Washington, DC • Class of 2027
"Curious dancer, storyteller, and builder. Drawn to what people and communities are missing, and committed to shining light on what deserves to be seen."
Letter of Recommendation
"From our earliest interaction, Marleigh impressed me with her composure, intellect, and sense of civic responsibility."
Muriel Bowser, Mayor of Washington, DCI'm a 17-year-old pre-professional dancer, community organizer, visual storyteller, and youth educator from Washington, DC. I've been training in ballet, pointe, and contemporary dance since I was eight. Alongside that, I've spent the last several years building programs, asking questions, and trying to open doors I noticed were missing.
I'm drawn to what people carry beneath the surface, in dance, in communities, and in the spaces between them. That curiosity has taken me from the studio to the DC City Council chamber, from elementary school classrooms to national conference stages, and from a dance barre to the pages of a children's book read in hundreds of schools nationwide.
"She is a Renaissance teen. Someone who has many interests and talents and somehow manages to make her mark in so many different aspects of her life. She wears it all so lightly even though she works so hard."Linda Ryden, Founder, Peace of Mind
Dance is where I started. I've been training since I was three, and it has shaped how I understand discipline, storytelling, and what it means to be fully present. It is also where I've had some of my hardest moments, and where I've learned the most about myself. I train in ballet, pointe, and contemporary at the pre-professional level and have had the privilege of performing and competing at some of the country's most recognized stages and programs.
"The studio has not always been comfortable, but it has been formative. It has taught me to look closely at myself, not just to perfect what is visible, but to better understand what lives beneath it."Marleigh McKay
In sixth grade, I learned that the land beneath my elementary school had once belonged to a Black family displaced to make way for a predominantly white neighborhood. As one of the few Black students there, that realization gave language to something I had felt but couldn't name, a quiet sense of being out of place.
Based on my letter to the neighborhood civic association, I was selected to give virtual testimony before the DC City Council. I was twelve years old. I was steady. I made it clear that this was not just important to me, but to every Black student who had ever felt unseen, and to a community that deserved to understand this as a space where everyone was welcome.
When the name change was approved, I was asked on the spot to give remarks at the ribbon cutting ceremony. Standing before hundreds of people, elected officials, and members of the media, I found my little brother in the crowd and spoke directly to him. He needed to know he had a place there.
"Washington, DC has shaped Marleigh McKay, and I have no doubt she will spend her life giving that back."Mayor Muriel Bowser, Washington, DC
During an eighth grade open house, I asked my school's college counselor about HBCU relationships. He paused, then admitted it was a blind spot. I left knowing I wanted to change that.
That conversation became my middle school capstone project: HBCU Day, a schoolwide curriculum I designed to introduce students to the history, significance, and academic strength of Historically Black Colleges and Universities. At a predominantly white school, my goal was not just to inform, but to expand how students understood their options. To date, that curriculum has reached over 2,500 students.
When I arrived at St. John's, that blind spot still existed. I co-founded the school's first HBCU College Tour, organizing a five-day, seven-campus trip for 27 students. After the tour, HBCU applications from my school increased by 10%. Both programs were designed to continue beyond me. The goal was never visibility. It was access.
27 students. 7 campuses. 5 days. A program that continues every year.
"The most meaningful impact is not always the loudest. Sometimes it is making sure that a door exists where there was not one before, and that it stays open for others to walk through."Marleigh McKay
What Parents Said
"You have provided a variety of mirrors and windows for them to experience and aspire to. Oh the places they will go."Eleanor L., Parent
"You kept us informed, you kept them engaged and gave them an experience they will always remember."Catrina B., Parent
"Your meticulous planning, from the engaging activities to the thoughtful moments you created, contributed to an unforgettable experience."Keisha C., Parent
Storytelling is how I make sense of the world. Whether it's through a lens at a concert, a byline in a school publication, or an exhibit at a DC museum, I'm always looking for the moment that reveals something true. I've had the chance to develop that instinct across journalism, photography, fashion media, curation, and visual art.
In first grade, my teacher Ms. Linda Ryden introduced me to something most classrooms don't teach: how to understand what I was feeling and why. That stuck with me. I still use Four Square Breathing backstage before performances. I still journal. I come back to these tools whenever things feel uncertain.
What I didn't expect was that it would become a book. Ms. Ryden was inspired to write Marleigh Is Mindful after seeing a photograph of me leading Four Square Breathing with my dance sisters backstage before a performance. I wrote the introduction. A second book, Marleigh's Big Feelings, followed for preschool readers. Ms. Ryden has said she doubts she will ever stop being inspired by me, which I find both humbling and motivating.
When Ms. Ryden brought me as a surprise guest to a school using the curriculum, the students went wild. She described it as if a celebrity had walked through the door. I signed every book and tried to be present with every child, the same way she was always present with me.
That early curiosity about emotion and why we feel what we feel never left me. It grew into a genuine interest in psychology. I co-founded the Psychology Club at my high school, where I design workshops on mental health and emotional awareness for my peers. And in the summer of 2026, I will begin career shadowing with sports psychologists, observing how mental health supports athletic and performance-based careers. That experience connects everything: dance, mindfulness, and the science of how people perform under pressure.
"Who wouldn't want their students to grow up to be like Marleigh? She embodies everything we are trying to accomplish."
Linda Ryden, Founder, Peace of Mind"She gave me a framework I've built my life around, one I now pass forward to others."Marleigh McKay
Peace of Mind National Conference, 2018 to present. 6+ consecutive years.
Alice Deal Middle School, chosen to represent graduating class
Academic Excellence, awarded for consistent outstanding academic performance
Recognized for sustained commitment to community engagement and mentorship
Dance scholarships and performance awards are listed in the Artist section.
I envision a career focused on helping performers and athletes better understand the connection between their mental and physical well-being, so they can sustain both their performance and their sense of self.
As a dancer and storyteller, I'm drawn to how the body tells stories, how the mind shapes them, and how a more holistic approach to health can support stronger, more authentic performance. My planned shadowing at Howard University's Sports Medicine department, working alongside a Sports Psychologist and Physical Therapist, will give me a direct window into what that future could look like.
My goal is to bridge performance, science, and storytelling, to help others perform, heal, and grow. The form may evolve, but the direction feels clear.
Pre-professional dancer, visual storyteller, and community builder. Learning by doing.
Advanced study in psychology and physical therapy to understand the mental and physical demands placed on performers and athletes.
A practice that supports performers as whole individuals, with accessible resources and mentorship that expand awareness of performance health.
Two people who know Marleigh best share their perspectives on who she is and why she matters.
Founder, Peace of Mind Inc. Marleigh's peace teacher from first through fifth grade and the author of Marleigh Is Mindful.
Read Full LetterMayor of Washington, DC. Has known Marleigh since 2021 and has observed her civic leadership across multiple years and contexts.
Read Full Letter