Aaryan Tawde

Aaryan, a rising sophomore at Dublin High School is dedicated to bridge the gap between underrepresented and more fortunate communities by dedicating his time towards a good cause through

the Maryam Library Foundation.

Aaryan used to overlook the value of books for he was a child living in a world where proper education

and information is widely available. He didn't fully appreciate the value of books until he saw the hardships faced by pupils who were denied access to even the most basic of human rights - education.

Aaryan witnessed the students from his mother’s preschool class: mainly consisting of low-income and

bilingual families, getting what they need to thrive in society. They are able to do well in school because

they have the resources needed for success. This is what got him thinking about indigent people; those

with such socioeconomic disadvantages, and how they would be struggling to receive basic education and information needed to become future leaders of the world.

Aaryan realized that books are more than just informational resources. For people who are less affluent,

they are lifelines that provide hope, empowerment, and a road to a better future. This insight sparked a

deep sense of obligation to push for increased access to reading as well as a renewed appreciation for the wealth of books that he already had. This is why he decided to volunteer for the Maryam Library

Foundation.

Children have the power to shape our world for future generations, and they represent the key to

unlocking a utopia. Their creativity, inventiveness, and insatiable curiosity are like fires that need fuel.

This fuel can be found in the form of books. Aaryan realized that he was a teenager who has power to

ignite change, and this change comes in the form of working hard to make books available to everyone,

regardless of any demographic.

The Maryam Foundation is constructing libraries in underrepresented communities, a significant project

that aims to provide a safe learning environment, inspire a lifelong love of learning, and ensure every

child has access to education, contributing to a better future.

Aaryan is currently volunteering at his local library in Dublin, CA, to make a small but important impact

on his community. He assists in the planning of events for elementary aged children to complete, that

foster curiosity and cultivate critical thinking.

This is when Aaryan decided to make a change. He decided to start doing something to make these

children with so much potential, restricted simply by the amount of money they had or where they lived,

to get the valuable books that they so desperately need.

In order for this change to happen, Aaryan is determined to sort and pack countless books, no matter how long it takes, so that they can easily be distributed to anyone who needs them. He has taken it upon his shoulders to facilitate the organization and transportation of the books that he has received. It may take many hours to sort them and get them in their place, but it is all nothing compared to the number of lives that Aaryan is changing