Believe it or not, my passion for protecting our planet stemmed from a reusable bag. In fourth grade, I noticed that my elementary school was not recycling. It infuriated me that everyone was throwing away items that could be recycled, like papers and plastic water bottles. When my class had to complete a project for Earth Day, I brought my classmates and teacher reusable shopping bags and persuaded them about why our school needs a recycling program.

 

Everyone in my class was on board, and my dream became a reality when my recycling program was established in fifth grade. Years later, my recycling program is still going strong and implemented in several other schools in my local school district. I have also been passionate about educating others and fundraising for the global water crisis since I first learned about it in fifth grade, so much so that I became known in my community as “the water girl.”  

​

Fast forward 10+ years, I am still an avid environmentalist and passionate about changing the world. While in high school, I founded Students4H2O, a non-profit organization that promotes environmental stewardship and youth leadership by engaging in various educational initiatives and fundraising activities. I especially enjoy inspiring students of all ages about how they can share their ideas, passions, and interests to make a difference. Ultimately, their united efforts created a “ripple effect” and improved the quality of life for others halfway around the world, such as collaborating with 20 schools in our school district and local Rotary Club to sponsor and rehabilitate wells in South Sudan.