The testimonials and work examples featured on this site are from our previous projects and organizations. They reflect the values, creativity, and impact we bring to The Shift as we begin planning and launching our own initiatives. You can explore this work in greater detail on my LinkedIn profile, via the icon.
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Shan He Tong Yi
This is Eunice and Cathy. They built a nonprofit, Shan He Tong Yi, that supports the children of the Yunnan province in China. I was so humbled and inspired by their perseverance, passion, and drive. They presented their mission to middle and upper school students. I am honored to support their journey, and anxious to see this beautiful mission unfold. Here is their story:
“In the freezing winter of the mountainous Yunnan province in China, many children brave their journey to school wearing hay-weaved slippers. Some bring homemade blankets and huddle in cocoons to share warmth with classmates. The compact classrooms always exceeded their intended capacity, and classroom-turned-dormitories with cracked windows and beds made of chairs and desks often lodge children living hours away.
Through these glimpses into the lives of local children, I saw how education was a luxury for them, as schools lacked quality educational resources or even basic infrastructures. Propelled to address the issue, I established an NGO to mobilize public support and successfully fundraised 150 sets of bedding and heaters to improve living standards, increasing attendance to an average of 305-350 students.
Beyond the children’s immediate physical needs, what concerned me more was how the limited resources shackled their imaginations of possible selves and the boundless opportunities the world holds for them. The artist-activist in me therefore fundraised for 800 art-supply kits and engaged the children in art learning, empowering them with a sense of creative agency and reminding them their potential to transcend their surroundings. I then exhibited their paintings in major cities in China and transformed them into necklaces and keychains for sale at an online store, not only sharing their stories with a larger audience but also sustaining the empowerment effort and generating positive results in the long run. I have dedicated more than 300 hours from March 2023 to today and will continue my work in the future.
My project embodies fair treatment, opportunity, and advancement for all as I aim to provide education opportunities and try my best to support the children regardless of their background.”
Beauty Industry Changemaker
Beauty Industry Changemaker
Audrey Ajakaye
Audrey Ajakaye
Audrey Ajakaye began her journey in high school with a deep personal motivation: her own struggle with eczema, hyperpigmentation, and sensitive skin. These challenges didn’t just affect her physically—they shaped how she saw herself. Rather than shy away from that experience, Audrey turned it into purpose.
As a high school student, Audrey created LoveMySkin, an AI-powered skin disease detection app that reached over 70,000 users. The app was not only groundbreaking—it was life-changing. One of her volleyball coaches was alerted to a serious skin issue through the app and sought medical care as a result. LoveMySkin marked the beginning of Audrey’s commitment to creating inclusive, accessible tools for skincare and health.
Now a college student, Audrey continues to build on that mission. In 2024, she launched Audaja, a professional-grade skincare brand focused on serving skin of color. With a product line developed alongside a holistic dermatologist and an FDA-regulated lab, Audrey introduced a colorful, thoughtful skincare collection that stands out both visually and in impact. Her products are now available on Amazon, and her work has earned her a spot in the prestigious Ulta Beauty MUSE Accelerator Cohort, which supports BIPOC beauty founders with funding, mentorship, and industry access.
Audrey’s story is a powerful example of what happens when personal experience, innovation, and a passion for helping others come together. From launching an app in high school to building a nationally recognized skincare brand in college, she continues to redefine what it means to serve—with both heart and vision.
Living and Serving with Purpose
4-day Workshop
What an exciting opportunity to create and host a 4-day workshop on living and serving with purpose for passionate students in grades 7 to 12. The experience would not have been nearly as engaging without the support of Giving Tuesday, The Salvation Army and Children's Village and the work of Cathy Berger Kaye.
"Purposeful engagement" refers to the deliberate and active involvement of individuals in meaningful initiatives aimed at effecting positive change in the world. Unlike traditional notions of charity, which often involve monetary donations, and volunteering, where tasks are assigned, purposeful engagement entails a deeper level of commitment and empowerment.
Purposeful engagement embodies the ethos of empowering students to become agents of positive transformation in their communities and beyond. It involves cultivating a mindset of thoughtful inquiry, where students become curious investigators of global issues. Through their engagement, they seek to understand the complexities of social challenges and actively contribute to solutions.
Central to purposeful engagement is the notion of leadership. Students are encouraged to harness their interests, skills, and talents to lead initiatives that address pressing issues. This leadership is grounded in action research, where students assess situations, gather data, and strategize for meaningful impact. By embracing purposeful engagement, students become not only advocates for change but also catalysts for creating a more just and equitable world.
