Why is access to transformative opportunity so arbitrary?

That question drives my work.

Silas Tautz

Growing up in a rural Illinois town of 1,500, I attended a Title I school through eighth grade. A last-minute application to a lab school founded at SpaceX opened a door I didn't know existed.

The school was electric, and it left me with a realization: if access to such transformative opportunity is this arbitrary, the system itself is broken.

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Experience

Knowunity
Pioneer Intern • 2026-Present
Selected as one of eight interns working within the CEO's special projects office. Contributing to efforts to improve the efficacy of AI-driven tools in K-12 education, focusing on how system and product design influence learning outcomes and educational access.
Global Leadership Project
Research Assistant • 2026-Present
Helping build a comparative political science dataset providing data on global government leaders, supported by the World Bank Group, Boston University, and Cornell University.
Principal Selection
Committee Member • 2026-Present
Selected by the superintendent of the West Carroll School District as the sole student representative to participate in multiple interview rounds to select a new high school principal.
Sen. Andrew Chesney
Youth Advisory Council • 2026-Present
Advising the Senator on youth-related policy and state legislative priorities affecting northwestern Illinois while participating in networking and professional development.
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Silas Tautz