NEW YORK, NY - Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots, the Jane Goodall Institute’s global environmental and humanitarian youth program recently announced the new class of members accepted to the program’s 2017 National Youth Leadership Council. Among those appointed was Yorba Linda resident Martand Bhagavatula, a 9th grader in the International Baccalaureate program at Valencia High School. Martand’s experience...
in community involvement and youth leadership began at the age of 8, when he played violin for pediatric patients. Observing that the long-term patients had very few friends coming to visit, as well as very little sources of entertainment in their rooms, he founded Kids and Smiles, a registered non-profit, youth-run organization that organizes free community events such as Easter Egg Hunts and carnivals. Those who come to the events bring new toys for pediatric patients. Later, Kids and Smiles delivers these toys to pediatric patients. In this way, they not only increase the social interactions that pediatric patients have with their peers, but also youth involvement in the community.
To date, they have dropped off almost 1000 toys, books, and DVDs to local pediatric hospitals, including Children’s Hospital of Orange County, Loma Linda Children’s Hospital, University of California Irvine Medical Center, and Miller Children’s Hospital. Kids and Smiles has been featured on “Good Morning America,” as well as various local publications, and Martand was recognized for 2 years by the city of Yorba Linda for exemplary community service.
Yorba Linda Mayor Eugene Hernandez says, “Martand is becoming a true community leader. He displays the maturity, passion, dedication and wisdom of a much older individual. His compassion and sympathy for the suffering in the world shows the difference one person can make regardless of their age.” He is a self-described “sports fanatic.” Particularly fond of basketball, which he played at a competitive level for 4 years before joining the high school team.He has also been playing violin for the past decade. Throughout the year ahead, Martand and the members of the Council will participate in comprehensive skills trainings with Roots & Shoots staff and field experts and they will represent the Jane Goodall Institute as youth mentors and experts locally and abroad.
To date, they have dropped off almost 1000 toys, books, and DVDs to local pediatric hospitals, including Children’s Hospital of Orange County, Loma Linda Children’s Hospital, University of California Irvine Medical Center, and Miller Children’s Hospital. Kids and Smiles has been featured on “Good Morning America,” as well as various local publications, and Martand was recognized for 2 years by the city of Yorba Linda for exemplary community service.
Yorba Linda Mayor Eugene Hernandez says, “Martand is becoming a true community leader. He displays the maturity, passion, dedication and wisdom of a much older individual. His compassion and sympathy for the suffering in the world shows the difference one person can make regardless of their age.” He is a self-described “sports fanatic.” Particularly fond of basketball, which he played at a competitive level for 4 years before joining the high school team.He has also been playing violin for the past decade. Throughout the year ahead, Martand and the members of the Council will participate in comprehensive skills trainings with Roots & Shoots staff and field experts and they will represent the Jane Goodall Institute as youth mentors and experts locally and abroad.
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