DYC STUDENT LEADER SPOTLIGHT

Name:

Tanmayi Sayani

Location:

New Jersey

Award:

PVSA GOLD AWARD

Contribution in Year:

2020

In 2020 I was able to put together a team on the East Coast to aid the community in these trying times. Through Design Your careers I was able to contribute over 250 hours of volunteer work to needed areas.
The opportunity of expanding the east coast chapter, the workshops and community projects led by us team through Design Your careers empowered and inspired me to use our skills and talents to better our society. Being able to give back to the community right from home while doing what you love is one of the most rewarding feelings one can experience. Join our Growing community !

About Me

Hello! My name is Tanmayi Sayani. I’m a Sophomore at Montgomery Highschool and an active participant here in my community. I am a part of my school’s fencing team which gave me an amazing opportunity to make new friends. Some other things I do in my free time are Taekwondo (I’m a first-degree black belt training to be an instructor!) and I also bake a little bit,
but not as much as I would like to. I’m not too into astrology but I am an August Virgo (one of the elite signs in my opinion) and I’d say I fit the characteristics quite well. Once I started high school I knew the importance of volunteering but nothing really caught my attention. I’ve been involved in my school’s Unicef club, which was rewarding, but I knew that I wanted to be a part of something that can enhance my skills. When I learned of Design Your Careers I was immediately intrigued. Seeing that this was a primarily student-led organization, empowered and inspired me to bring change, despite my young age. Seeing the impact that a group of passionate people can make by doing what they love sets DYC apart from other organizations. I worked with the organization to bring attention to its goals and focuses and was given the role of the East Coast Regional Director. As DYC grew and continues to, more people realized how easily one can aid various sectors of society just by showcasing their talents or bringing light to valued topics.

Through Design Your Careers I was able to put together a group that tackles prominent issues. 2020 was a year where many had to focus on their mental health. Staying at home and not having access to your comfortable life quite literally was life-changing. While the pandemic forced us all to adapt to changes, it was also the perfect time to expose others to learning new skills. Firstly we started a go-fund-me raising fund for hospitals to purchase masks for healthcare workers, working with another organization SEWA. We raised a grand total of $1,000.00 and split the money between SEWA and The Franklin Food Bank, to assist in the lack of food present. Also relating to COVID relief, I put together a small group and we stitched and donated masks to healthcare workers. This also served as a fun pass time for the volunteers, while we were providing aid for the scarcity of masks. I also hosted and conducted several workshops to comfort the people affected by the pandemic. We hosted a “Yoga for the youth” workshop, a week-long yoga workshop with a certified yoga instructor. The East Coast’s favorite event hosted was the Math Workshops. All of our team selected one grade level and held five math classes to advance the students for their coming school year. This event tested our abilities and leadership skills. I’ve also created a couple of pre-recorded videos, one of which was a “How to Make a FU Mask” tutorial, encouraging others of the importance of wearing a mask. I continued the year by various fundraisers being held and overall just bringing awareness to prevalent issues. DYC
allows for people from anywhere to execute any project they are interested in and have the support of an organization behind them.