Celena is a 17-year-old senior at Hickman High School in Columbia, MO. She joined the gun violence prevention movement in 2017 after attending events hosted by her local Moms Demand Action Group. Following the Santa Fe High School shooting, she decided to start a Students Demand Action group at her high school. Since then, she has been a trainer at Gun Sense University, a member of the National Training Team, and a member of the Text Team. Her hobbies include journalistic writing and spending time outdoors, and she plans to study journalism and cultural anthropology after high school. Celena is excited to work on new strategies to end gun violence and grow her activism as part of the Advisory Board.
Get to know Celena even more in her Q&A!
Name: Celena Schmolzi
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Age: 17
Astrological Sign: Pisces ♓ 🐟
Location: Columbia, MO
School: Hickman High School, CoMO Students Demand Action
What do you hope to pursue after you graduate?
I will be going to school for journalism but a life goal is to work for the United Nations in some capacity.
Why is gun violence prevention important to you?
Seeing my peers’ lives affected by gun violence—whether that be through fear or direct impact—drives me to help create a world where they feel safe.
What are you most proud of working on as a Students Demand Action volunteer?
I’m proud to have delivered many trainings and to have helped others feel more confident in their activism.
I admire Rachel Cargle because she is always able to step back and create space for her mental health.
If you could only eat one food for a year, what would you pick?
Vegetable & tofu fried rice. Mmmmmm!
What do you do for self care?
I spend lots of time with my family and watch Scandal.
What motivates you to keep going?
Our (many) successes!
