speaking.

I have served as Maryland 4-H State Council President since 2020 and routinely lead statewide meetings, events, and community outreach activities involving youth, teens, and adults;
as well as, develop content for youth state leadership programs.

After applying, I was selected to participate in 4-H leadership trips across the nation. Most notably, I presented to the U.S. Department of Energy in D.C. at National 4-H Conference and had the distinguished honor to be selected and to serve on the Youth Leadership Design Team 2019 at National 4-H Congress. In 2021, I was fortunate enough to win the Voice of Democracy Contest at districts and placed 3rd in the state contest. Additionally, I currently intern at my local U.S. Congressional District Office.

As a Marylander, I love Old Bay, seafood, and entering craft projects in the state fair. In my opinion, out of all of the state flags, ours is #1!

I am so grateful to Constituting America for their efforts in promoting the U.S. Constitution and our American principles of freedom. Winning this contest has been a dream of mine and I am so excited to join Constituting America in their mission!

Watch Lindsey’s Winning Short Film below:

https://vimeo.com/521624003[/embed

Our Interview With Lindsey

Was this the first time you entered the contest?
Yes!

How did you hear about the contest?
Back in March during the early weeks of the pandemic, I listened to Constituting America’s Zoom program with my family and this was where I first heard about the contest from founder, Janine Turner and former We the Future contest winner, Tova Love Kaplan. Listening to them inspired me to learn more about it on the Constituting America website.

What inspired your work?
As Americans, we constantly hear about how horrible our country is. Whether it be from politicians, media outlets, or academia, it’s hard to have any kind of insight into how our freedoms compare to those of other nations. My goal for this video was to compare and contrast American freedoms to those of other countries.

What did you learn while creating your entry?
I learned that while many countries might currently have human rights laws similar to those outlined in our American Constitution, they are not always set in stone, and they are subject to change. This is alarming to me as an American because throughout history we have seen countless dictators and corrupt officials take advantage of citizens for personal gain. If my freedoms were not specifically outlined in a permanent document, like our American Constitution, I would not feel secure as a citizen.

How do you plan to spread the word this year to your peers about the importance of the U.S Constitution?
This year I hope to be more vocal about my love for the U.S. Constitution and American history. Like so many others, I sometimes feel uncomfortable sharing strong opinions regarding my support for the U.S. Constitution because I don’t want to be ostracized in this politically polarized time. However, supporting the American Constitution should never be a politically charged issue because this document is the foundation of our nation. This year, I will continue to challenge myself to speak up and share the importance of the American Constitution with others.

How do your friends respond to history or talking about the Constitution?
Most of my friends really are not that interested. However, I do have a few friends who love history and see the value of the Constitution.

What do you love about U.S. History and the forming of our government?
Our American story is one of great struggle and exceptional triumph. America is not perfect, but despite this, we have risen up to fight against injustices and worked tirelessly to create solutions to global problems. This is what I love about our American story.

Our American founding is so special and unique. It amazes me how our Framers had such foresight into our nation’s future and how they sought to create and implement a government meant to serve every American, not just the elite.

Which U.S. historical site would you like to visit?
I have always wanted to visit Mount Rushmore! I love learning about its history and about the people who built this great monument.

Which American historical figure is most influential/inspirational to you?
I am really inspired by Gilbert and Eleanor Kraus. They were a Jewish couple, who lived in Philadelphia. They lived during the rise of anti-Semitic persecution in Nazi Germany during the 1930s.
The Krauses stepped in to save fifty Jewish children by finding foster parents in America to take them in. The hope was that the children would be united with their parents once they were permitted to immigrate to America. Sadly, not every child got a happy reunion.
What’s so impactful about this story is that the Krauses took action when few would. They did not wait for someone else to step in and help. Instead, they themselves took the charge.

Who is your greatest role model?
I have always looked up to C.S. Lewis, but even more so now that I have spent time reading his work. He was an incredibly deep thinker and one of the greatest Christian apologists of his time. He had the rare ability to explain complex ideas in a way that just about anyone could understand. I would consider myself extraordinarily lucky if I am a fourth as eloquent as he was.

What in your life are you most passionate about?
I am really passionate about teaching myself new skills. It’s absolutely thrilling to see a challenge, face it head-on, and achieve great success. For instance, I had always wanted purple hair but didn’t want to spend hundreds at a salon to achieve the mermaid hair of my dreams. During the summer of 2020, I decided to do it myself and it was a success! Most recently, I fell in love with a $1000 prom dress and decided to recreate it on my own. I taught myself how to sew and created the prom dress of my dreams for a fraction of the cost. If I don’t know how to do something, I just give it some research and get to work.

How do you spend your free time?
I dedicate a lot of my time to the 4-H program where I serve as Maryland 4-H State Council President and routinely lead statewide meetings, events, and community outreach activities involving youth, teens, and adults. I also love to paint, craft, and create. My motto is, “You can never have too much sparkle!”

What are your plans for the future?
I am headed off to Hillsdale College in the fall of 2021 and am excited to pursue all of the great opportunities that the school has to offer. Following my undergrad, I hope to study law.

If you could do one super impactful thing to help people, what would it be?
Over the course of my high school career, I have learned many things, but one of the most valuable lessons I learned was that there are two sides to every issue. I was taught this in a debate class where I was forced to research both sides of a topic regardless of whether I agreed with it or not. It was an eye-opening experience that continues to shape my perspective. If I had the power to do one thing, it would be to show people that there are more ways to look at an issue than meets the eye.

Why is the Constitution relevant today?
I believe that the American Constitution is just as relevant today as it was over two centuries ago. Times may have changed, but human nature and the principles of government have not. When a small group of people hold enormous amounts of power over a large group of people, they will likely prioritize their selfish interests over the legitimate needs of the citizen. The American Constitution actively prevents “power hoarding” by spreading out government into three separate branches. Our Constitution may have been ratified way back in 1788, but it still rings true in the 21st-century.

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