Global Leaders of Fairfax County

17 Rooms Projects

Members of the Global Leaders of Fairfax County Program undertake a project to address one of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within the Fairfax County Community.  

This year's cohort is undertaking the following 17 projects: 

Room 1: No Poverty

Suppressing Poverty in Our Community

Room leaders: Estrella Coca and Inara Smith

Members: Dawit Abebe, Candice Choi, Teddy Dehn, Madison Yabsera Girum, Apoorva Mula, and Meghna Potla              

This project addresses local poverty by expanding transportation access for unemployed and underemployed individuals. Through public-private  partnerships with county transit authorities, ride-sharing providers, and community organizations, the initiative provides direct payments, vouchers, and coupons enabling job seekers to reach employment opportunities, job fairs, and worksites, thereby promoting economic stability.

Room 2: Zero Hunger

Feeding Fairfax

Room leaders: Katie Bae and Hee Theng Chong

Members: Sahana Aravind, Arya Giri, Rawan Karar, Gretchen Parrott Reid, Jaiden Sabharwal, Ethan Alexander Santos

This project reduces food insecurity in Fairfax County by streamlining food donation and distribution systems. By partnering with local grocery stores and restaurants to collect surplus food, the initiative redirects essential resources to communities in need through established food banks, ensuring efficient and effective hunger relief.

Room 3: Good Health and Wellbeing

Fairfax Youth Health Initiative

Room leaders: Evelyn Kim and Ahmad Milad Sargand

Members: Sankalp Agarwal, Skylar Dalil, Henry Hung, Sagar Kapadia, Dohye Lee, and Lidya Teklebirhan

This project addresses health inequalities in marginalized communities through prevention-focused educational educational health fairs. By partnering with local non-profits and hospitals, the initiative provides multilingual resources and educational materials, empowering students and underserved populations with essential physical and mental health knowledge to improve community wellbeing.

Room 4: Quality Education

Learning English: From Peers for Peers

Room leaders: Sheba Ahmadzai and Sarah Le

Members: Hariwa Brakat, Sophia Chen, Anya Crevits, Daksha Rajagopal, Moxi Smiley, and Alden Walcott

This project connects elementary school students through peer-based literacy programming. The initiative features an online audiobook library of books   read aloud by children and adults, complemented by in-person reading groups at local libraries, fostering language development and community engagement among young learners.

Room 5: Gender Equality

Project Equality

Room leaders: Hirah Contractor and Lydia Shegai

Members: Naomi Isabella Bautista, Mariam Beddawi, Amanda Li, Aiyana Mathur, Emlyn Pascoe, Christine Qiao, Mezghan Rahman, and Marmwet Zelalem

This initiative promotes gender equality through advocacy and community engagement. Led by teenage girls, the project utilizes digital platforms to highlight critical gender issues, encourage peer dialogue, and inspire young people to advocate for meaningful change within their communities.

Room 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

Project Flow Forward: Understanding Water Quality and Runoff in Fairfax County

Room leaders: Lady Nyarko and Levi Sheth

Members:  Ivania Alvarez, Dalia Bekkadja, Cameron Kogut, Jitsu Marupudi, Michael Orilla, Daniel Tedros, and Phillip Tran

This community-focused project provides Fairfax County Public Schools with comprehensive information about local water quality and drinking water systems. The initiative examines runoff water, PFAS contamination, and pollution challenges while emphasizing public education, transparency, and practical resources for understanding water system impacts.

Room 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

Enviromeet

Room leaders: Rhayven Dela Rosa and Mikko Towe

Members: Anush Devkar, Gabriella Henriquez, Raghav Kasi, and Olivia Sim

This project promotes affordable and clean energy awareness through an interactive web platform. The site enables community members to engage with educational content, participate in informative activities, and join discussions about sustainable energy solutions, fostering collective learning and environmental responsibility.

Room 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

FCPS Future Funds: Building Financial Literacy for Economic Growth

Room leaders:  Jason Liu and Blen Mamo

Members: Jai Arora, Mason Brown, Ishaan Khatri, Muahid Mir, Joshua Pun, and Claire Zhu

This project addresses declining financial literacy by delivering age-appropriate financial education across elementary, middle, and high schools. Through hands-on simulations, mock investments, and competitive challenges with local business partnerships, students develop money management skills, career awareness, and workforce readiness.

