Olutoyin Green Featured in Newsday's Extraordinary Seniors
Pandemic Feed Her Impulse to Serve
A deep thinker with compassion and concern for the world since she was young, Olutoyin Green spent much of the pandemic planning for her future and building a better one for others.
“I’ve always felt the need to care for people, to help change things and even the scales to make sure everybody is comfortable, safe and given the opportunities to succeed in society,” said Green, 17. “When COVID hit, I saw disparities everywhere, so I made a list of things that I wanted to try to fix.”
In late 2020, then a junior at Baldwin High School, she started Together United Organization, a youth-empowering effort to address environmental and health care issues. By April 2021, she led TUO’s first event — planting 50 cedar oak trees at Baldwin Park for Earth Day. Her initiative has inspired others, including fellow students, parents and Town of Hempstead officials, to get involved and volunteer. Later that year, she hosted a cooking series on Instagram that focused on providing healthy alternatives to popular holiday dishes. The shows drew thousands of viewers.
Aspiring to be a trauma surgeon who works globally, Green has explored her passions for advocacy and health care through the Spark! Challenge at Northwell Health and similar programs at Weill Cornell Medicine and Adelphi and Hofstra universities. She hopes to one day ensure that medicine is effective for everybody — regardless of economic status or race.
“Olutoyin’s a guiding light,” said Pat Banhazl, a school-to-career coordinator at Baldwin. “She’s a decision-maker, a true leader, humble and always smiling. She’s going to change the world.”
Green, who has played violin since third grade, has been in the school chamber orchestra for four years and is a member of the Tri-M Music Honor Society. She has excelled as an AP student athlete, the captain of two teams and as a mentor to younger students.
Pamela Green proudly said of her daughter, “When you’re in her presence, you’re just invigorated by her energy.”
WHAT’S NEXT? Syracuse University, majoring in health humanities and political philosophy
I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO: “The opportunity to choose classes.”
DURING THE PANDEMIC I LEARNED … “The importance of justice and equality. During COVID, I gravitated toward global health and it’s what set me on my path.”
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