Archana believes the arts have the power to promote self esteem and self-efficacy, while allowing young people to express themselves without constraints. As a teaching assistant at the Scottsdale Artists’ School’s Youth Academy, she saw the need to make arts education more accessible.

“When funding is short, fine arts programs are often the first to go,” she said.

Archana channeled her entrepreneurial spirit and founded ARG Fine Art– a business selling her own original paintings, along with greeting cards of her artwork at the Art One Gallery in Old Town Scottsdale. She has sold 17 original pieces in the past year, and all of the proceeds benefit local nonprofits, including Free Arts for Abused Children of Arizona. So far, she’s helped raise more than $4,500, and is a proud member of the Youth Arts Council with the Arizona Commission on the Arts. 

Archana is also interested in using computer science and mathematics to improve patient outcomes in healthcare. At ASU’s School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering, she’s working to better understand glioblastoma, one of the most aggressive forms of cancer. Archana recently shared her research at the American Medical Informatics Association’s national conference as one of 6 high school students selected for an oral presentation, and she is excited to see just how rapidly biomedical informatics is advancing. 

At school, she helps lead the Speech and Debate team, and hopes to pursue a future career in research and clinical AI, with a particular interest in informatics.

“Having a love for learning is so crucial,” she said. “Network, reach out as much as you can. There are so many opportunities out there for young people.”

Ashton has been recognized for his strong entrepreneurial spirit and work on climate action locally, nationally and internationally. In the Summer of 2023, he founded Sunrise Movement Phoenix, a leading youth climate justice group in Phoenix; two years ago Ashton launched an advocacy campaign focused on extreme heat. Hosting over 80 community events, Ashton and his team have collected over 3,000 petition signatures and lobbied 23 elected officials to support extreme heat action, changing the conversation around FEMA’s response to extreme heat.

“I am bringing tangible solutions to the table,” said Ashton. “It’s exciting to see young people getting involved and working with city leaders to make a tangible impact.”

He’s also a founding member of his school’s National Art Honor Society where he has turned the white walls into beautiful murals. Ashton also serves as the Speech and Debate captain. Through his captainship, he won a state debate championship and prepared over 120 club members for state competitions, leading to the school’s state championship win. He also competed in the International Public Policy Forum, an experience he believes will prepare him for his future career.  Additionally, he serves as one of 15 members of FEMA’s National Youth Preparedness Council. 

Recognized as a 2025 Coke Scholar, one of 150 recipients from 103,000 applicants, Ashton’s community efforts have been nationally recognized. He’s also been appointed to the Phoenix Youth & Educational Commission by Mayor Gallego. He’s just one of three high school members on this commission.

Ashton plans to attend law school, believing work and advocacy now will prepare him for a future career in Public Policy. He is an innovator with experience leading campaigns that led to tangible governmental change. 

Brad’s experience volunteering at a local senior center opened his eyes to the many challenges older adults face, and sparked a passion for using technology to help seniors lead better lives. He developed an exoskeleton robotic system for his school’s science fair to help patients with mobility or fine motor impairments, and founded a nonprofit called GensCura to raise awareness about strokes. His invention received many awards and accolades, including the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair Grand Award, the Governor’s Innovation Arizona, and other scholarships. Brad truly cares about people in need and enjoys conducting research that centers on accessibility. 

“I want to show the world that this technology could be potentially used to help people,” said Brad.

Brad is also passionate about art and harnesses that creativity to advocate for seniors. In 2023, after reading an article about Facebook product managers prioritizing younger audiences over older adults, he was compelled to create an illustrative piece highlighting the often neglected needs of older adults in technology design. It was later published in the New York Times. This experience reinforced his belief that engineering is not just about function—it’s about designing with human stories in mind. 

“I see aging as a lifelong journey that begins at birth, which is why I’m committed to advancing action and innovation that support people at every stage of life,” Brad said. “I’m especially passionate about encouraging young people to build intergenerational connections rooted in empathy, understanding, and shared purpose.”

Brad is an avid history fan and enjoys bringing untold stories of overcoming struggle to light. He coaches a middle school academic pentathlon club, founded the nonprofit SmartAgri to help implement sustainable technology in agriculture, and is heavily involved in Arizona’s Kung Fu community.  He plans to study mechanical or electrical engineering. 

Daniel was disheartened that schools were closed during the pandemic and children couldn’t take part in extracurricular activities or learning. He was a 7th grader when the world came to a halt, so he channeled his energy into action. 

He created iReach, a tutoring program that allowed older students to provide subject expertise to younger students. Daniel recruited high achieving students to join as tutors and paired hundreds of students together for individual and group tutoring.  iReach has provided over 5,000 tutoring hours to students of varying needs. 