Room 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

AI Awareness Workshops

Room leaders: Derek Barnes and Luna Sohn

Members:  Olivia Inglefield, Aanya Jain, Charles Lagdameo, Dania LaMarche, Satvik Suresh, and Sheryl Zhang

This project develops programming to improve artificial intelligence literacy across Fairfax County Public Schools. Through workshops and events, the initiative educates middle and high school students on integrating AI into effective learning while promoting responsible and ethical AI usage.

Room 10: Reduced Inequalities

Level the Playing Field: Standardized Test Prep

Room leaders:  Jaeda Hunter and Michael Jiang

Members:  Gautham Anand, Morena Arriaga, Gabriella Balderrama, Aicha Boyd, Sophia Guo, Lucy Little, Veda Murthy, and Makeda Tamrat

This project addresses educational inequality by providing free standardized test preparation resources to disadvantaged students. Through SAT preparation workshops at South Lakes High School and information sessions at Langston Hughes Middle School, the initiative ensures equitable access to college readiness materials.

Room 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

Cultivating Environmental Sustainability Through Installing Compost Bins in Local Elementary Schools

Room leaders: Aleyna Baybas, Alessandro De Stefano, and Nargis Ibrahimi

Members:  Surafel Demeke, Christine Flass, Meklit Tefera, and Michelle Zuo

This project promotes environmental sustainability at elementary schools through composting initiatives. By providing compost bins and facilitating collaboration between students and staff, the program educates young learners about waste management and environmental stewardship at the community level.

Room 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

NOVA Consumption

Room leaders: Maddie Joa and Edlam Tamiru

Members:  Valerie Lai, Elaina Rivers, Hannah Tran, and Mishal Zaidi

This nonprofit fashion initiative promotes sustainability and ethical consumption by combating fast fashion. Through education, community partnerships, and creative programming, the organization encourages mindful purchasing, clothing reuse, and upcycling, empowering youth to reduce textile waste and make environmentally responsible choices.

Room 13: Climate Action

GreenSteps

Room leaders:  Gabriela Thomas and Maggie Tong

Members: Meera Anil, Samantha Asiello, Michaela Frey, Alex Gan, Suryaa Kalyan, and Idman Khalif

This project develops comprehensive educational materials about global climate change for elementary and middle school students. Through presentations, interactive elements, and community projects, the initiative introduces climate science and empowers young learners to understand and implement meaningful environmental solutions.

Room 14: Life Below Water

Room leaders: Christine Le and Madison Malloy

Members: Karen Jiang, Justin Kwon, Molly Lussier, Grayson White, Lindsay Walker, and Natjaree Yangyuen

This project addresses water contamination through advocacy and education focused on root causes. Through a county-wide flyer campaign in schools, the initiative raises student awareness about the importance of recycling and its critical role in protecting aquatic ecosystems and water quality.

Room 15: Life on Land

Invasive Species Management at Hidden Oaks

Room leaders: Nikki Joy Cacabilos and Henry Ramos

Members: Ada Anderson, Virginia Eddins, Henry Ramos, Sahana Senthil, and Amrit Singh

This project partners with Hidden Oaks Nature Center to address invasive species threatening local ecosystems. Through volunteer efforts and community education, the initiative promotes sustainable land management practices and works to restore forest health and biodiversity in the region.

Room 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

Northern Virginia Resource Hub for Citizens Rights and Civil Rights, Liberties and Services

Room leaders: Savonne Clark and Annalise Richardson

Members: Agnes Gjeluci, Danica Javier, Lauren Lee, Faith Mekonen, Merriyam Qaiser, and Hana Sewenet

This project creates an accessible online resource hub providing Northern Virginians with comprehensive information about U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The platform compiles resources including legal rights, assistance services, and community support for residents across Fairfax, Arlington, Loudoun, Prince William, and Stafford Counties.

Room 17: Partnerships for the Goals

FCPS Peer Literacy Hub

Room leaders: Emily Kim and Jaime Lin

Members: Yuri Cho, Elle Duangmanee, Ramsey Hafez, Natalie Ignacio, Leyla-Lynn Jaoude, Jessica Lee,   and Sri Piramanayagam

This project establishes a comprehensive directory of free peer tutoring, ESL resources, and writing prompts, paired with a county-wide elementary writing challenge showcasing student submissions. Distributed through QR codes at schools and libraries, the hub connects students with essential literacy support.