Thank you Dante Plush, Jayden Perez, Audrey Ajakaye and Cathy Berger Kaye for your inspiring and thought-provoking work!
Enjoy the recap video via the icon above!
Scout O'Donnell; Medical Advocate
Humbled, inspired and proud to collaborate with medical advocate and researcher, Scout O'Donnell. She presented her medical journey and now work with Johns Hopkins Medicine to our student body today, to advance her mission and raise awareness on hydrocephalus.
This young woman is the embodiment of passion, purpose, and determination. She exemplifies the meaning of purposeful and intentional advocacy and research. She is an exemplar of an empowered student, who became an agent of positive transformation in her community and beyond.
Thank you Scout, for your courage and vulnerability. You have given a voice to so many and a space for others to share their stories.
The Middle School Service Fair
So humbled and proud to have hosted the very first Middle School Service Fair. The middle school service team over the last several months researched the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, considered their passions, interests, skills, and talents, and researched local organizations that emulated these goals. They held interviews, gathered data, meticulously planned, created marketing material and greeted all organization leaders today. What a beautiful event to raise awareness about local community needs. I am so proud of the professionalism and passion of our students. Bravo!
We look forward to brainstorming next steps to cultivate these relationships further. Thank you to Feeding Westchester , The Make-A-Wish Foundation of the Hudson Valley, The Alzheimer’s Association, The Sharing Shelf, The United Nations Development Programme and Kendall on Hudson Senior Center for taking time out of their day to share their mission and goals with our students, and provide an activity that would allow them to be a power for good on the spot.
Family Day of Service
The Family Day of Service was created to bring together individuals across generations in a shared commitment to learning, connection, and meaningful community impact. In collaboration with local organizations, participants engaged in hands-on service projects designed to foster sustainable, reciprocal relationships—both locally and globally. Through collective action, reflection, and skill-sharing, the event encouraged families and friends to use their time and talents to be a power for good in the world. Watch the recap video below.
FWDoS 2023.MOVCapturing Stories, Creating Connection
Our junior photography students recently transformed their artistic talents into a meaningful act of service through a partnership with the Kendall on Hudson Senior Center. Students organized and hosted complimentary portrait sessions for interested seniors, thoughtfully photographing each participant and learning how to capture personality, emotion, and story through the lens.
But the experience extended far beyond the camera. Students professionally printed and framed each portrait, presenting the finished photographs to the seniors as holiday gifts they could proudly share with their families. This project not only strengthened students’ technical photography skills, but also nurtured empathy, communication, and intergenerational connection—core values of The Shift. What began as a class assignment evolved into a celebration of dignity, creativity, and community.
Human Trafficking Awareness
with The SOAP Project
Today, I had the privilege of witnessing the incredible commitment and dedication of my students. They embody the spirit of being a force for good in our community and beyond. The students' passion, determination, and persistence are truly remarkable.
One of the stages of service learning is Demonstration, where students share what they've learned about an issue with their class, school, or community. Today, we had the honor of hearing from students who participated in the human trafficking awareness mission, shedding light on one of the darkest issues of our time. Their efforts serve as a beacon of hope and inspiration to us all.
We also had a passionate student among us who is steadfastly supporting our military, demonstrating unwavering loyalty and gratitude to those who serve our country. Furthermore, we welcomed back our graduate, Scout O'Donnell, and her mother Kemi, who are being recognized and supported by two of our dedicated upper school students. Their story exemplifies the power of compassion and solidarity within our Masters School family.
Let us celebrate these remarkable individuals and their endeavors to make the world a better place. Together, we will continue to amplify our impact and spread positivity far and wide.
Making a Positive Impact ...
right at home
In my role as both a Service leader and middle school Health teacher, I've found that the concepts of mental and emotional health and service are a perfect match. When we give to others, we're also giving to ourselves. Recently, I challenged my students to apply this idea by using the service learning model to identify a need, invest in it, and create a solution. I was so impressed by the creativity and ingenuity of these young out-of-the-box thinkers. It's inspiring to see the next generation so passionate about making a positive impact in their very own communities.
The Make-A-Wish Foundation
Giving Back and Sharing Out
Delighted to have had the opportunity to address Maria Regina High School as an alumna today. I had the privilege of discussing my career path with the girls and later spoke to a broader audience about the significance of service work and learning experiences. Grateful for the invitation from Maria Regina. It's heartening to witness the continued empowerment of compassionate, courteous, and capable women. Go Tigers!
