In 2019, when I was driving home from Los Angeles, I witnessed firsthand a raging wildfire destroying homes and animal habitats. My friends had to evacuate their homes and the air pollution was so bad that we couldn’t even step outside. This incident touched my heart, and I was determined to develop a solution to prevent wildfires. I invented the AI-based wildfire prevention, detection and suppression system, which can predict, detect and suppress wildfires. This project was developed to take action towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically SDG #13.

The SDGs are an urgent call to action that aim for our planet’s peace and prosperity. In my school, when I asked my peers, only 10% had heard about the SDGs and only 5% wanted to take action. My peers lacked the confidence to tackle global issues. Also, they did not have access to mentorship or resources to create such solutions. To combat my peers' lack of SDG awareness, I met with the City of Chandler to start a sustainability officers program in every school. However, I was turned down and met with No’s from the city.

Realizing the need, I decided to take action myself and start an initiative to inspire and support my peers. Like the butterfly effect, if each youth takes action towards an SDG, with small impacts in the community through Sustainability Stars, we can create a large global change.

Currently, our world is moving at a larger rate of destruction than reparation. The SDGs are addressing the world’s biggest issues and emphasize the need to act upon them. Youth are key drivers of social change, economic growth and technological innovation. They have a personal stake in the future and bring fresh perspectives to address the challenges outlined in the SDGs.

Today, there are 1.8 billion people worldwide between the ages of 10-24 years old, the largest generation of youth in history. But current initiatives involve adults taking large actions towards the SDGs (without youth). As a result, the Youth are not aware. As stated by Teenspire, 65.5% of youth are not aware of the SDGs. And out of the 35.5% that are aware, many do not feel empowered to tackle the SDGs as they are not taken seriously, and do not have the resources and support system to create solutions. 

I believe every youth should be aware of the SDGs, empowered to take action and given the support necessary to create solutions. As the youth receive first-hand knowledge and experience of how to tackle an SDG, they can educate others and contribute solutions to their communities. Sustainability Stars is an initiative founded that brings together youth to give them an opportunity to be a changemaker, the guidance to create a solution to solve the SDGs and a platform to make an impact.

I started Sustainability Stars based on Gandhi’s quote “Be the change you wish to see in the world,” where I encourage the Youth to take personal responsibility to solve the SDGs, rather than waiting for someone else.

Sustainability Stars has 3 main initiatives:
1) High School Club: As opposed to school classes that teach theory, its unique approach includes cultivating a creative, problem-solving mindset which focuses on building solutions for SDGs. The 40+ students complete a full project life cycle, including problem identification, conceptualization, design, development, testing and deployment (ex: Greenhouse Gas Prevention System (SDG #13), EcoSeal (increases produce life-SDG #2), Algae Ultraviolet Machine (SDG #6) and Depression Detection System (SDG #3)).

2) Inspiring Young Students: We inspire middle schoolers to be responsible changemakers, who help the community with respect to SDGs, through fun challenges (ex: Shark Tank & Mission Malfunction). So far, we have conducted workshops with 1000+ students.

 3) Amplify Youth Voice: We are educating adults to understand and support young people’s engagement with the SDGs and include them in key decision-making conversations. Members presented at conferences and roundtables nationally (ex: UN, Senator Meetings, Mayor’s Roundtables) and changed the minds of 2000+ adults through attendance of 20+ events!

Our goals within the next 2 years include:
1a) Starting at least 6 chapters of the high school club across the world.
As a member of the International Leadership Council Chief Science Officer(CSO), I am working with my fellow members to get the club started globally. We are in the works of getting the program started in 2 countries.

1b) Partnering with organizations for mentorship and resources (raising $10,000).
Currently, the Arizona State University(ASU) Luminosity Lab is providing funding and resources for mentorship for the high school club. We are working with the City of Phoenix and the Institutes of Citizens & Scholars to provide funding for additional resources to build solutions and to support middle school outreach.

3) Inspiring younger students through at least 30+ workshops.
With the CSO, Scitech Institute, City Libraries and Arizona Science Center, we are organizing a series of workshops to reach out to at least 2500+ middle school students to inspire them to be changemakers.

4) Attending conferences to garner youth support.
Each youth will aim to present at 2+ conferences, leading to attendance of over 80+ events. Partnering with organizations like ASU, UN, Regional Center for Expertise for Sustainable Development, and the Underwriters Laboratory Research Institute(ULRI), we will be educating adults about the importance of believing in and supporting youth.

Seeing the positive impact of Sustainability Stars(SS) is what drives this initiative.

1) “Through SS, my creativity and critical thinking skills have undergone a significant transformation. This change has made me a more capable and well-rounded individual.” says RP, who designed his own water-reusing toilets from shower water to solve SDG #6. RP is traveling to middle schools and introducing a problem-solving mindset to the younger students, tackling SDG #4. AH developed a cheap 3D printed prosthetic to help children move easily and is providing it to kids across the country, taking action for SDG #3.

2) SS has motivated younger kids to attend college and pursue a STEM career. “Due to what I have learned from the sessions, I am now inspired to pursue a secondary education.” This 7th grader is now a motivated 11th grade student with a passion for science and teaches his peers to take action towards the SDGs!

3) At the ULRI Research Symposium, as the only youth in the room, I shared SS’s story about youth creating solutions for the SDGs. I ended with a question: “How many of you believe that youth have the potential to change the world?” All 300 adults in the room raised their hands. Adults are understanding the importance of including and supporting the youth. Organizations such as ASU, ULRI and SciTech Institute are now creating a youth advisory board to give youth a voice.