The Impact Journal
Posts
Meet the High School Freshman Powering Non-Profits and Building a National Volunteering Network

Meet the High School Freshman Powering Non-Profits and Building a National Volunteering Network

At just 15 years old, Rithika—a freshman from Austin, Texas—is already working in the nonprofit landscape.

Porte Global
June 19, 2025

Rithika serves as the Junior Non-Profit Director at Athena Ed-Tech, Executive Vice President of her school’s DECA chapter, and Co-Founder of Impact Forward—a nonprofit on a mission to ignite youth-led community engagement across the nation.

Impact Forward empowers young changemakers through a global platform that champions service, leadership, and civic action. In just one year, the organization has mobilized over 100 members across more than five chapters in Texas—and it's just getting started.

How does a high school freshman become involved in such meaningful non-profit work?
This is Rithika’s story.

If you're a current high school student interested in starting your own initiative and standing out in university applications—you can sign up for a 30-min Extracurricular Review here. During the call, we’ll:
a) Learn about your university goals
b) Review your current extracurricular profile
c) Help you shape a unique project idea.

#1: You’re only a freshman, but you’ve already worked with multiple non-profits. What began it all?

Pictured: Rithika in 3rd grade, volunteering with her father.

Rithika: I’ve always grown in a family and an environment where helping others has been a core value. I think around third grade is when I started visiting my local food bank almost every single day. My dad and I would go together and my mom was also very involved with non-profit organizations.

As I got older, I realized I didn’t just want to show up and participate. I wanted to shape events.

Even as a teenager, I knew that mobilizing people—building teams, planning events, organizing impact—was where I could make a deeper difference.

Helping others has never felt like an extracurricular to me. It’s a core value my family has always lived by: putting others before yourself. Whether it’s making sure someone has a meal or a support system, I’ve always felt a personal responsibility to step up. That mindset has become part of who I am.

#2: “Impact Forward” is one of the non-profits you co-founded. Tell us about it!

Rithika: Impact Forward started as a conversation between me and a friend. We noticed that so many students around us wanted to volunteer but didn’t know where to start. There are tons of opportunities out there, but it can feel overwhelming and disconnected—especially for young people.

That’s where Impact Forward comes in. We built it as a chapter-based model, so each school can launch its own chapter while staying connected to our central team.

We organize both school-specific and community-wide events—ranging from making appreciation cards for local fire stations to co-hosting a major e-waste drive with Dell and Goodwill.

We use WhatsApp to bring together students and parents in one space, sharing opportunities and updates in real time. Whenever we hear about a meaningful service opportunity—whether through a partner, a parent, or a fellow student—we post it, and anyone who’s available can jump in and serve.

This past year was a milestone for us. In the U.S., the Presidential Volunteer Service Award is one of the highest honors for young volunteers. Our team helped 16 members earn that award and distributed over 75 service medals this last year!

To me, that speaks volumes about the passion and dedication of our members—and about what’s possible when you make volunteering accessible, organized, and youth-led.

#3: What’s one of the most memorable moments you’ve had working on Impact Forward?

Rithika: One of the moments that really stayed with me happened just last week at our volunteer awards ceremony. When I was younger and started volunteering, it wasn’t something a lot of kids were doing.

I remember showing up to events and being one of the only children in the room. But last week, over a third of our award recipients were under 10 years old. One little girl—she must’ve been around five—came up to me after the ceremony, gave me a hug, and said, “Thank you so much. I love volunteering.” That moment meant everything to me.

It hit me that Impact Forward isn’t just about events or service hours—it’s about building a culture of giving, even at the youngest ages. Seeing kids that young get excited about helping their communities made me realize we’re not just creating volunteers—we’re inspiring the next generation of changemakers.

That’s the heart of why we named it Impact Forward. It’s about passing the torch, empowering others, and creating a ripple effect of service that keeps growing. When you see kids telling their friends and classmates about volunteering, you know something bigger is happening.

#4: What’s an unconventional challenge you’ve faced while becoming a leader at such a young age?

One of the hardest—and most unexpected—challenges was realizing that not everyone would care about Impact Forward as much as I do. There were moments when team members would miss deadlines or put their responsibilities on the backburner. And while that’s totally understandable—everyone has their own commitments—as a leader, I remember thinking, What else can I do? I’ve already reminded them ten times. How do I actually get people to care?

That pushed me to grow in ways I hadn’t expected. I started to realize it wasn’t about pushing harder—it was about connecting more. I thought, Maybe they don’t feel involved because we don’t meet often enough.

So I shifted the way I led: I began scheduling regular check-ins, sending out Google Calendar invites, and creating social experiences. I stopped expecting people to just “find work” and started actively leading them toward it.

One piece of advice I heard during an internship really stuck with me: a great leader puts in just a bit more effort than everyone else—51% to their 49%. That mindset changed how I approach leadership. It’s about commitment, consistency, and showing others why the work matters.

I didn’t have much experience with this kind of team dynamic before Impact Forward, but now I carry those lessons with me in everything I do.

#5: You’ve mentioned a passion for computer science and its global applications. What does that mean to you?

Technology has always been part of my world—both of my parents work in IT, so I started learning to code back in fourth grade. But for me I’m all about using technology as a tool to drive impact.

Every nonprofit I’m involved with has a tech component, and my role almost always ties into that. In Model UN, for example, I serve as the Secretariat’s IT lead, helping organize and run conferences behind the scenes. I also manage and develop websites for several of the organizations I’m part of.

Another example is Science Cheerleaders, a nonprofit that promotes girls in STEM. As their social media manager, I’ve built data dashboards to track engagement and guide our strategy—figuring out what to post, when, and why, based on real analytics.

Looking ahead, I want to keep exploring how technology can amplify the reach and efficiency of mission-driven work. I want to keep using it to make nonprofit spaces smarter, more accessible, and more impactful.

#6: You’re only a freshman—what are your goals for the rest of high school?

One of my biggest goals is to keep deepening my involvement in the nonprofit space—but also to help others understand just how meaningful volunteering can be. For example, during my current internship with a startup, I suggested we do a team service project at a local center.

Even in spaces that aren’t traditionally focused on volunteering, I want to bring that mindset with me and inspire others to give back.

At the same time, I know balance is key. Academics will always be a priority, so I want to stay committed to my studies and extracurriculars while also making sure I’m taking care of my mental health.

By the time I graduate, I want to be able to look back and say, “Wow—I really made the most of these four years.” Not just in terms of awards or accomplishments, but in how much I grew, how many people I brought along with me, and how many communities I helped uplift. I want to leave high school proud of the impact I made—and excited for what’s next.

Stay Connected

Meet Rithika & learn more:

Rithika’s Linked-In
Impact Forward Website
Any additional materials?