Virginia Student Wins $50K for Helping Divorced Families

When Nori Carter stood before her classmates as a junior to talk about divorce, she wasn't just giving a speech. She was launching a movement that would earn her one of Virginia's most prestigious scholarships.

Carter, now a graduating senior at St. Anne's-Belfield in Charlottesville, won the $50,000 Emily Couric Leadership Scholarship for her work destigmatizing divorced and separated families. After speaking at a mental health forum about her own experience, she founded "the Splits," a school club where students support each other through family transitions.

"I recognize that the only difference between me and somebody born into a war zone who does not have access to education is just luck," Carter told reporters. "That's really where my passion comes from, just being able to use the opportunities that I have to make spaces better for people."

The Emily Couric Leadership Forum awarded $250,000 in scholarships this year to 11 young women from every high school in Charlottesville and Albemarle County. Each student received at least $18,000, with Carter and runner-up Elizabeth Cook from Monticello High School taking home the two top prizes.

Carter's leadership extends far beyond her school walls. Fluent in Spanish since age four, she authored a Spanish-language children's book called "Amigos del Oceano" and translates political newsletters so Spanish-speaking residents can access the same information as English speakers.

She's also organized fundraising for people experiencing homelessness and co-founded a local chapter of the Virginia Young Democrats. Teachers have told her that students in "the Splits" seem happier and less stressed about their home situations.

The Ripple Effect

What makes Carter's story even brighter is sustainability. "The Splits" will continue at St. Anne's-Belfield after her graduation, with new student leaders carrying forward her vision. Advisors report that having someone to talk to has made a real difference for students navigating family changes.

The scholarship honors former state Senator Emily Couric, who died in 2001 and dedicated her life to empowering young women. "Her legacy of believing in young women, I'm a product of it," said ECLF chairperson Beth Kennan.

Carter plans to travel while taking online classes in the fall before enrolling full-time in college. She went through a rigorous selection process that included essays and interviews focused not just on what she's accomplished, but why she does what she does.

The future looks bright for all 11 scholarship winners, who represent schools across the region and demonstrate that the next generation is already making their communities better.