18‑Year‑Old Brooke Gates empowers students in Africa through scholarships and service. At just 18 years old, Northmont High School graduate Brooke Gates is proving that youth, compassion, and initiative can ripple across continents. Inspired by a simple question from a Liberian schoolgirl, Gates founded the Brooke Gates Project, a grassroots effort that’s already awarded scholarships to more than 50 students in Liberia—and she’s just getting started.