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In a world where the language of robots, AI, and machine learning is the new frontier, a tale of unyielding determination, relentless grit, and unwavering commitment takes flight. These subjects, complex and intricate, pose a formidable challenge even to many conventional students. Yet, in this world of coding and robotics, a bold and audacious idea is born. The return of the FLL national competition in India after a long break kindles a spark of inspiration. Why not equip our visually challenged students of Netra Vidyalaya for this challenge? The task is monumental; teaching robotics to visually impaired children, nurturing their innovative ideas, and refining their presentation skills. But, a flame of confidence, fueled by past experiences of their indomitable will, burns bright. The journey begins with the blessing of VTSeva CEO, HH Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji . His thoughtful insights and unwavering support bolster the resolve. The flame spreads, igniting the passion of our subject matter experts and the dynamic teachers of Netra Vidyalaya. Doubt is absent; instead, electrifying energy fills the air as they embrace this ambitious goal. Within days, the teachers select the students who will be part of the FLL competition. They are introduced to FLL bricks, coding, and how to build a robot using Legos. For two months, they worked tirelessly to understand, design, test, rebuild, and make their innovative ideas work. They not only improve their skills in robotics but also get better at presenting their ideas eloquently in English. For the whole two months, all the students, teachers, and mentors worked together to turn these nine children into proud representatives who can stand tall on the national stage. They named their team ‘Thought Notch Robotica’ . The two-day national competition in Goa sees participation from 350 teams from all over the country. Against all odds, the Netra Vidyalaya team did exceptionally well, showcasing their innovative idea of ‘Sudoku for Visually Challenged’ and their passion for ‘Cricket for Blind’ . Their performance was outstanding, and the judges praised their effort. Their project caught everyone’s attention. They presented real solutions to the problems they face as visually challenged individuals. The Sudoku idea they presented is the first of its kind for the blind. They gave it their all and did just as planned. The result is a testament to their hard work - they won the ‘Champions Award’ . The children, teachers, and mentors are overjoyed, all their hard work for two months has paid off. It’s not just about the win, but they gained much more - they get to see the world of robotics and stand on the national stage with special approval. The "Thought Notch Robotica" team is scheduled to present on Friday 4/19 from 10:00 AM to 10:45 AM as part of the conference session. Our team is not competing in Houston. Many thanks to the FLL organizers for not only giving a chance to a completely visually challenged team but also not charging them an entry fee because they are a nonprofit organization. Special thanks to Mr. Chandra Polisetti (FLL 54520 and FRC 2976) from Seattle for being a mentor and guiding the team every step of the way, and also for getting his friend Mr. Siddarth from Vizag to help the team in person. Without their support, this would not have been possible. This victory would not have been possible without our Netra Vidyalaya teachers, they are the backbone of this win. Many thanks to our donors who believed in them to sponsor their education. This is a story of triumph, a story of overcoming odds, a story that inspires us all. This is an uplifting tale about seizing an idea, fully embracing it, and giving it your all. It’s a story that sparks inspiration. This is their story for all of us. "This is a moment that etches itself in our hearts, serving as a beacon of inspiration. There are days when we find ourselves in the labyrinth of life, seeking purpose and motivation to persevere against all odds. These children, with their humble backgrounds, and the teachers, devoid of luxuries, find their sole motivation in the triumph of these young souls. Let this narrative ignite a spark within us during those times when life seems to be an uphill battle. Let it remind us that even in the face of adversity, victory is possible. This is not just a story; it’s a testament to the indomitable human spirit." Please click here to support our Nethra Team: https://bit.ly/helpnethrateam

Our VT SEVA Detroit Youth Board kicked off the beginning of the 2024 volunteering season with the closing of the 1st quarter! Every project was a great initiative and a way to help out our community and gratefulness extends to all the youth and adult volunteers that devoted their time to such a noble cause! Here are the projects we have covered from January to March this quarter: Youth Board Projects: Dog Rescue Towel DriveGrocery Bag DriveCASS Community Cooking Event VTSeva Detroit Youth Board Teen Mental Wellness EventVTSeva Youth Board Coats and Socks Drive Open Door Food Ministry Volunteering EventBrilliant Detroit In-Person Volunteering Detroit Projects: Food Gatherers Packing Event DRAW Warehouse Capuchin Soup Kitchen World Medical Relief Center Clean Love Project FMSC Food Packing Event Food drive and fundraising for Lighthouse pantry with Kroger stores solicitation Destined For Greatness Ford Wellness Center Annual / FundRaiser Events: VT Seva Detroit 7th Annual Public Speaking Workshop VTS Club Events: Troy High and IAE- Boxing groceries for The Dre Project North Farmington HS VTS Club- Fleece and Thank You Troy High VTS Club- Book Drive for Making Spirits Bright Troy IA VTS Club- Sorting at Children Hospital Troy HIGH VTS Club- Grace Center of Hope Soup KitchenIAE VTS Math Kangaroo Competition VTS Troy High- Gleaners Fundraiser Video of Event Slides Youth Board Projects: Dog Rescue Towel Drive- 1/31/2024 Animals  offer numerous benefits to our well-being, including mental, physical, and social support. Unfortunately, not all animals receive the care they deserve. To address this issue, we've partnered with Last Day Dog Rescue to donate towels and essential items to aid their efforts in helping animals in need. 35 Youth Board members from 10 different cities collected 105 towels. 