Cincinnati, Ohio, January 15, 2016 – On February 6, Saint Ursula Academy senior Gracie Ehemann of Anderson Township will be honored at the Duke Energy Children’s Museum’s Difference Makers Celebration for her dedication to the anti-bullying movement and making a difference in the lives of teenagers in our community.
Throughout the Greater Cincinnati area and around the country, young teens are struggling to “fit in”. They feel judged by their peers on everything from their hair, to their clothing, to the way they talk. If peer pressure isn’t enough, they often fight an even larger enemy—their own thoughts. Gracie knows this enemy well as she struggled to like herself and feel comfortable in her own skin for several years. In fact, Gracie is very open that at one point, she struggled to love anything about herself, including the way she talked, looked, or even prayed.
However, at a school retreat last year, Gracie was encouraged to take time for self-reflection and finally began to understand that one can only be bullied if a person allows the bully’s thoughts to become their own thoughts. A light bulb went on and an idea was born.
Gracie immediately began work on a website to promote a love for the “enemy”, the “enemy” that lives inside each person. Her website www.lovethyenemy.org received 10,000 hits within the first few days and the response from teens around the area confirmed that Gracie was striking a nerve in these teenagers. She began receiving calls from Cincinnati grade schools asking for her to speak to their students about the importance of loving yourself. “After all,” she notes, “before you can truly love anyone else, you must first love yourself.”
However, this website and conversation were only a starting point for Gracie. As momentum built and she heard stories about teenagers who were trying to learn to love themselves, she felt she could do more to support those teens who were still struggling. She rallied some friends and planned, promoted, and organized a benefit concert with the proceeds benefiting the “Change the Outcome” anti-bullying program at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. Gracie knew first hand of the terrific work that is done at Children’s Hospital and she was honored to present a check for over $3,000 to Dr. Ryan Adams at the end of last year.
Gracie feels fortunate to have had the love and support of so many friends and family members throughout this entire process as she has evolved from a teenager who struggled to love herself to a young woman who is proud to share those struggles with others who may be experiencing similar feelings. She recounts the pivotal moment that led her down the road to being honored as a “Difference Maker” in the Cincinnati area and is grateful for the support of the Saint Ursula Community.
“Saint Ursula Academy has played such an important role in the entire Love Thy Enemy movement because of the values it has instilled in me. Helping me to become an independent woman of faith, integrity, and courage, Saint Ursula and the service opportunities it provided me was the push I needed to begin this campaign. If I had never gone on that retreat, this may never have happened,” said Gracie.
The Difference Maker’s Celebration will be held at Cincinnati Museum Center on February 6.
St. Ursula Academy is a Catholic, college-preparatory, secondary school for young women known for academic excellence and rich tradition. St. Ursula welcomes students from more than 70 grade schools in the Greater Cincinnati area. In 2002 the Academy was recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a Blue Ribbon School. The campus, located at 1339 E. McMillan Street in East Walnut Hills has been the home of St. Ursula Academy and Convent since 1910. The Class of 2015 earned college scholarships totaling more than $19-million.
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Photo caption: Gracie Ehemann raised over $3000 to benefit the “Change the Outcome” program at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and was honored to present the check to Dr. Ryan Adams. '”As I was presenting the check, a part of me felt as if I was called to do this my entire life. My philanthropic heart and passion to serve others was fulfilled when I was finally able to return a portion of my campaign to those in need of it most,” said Ehemann.