With the immediate success of the tutoring program, Daniel saw an opportunity to bring those skills to summer camps.  His iReach summer initiative attracted the interest of over 20 camps, who taught a diverse selection of subjects to hundreds of campers.  

The organization has grown to include community service events like an annual trash clean up at Desert Breeze Park, to ensure the park remains a pleasant place for visitors or the Arizona Ironman triathlon, where they hand out water and snacks to the athletes. Daniel also serves on the board and executive team of the organization, gaining leadership skills that will serve in the future.  

Daniel says, “Some people underestimate the power young people have. But, they shouldn’t count us out. We have great ideas and solutions to help our community.”

In his spare time, Daniel volunteers at Banner Baywood Hospital, playing basketball and his violin. He plans to pursue a degree in STEM or medicine.

Elizabeth was volunteering at Northwest Chinese Baptist Church when she connected with several Taiwanese immigrant families working with the Taiwanese Semiconductor Facility Plant in Phoenix. When she learned some of the students were struggling to adapt, she launched her own private tutoring business, working with several students a week to hone their English and academic skills. 

Elizabeth also worked with an ASU professor of economics to author a book that helps young immigrant children learn English in a simpler and more engaging manner. The book comes with grammar lessons, Chinese-English translations, and highlighted vocabulary words. They hope to create an event with the Taiwanese Semiconductor Facility Plant that allows Taiwanese children to illustrate the book’s pages.  As a biracial student, Elizabeth says the experience has allowed her to connect with her own culture and traditions.

“In a community that has given so much to me, from my family to my friends and even my teachers, I feel like it is time for me to find a way to help others as well,” she said.

Her work empowering her peers doesn’t stop there. Elizabeth started a nonprofit social media handle called “inTHEship,” designed to showcase scholarship, internship and other extracurricular opportunities for high school students, particularly those identified as low income, first generation or minorities. She currently serves as Vice President of State and National Programs for Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), helping more than 8,400 members across Arizona. In this role she has dedicated more than 200 hours of community service, worked with Arizona Treasurer Kimberly Yee to set up educational CTE webinars for students, raised funds for state winners and launched the organization’s first internship page. She is captain of her school’s Speech and Debate Team, a title she has held for three years, is a member of the National Honor Society, a manager for the school’s wrestling team and spends time giving back at the food bank.

Elizabeth hopes to become a corporate lawyer at the international level.

Ellegra is inspiring and empowering young people to take action and connect with others who may be outside of their “bubble.” She’s been instrumental in bringing the Human Library Organization to Chaparral High School– the first high school in the country to host these types of events! 

The Denmark-based program invites people from the community to share their unique stories as “human books.” Those in attendance, “the readers,” then ask questions and cultivate genuine connections with people from all walks of life. Chaparral High School hosted its first Human Library event in 2023 and had more than 60 students and community members attend. Some of the first guests included Jany Deng, one of the estimated 27,000 “Lost Boys of Sudan.”  Tara Sundem, creator of Hushabye Nursery, and Mario Montoya, a Dreamer who fights for higher education with Aliento AZ, also shared their stories. The events serve as a reminder to not judge a book by its cover and to listen before drawing conclusions.

Ellegra is also Junior Class President, a member of the Scottsdale Mayor’s Youth Council and Swift Youth Organization, and the World Tennis Federation ranks her in the top 70 players for 16 year olds in Central Arizona. She is also a musician and enjoys taking part in musicals and community theater. 

Ellegra plans to attend college and bring the Human Library with her wherever she goes.

“Young people have such a unique view on the world,” she said.  “Use the fact that you are younger and that you have this passion to your advantage. You can make a difference no matter your age!”

Gauri is passionate about removing barriers in healthcare and expanding opportunities for students interested in medicine and science. She founded MedAspire, a club that provides students with medical-related volunteer experiences, exposure to healthcare campaigns, and educational sessions on various healthcare fields and research projects. What started as an effort to fill a gap at her school has now grown into one of the largest clubs on campus. 

Gauri says, “If you want to start a club, just take the step, you never know what it can grow into. It will teach you compassion, hard work and real world skills. Setbacks don’t mean stop signs. Keep pressing forward!” 

She also co-founded the Tucson Student Science Association (TSSA), an organization that connects students and clubs in Tucson to STEM competitions and events, fostering collaboration and innovation in the scientific community. 

Additionally, she is President of the Oro Valley Public Library Teen Advisory Board, Vice President of Biology Club, Head of Research of the Model UN team, and created a blood cancer awareness campaign that reached over 5,000 people across the Pima County Library System, by partnering with the National Marrow Donor Program.  

Gauri plans to pursue a career in healthcare as a surgeon or doctor specializing in cancer research.  