Putting Work into Action
Humbled and proud of our passionate student community today. My colleague and I took several courageous students around our community to fight human trafficking. Partnering with The SOAP Project, we labeled hotel soap with hotline information and educated local hotel staff on the signs of trafficking. Talking with Jeffrey Stemen, a SOAP representative, we were able to ask questions and make suggestions. We were thrilled to see how many hotel staff members were aware of the red flags of trafficking. If we saved one, we succeeded, but if we even educated a few, we also succeeded.
Shan He Tong Yi Update
Eunice continues to inspire us all with her passion and perseverance towards creating positive social impact. Recently, she was invited to be a student ambassador for the SPARK program with GivingTuesday!
Today, we collaborated on a presentation for the high school to share a service learning model, from CBK Associates that leverages all learning opportunities for the greater good. I shared on the purpose and process of investigation and preparation, while Eunice shared her mission and how through action research, she found an authentic need and is making a real difference in her home country.
You may recall that Eunice initially began with collecting monetary donations in exchange for Yunnan student artwork, which she turned into keychains and necklaces! However, she didn't stop there. In an effort to send a message that even those who cannot afford monetary donations can be a force for good, Eunice is collaborating with the Art, Mandarin, and English departments to create children's books that are relatable to the children of Yunnan, sharing the importance of drinking clean water.
It has been an honor to watch Eunice's journey and see how far her passion and perseverance can take her. Let's continue to support her mission and inspire others to make a positive impact in their communities.
St. Vincent's Hospital Youth Award
Congratulations to Eunice for winning a St. Vincent's Hospital Youth Award! Her passion and determination to serve her community have earned her this prestigious recognition. The award recognizes students in their sophomore, junior, or senior year who best exemplify the mission of St. Vincent's Hospital - respect and compassion for ourselves and others, excellence in service, the dignity of human life, and commitment to the community. Eunice's outstanding volunteer service is a true inspiration for others to follow. Let's celebrate her achievement and continue to encourage young leaders to make a positive impact in their communities.
Building Relationships Across the Ocean
A core principle of meaningful service is building relationships—not giving handouts, but holding hands and learning alongside others. Eunice beautifully embodied this through her work connecting students in New York with children in Yunnan Province, China. In a creative effort to deepen that connection, she transformed the children’s artwork into keychains and necklaces, donating 100% of the proceeds to help improve a local children’s home—while leaving supporters with a small, heartfelt piece of Yunnan’s culture.
Eunice’s mission garnered strong support within our school community, and we were inspired by her compassion, creativity, and commitment. We can’t wait to see the lasting impact she will continue to make!
Emperor Penguins
at the Shanghai Aquarium
“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves”
I was just reminded of the incredible work my students did in Shanghai by speaking up for these captured emperor penguins.
Girls Scouts' Gold Award
So incredibly proud of another student!!! Melissa is the recipient of the highest award for Girl Scouts. She spent 90 hours creating a plan to make a positive impact on the mental health of teenagers. She collected data, created a blog, website and Instagram page to reach as many teenagers as possible. Her efforts had teenagers helping teenagers. Such a brilliant idea as we all know that teenagers are more apt to listen to their peers, creating stronger relationships and connections. Bravo, Melissa!
Read about and visit Melissa‘s work below:
“Many teenagers are plagued with a disease that seems impossible to treat: stress. Teenagers are asked to balance a lot of things on their plates. An eight hour day of grueling classes is often preceded or followed by sports practices, extracurriculars, lessons, and mounds of homework. With the pandemic, a whole new assortment of stressors have been integrated into teenager’s lives. Unpredictable school closures and quarantines prevent students from getting the level of teacher/peer support and interaction they are used to, and takes a mental toll on students who worry about their health and the health of their loved ones. Social media, a popular stress relief agent for many teenagers, is overwhelmed with information about COVID-19, social justice issues, and politics.
Although the pandemic has weakened with time, its effects and the stress it has caused continue to be prevalent in teenager's lives. According to a 2020 survey from the American Psychological Association, 43% of teenagers say their stress increased in 2020. Despite the somewhat improvement in the pandemic during 2021, stress continued to increase, with 46% of Gen Z stating that their mental health was better before the pandemic. Members of Gen Z (teenagers) were most likely to report decreased mental health, as compared to millennials, Gen X adults, boomers, and older adults.
What is being done to help teenagers alleviate their stress? It seems as if the majority of resources available are targeted towards adults and young children. I created a platform that raises awareness for teenage stress and provides stress relief techniques that can be useful for a lifetime.”
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