Mia Carrington graduated from Tallwood High School in Virginia Beach, Virginia. In spring 2012, Carrington honored her late aunt, a victim of sickle cell anemia, by dedicating her senior project to raising awareness about the disease. Her supporting website and Facebook page, “Educate to Eliminate- Sickle Cell Anemia” details Carrington’s efforts – her research paper on potential methods to prolong the life of a red blood cell, her organization of a blood drive that drew 170 donors, and her creation of a children’s book (titled Nina’s Story) to explain the basic symptoms and effects of the disease to elementary school students. Carrington was the captain of her track & field and cross country teams, played violin in the school orchestra, tutored students in Japanese as Vice President of the Japanese Honor Society and was a member of the National Honor Society. She plans to double major in Global Studies and Computer Science, with a minor in Business. Carrington will be working with the Student Coalition for Action in Literary Education (SCALE).