March 2008, Monroe High School, LA and Congressional Youth Leadership Council, Atlanta

Monore High School, California - - Judith Quiñones, a school teacher, invited Angad to lead the 9th grade workshop for their Academy’s interdisciplinary curriculum with a focus on: building community and identifying one’s own responsibility for effecting the group good.

In a letter to Angad’s principal the Academy Coordinator and a past California Teacher of the year, Kelly Hannock, wrote, “ Having Angad join us as the keynote speaker during this community awareness program certainly helped to inspire our students to engage in meaningful dialogue and to take action through their Advisory classes to solve problems they have identified together.


Since Angad’s visit, these Advisory class projects have taken off, with our ninth grade students reading to preschoolers in the park, speaking to middle school students about what it takes to be successful in high school, making films about what it really means to be a parent (in an attempt to address the growing teen pregnancy issue in our school), building a community garden, and creating a drug awareness program.

While we had many speakers from the community present to our students about the type of differences they could make, it was really Angad who caught their attention. Knowing that someone even younger than themselves had already made such an impact in his own community seemed to touch their sensibilities in a way the other adult speakers could not.

In a survey at the end of the event, an overwhelming majority of our students and teachers stated that they would definitely repeat this Virtual Field trip experience next year, with well over 80% listing Angad as a highlight of the day.

So I thank you for allowing Angad to join and participate with us. It was quite an experience for us all, one that will continue to inspire action within our school and within our community. How great to see students learning from each other and engaging with caring adults to make our own small world a better place.”

Thank You, Teachers, for the opportunity to serve and for your hospitality and the delecious vegetarian food. Thank You, students for the positive actions. The world will be a better place because of your baby steps.



One Light also screened at the 8th grade level in Angad’s own Northwestern Middle School and at the National Young Leader’s State Conference held in Atlanta, GA, where Angad represented his school.

Thank You NMS Staff for supporting and nominating Angad.