Nassar Bahody believes in the power of giving back and connecting with others in his community. He’s founded several nonprofits and student organizations including STEAM Through Leadership, which helps make STEM/STEAM educational opportunities more accessible to students of all socioeconomic backgrounds. The program features immersive, hands-on experiments, engaging speakers and informative workshops. To date, STEAM Through Leadership has visited dozens of schools nationwide, and executed hundreds of unique events. He also helped launch West Point High School’s now-annual STEAM night, which showcases a variety of STEAM projects and industries for students, teachers and community members.

“It can be intimidating for young people to take initiative, get involved, and use their voices,” he said.  “However, it’s only when you embrace that discomfort and take the first step that true growth and change can occur in you, the community and the world around you.”

Driven by a genuine desire to help others, he helped initiate the West Point Surprise Squad in September of 2021, to help bring his school campus together and find ways to help community members in need. The group has donated everything from gas and a hotel room to an unhoused family, to a hockey ticket, a restaurant gift card, and a spa day for a cancer survivor. Nassar and his fellow Squad members also organized a prom and dance for disabled students. So far, the group has served more than 300 people and raised more than $50,000 to support their efforts. 

In July of 2023, Nassar founded NeuroAdvocacy, a passion project meant to both advocate for and empower those living with intellectual disabilities. These initiatives have impacted thousands of lives and raised tens of thousands of dollars for the community. 

Nassar is Chief of West Point’s Leadership Academy, he helped co-found the school’s Civic Action Club, is a member of the National Honor Society, the Environmental Club, is a FAFSA Peer Tutor and a Varsity Tennis player. He is also the Domestic Violence Commissioner for the Governor’s Youth Commission, working to help educate students about the signs, symptoms, and root causes of domestic/sexual/teen dating violence, while also teaching skills to develop healthy relationships. 

“Discover what it is that is meaningful to you, share it with your community and change will follow,” he said.

Nassar plans to pursue higher education and major in Neuroscience.

Jonathan Mendoza is a dedicated student at Trevor G. Browne High School, where he is a member of the Emerging Technology Academy, an advanced engineering pathway for students pursuing careers in engineering.

As the co-founder of SkillsUSA Engineering, Jonathan leads initiatives in robotics and 3D technology. Under his leadership, his team secured first place in the Phoenix Union High School District Robotics Competition and third place in the Arizona Diamondbacks and Honeywell Future Shaper Robotics Competition.

Beyond engineering, Jonathan is an active participant in JROTC, where he has developed strong leadership skills, further refined through the Cadet Leadership Challenge. He has also engaged with the ASU Youth Leadership Association, playing a key role in the creation and unveiling of two community murals in Maryvale. Passionate about mentorship, he assists in welcoming freshmen to campus and guiding them through the Emerging Technology Academy.

Jonathan maintains an exceptional 4.4 GPA and is a proud member of the National Honor Society. He was also selected for the STEP (Student Expedition Program) College Prep Program, which supports high-achieving students in their pursuit of higher education. Additionally, he works part-time at Home Depot in customer service, helping to fund his future scholastic endeavors.

With a strong foundation in engineering and leadership, Jonathan aspires to pursue a degree in mechanical engineering and make meaningful contributions to the field.

Karina Koppikar is passionate about working with students of all backgrounds and bringing communities together. Whether teaching families in need about proper nutrition through her nonprofit My Tasty Table, virtually tutoring Ukrainian refugees, or working to improve mental health through books as a Loving Library ambassador, Karina believes in the healing power of empathy and community. 

Karina’s desire to improve the community around her started her first year in high school. She helped found My Tasty Table, a nonprofit dedicated to battling food insecurity among children and families in Arizona. Since then, Karina and her co -founders have taught cooking classes at homeless shelters, Title 1 schools, and community centers. The lessons focus on healthy meals using affordable ingredients

“I have always had a passion for community service, but I wanted to take it a step further,” she said.

Fast forward a few years to when the high school junior noticed growing tension among students as a result of differing religions. Karina took action and founded her school’s Interfaith Alliance. The group fosters respectful and productive discourse around the topic of religion. She is also a professional actress and published novelist with a passion for storytelling. Her book, “Six-Point Star,” aims to show that religions are more similar than they are different, and she hopes to inspire other young people to write about their own passions. 

Karina is president of her school’s award-winning Mock Trial team, serves as secretary and president-elect of her high school theatre program, and she volunteers as a camp counselor at the local youth theatre to help younger kids fall in love with performing. Karina dreams of attending Law School to ultimately help reform the foster care system.

“The most important factor behind my success is only pursuing projects I’m truly passionate about,” Karina said. “Even when balancing them seems overwhelming, it is easier to overcome obstacles when I feel passionate about the work that I’m doing. Seeing the end result of a passion project is always incredibly rewarding.”