So, I didn’t know this, but this is a contest online called America’s Favorite Student, and the winner receives $20,000 in cash to help pay for their education, a feature in Reader’s Digest magazine AND a trip to The Planetary Society in Pasadena to meet Bill Nye!
And here is the best part: There’s a North Texas LGBTQIA student in the running, and she has a good chance to win (with our help, that is).
Marlo Keller is a senior at Royse City High School (Royse City is a suburb on I30, northeast of Dallas and just east of Rockwall). Her high school career, according to promotional materials for the contest, has been “defined by leadership, service and support for LGBTQIA+ community organizations.”
Right now (that’s as of 11:45 on Wednesday, April 29), Marlo is in in first place in the quarter-final round. You can help her stay in first place and continue to advance by voting for her at the America’s Favorite Student website. And go vote today, because for a limited time, votes are doubled.
“This competition is meaningful to me because it reflects the many communities that have helped shape who I am,” Marlo said. “I’m especially grateful for the chance to represent not only my school and hometown, but also the people and organizations doing important work to support LGBTQIA+ individuals and families.”
But who is Marlo? And what has she done to deserve your vote. Well, she served aspresident of the Royse City High School Gender & Sexuality Alliance from 2024-2025, until Texas Senate Bill 12 forced the school organization to shut down.
She is also a member of the school’s National Honor Society Leadership Team, and in addition to her academic and extracurricular work, she has “built a strong record of community involvement through volunteer service, advocacy and arts leadership.
The press release about the contest notes, “Over the course of high school, [Marlo] has completed more than 211 volunteer hours in support of organizations including The Resource Center, Oak Lawn Place and the Greg Dollgener Memorial AIDS Fund. Her service has included supporting LGBTQIA+ senior residents, helping organize community events and representing non-profit efforts that serve and uplift LGBTQIA+ individuals across North Texas.
Marlo has also served as a student choreographer for Royse City ISD Fine Arts productions including We Are the Sea, CLUE and Freaky Friday. And works as a student teacher at Rockwall Dance Academy.
Marla has been recognized as the 2026 RCHS Top Dog by the Royse City ISD Education Foundation. And she plans to attend Hawai‘i Pacific University in fall 2026, where she has earned a place in the Residential Honors Program. She plans to study marine biology with a focus on sustainable tourism.
Take a moment to vote for Marlo and help make a student’s educational dreams come true.
— Tammye Nash