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 LEAD: Oviya JaiSankar 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗩𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀:  Aanya Das, Abisrishti Ram,  Aditya Sankar, Akshitha Mylavarapu, Akshith Ashwant, Ananya Sankar, Anish Jaganna, Anoop  Sharva Jaganna, Avni Patel, Cordelia Laframboise, Hajanthan Muhinthan, Jenna Najor, Jishnu Kandalam, Joseph Najor, Kushal Durga, Mohammed Hussain, Nidhi Rao, Nikhil Aerabati,  Oviya Jaisankar, Rachana Raghunathan, Rishi Adduri, Rishi Chowdhry, Saicharan, Sai Sahasra, Sai Sri Ram, Samhith Eganti, Shraya Ved, Shruthi Adduri, Swara Rege, Tian Han Pelon, Varnika Jakka, Varshan Muhinthan, Varshini Barla, Veena Karthik, Yathisekar Debetta   𝗔𝗱𝘂𝗹𝘁 𝗩𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀:  Priya, Srinath, Vanitha, Vijay, Samynathan, Prasad, Jaisankar, Komathy, Suresh, Shobana, and Jyothi FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/VhL2bjrNgQchSuNR/?mibextid=qi2Omg INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/p/C27cVq5O5ZY/?igsh=MXJqaGFqbHRrOHE3dQ== Grocery Bag Drive- 1/31/2024 Despite our access to resources like food and warmth during the cold winter, many families in our community still lack these essentials. Organizations like Open Door Ministries provide crucial support to these families by operating food banks. To aid their efforts, our Youth Board donated grocery bags for packing food. With the collaboration of 39 members, we collected over 3000 bags to support our local food bank. 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 LEAD: Shreya Shetty 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐕𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐫𝐬: Aanya Das, Abisrishti Ram,  Aditya Sankar, Akshitha Mylavarapu, Akshith Ashwant, Ananya Sankar, Anisha Madalla, Arnav Sharma, Avni Patel, Cordelia Laframboise, Hajanthan Muhinthan, Jishnu Kandalam, Kushal Durga, Mohammed Hussain, Nidhi Rao, Nikhil Aerabati,  Nithin Ramkumar, Oviya Jaisankar, Rachana Raghunathan, Rishi Adduri, Rishi Chowdhry, Rishma Madalla, Sai Charan, Sai Sahasra, Sai Sri Ram, Samhith Eganti, Sanjula, Sathvik Tirumala Kanduri, Savithri Bhatta, Shivam Shah, Shraya Ved, Shruthi Adduri, Shyam Bhatta, Swara Rege, Tian Han Pelon, Varshan Muhinthan, Varshini Barla, Veena Karthik, and Yathisekar Debetta 𝐀𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐭 𝐕𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐫𝐬:  Priya, Srinath, Vanitha, Vijay, Samynathan, Prasad, Jaisankar, Komathy, Suresh, Shobana, and Jyothi FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/vtseva.detroit/posts/pfbid02BwhV4pw64EGRSbwCny1XAd8YE6zgkMwzyc7gBetwd6L4ur7kjRzGfUmUkK4YeArBl INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/p/C2wvBHVufe6/?img_index=1 CASS Community Cooking Event-2/18/2024 The Cass Community Social Services Cooking Service Event is always a memorable experience, filled with joy, tears, and even some singing. Residents were greeted with a clean dining room and pantry, appreciating the effort to provide a welcoming environment. Making a difference was truly delicious, as we were able to feed 130 people who enjoyed the food we prepared. We look forward to returning for another rewarding experience. 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 LEAD: Oviya Jaisankar 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗩𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀:  Oviya, Jishnu, Varshini, Diya, Rithvik, Rishabh, Akshitha, Shruthika, Soumya, Aanya, Shruthi A & Soham   𝗔𝗱𝘂𝗹𝘁 𝗩𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀:   Priya, Jaisankar, Niveditha, Srilatha, Savithri, Lalitha, Niladari, Nalini & Shailaja FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/vtseva.detroit/posts/pfbid0jxB29KCkfsvTMPqMpCs72v1z9CibDr2iaTeZEmDrHbTRszFMnL9JKuMKyVfhsZwRl INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/p/C3hzjEfuL88/?img_index=1 VTSeva Detroit Youth Board Teen Mental Wellness Event Teen mental wellness is crucial for adolescent health, covering emotional, psychological, and social aspects. Friendships are vital for this wellness, offering support and belonging. Our youth gathered on this day to exchange positive messages, fostering a supportive community. 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗩𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀:  Aditi, Akshitha, Oviya, Shreya, Pelon, Shivani, Shivam, Sai, Sreenika, Anvika, Ishan, Akshaya. Anirvin, Jayanth, Shruthi, Shruthika, Rishi, Izzy, Sathvik, Swara & Sneha. FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/vtseva.detroit/posts/pfbid0Mz3rJ3dC2vYYhWb49mUB8HnGnufc8cPgZypExGtP2NVRcNeubKFWfEwVz9z9W9uol?__cft__[0]=AZVa5OvXPnu71YYSHVxUGYl3rgx0sMl6ls04AKhnKHn7s13z5fdjy8pinsPqRaXYI0aDd48Cyhmmtpk4yE1WmyZSMko2q6RJrTnwTnzteQ9B_hEbilcBBGTguA9F0NfhPmRt1B3jTs7dDctKPXq0wBmStW-2h1rfHuNsVv7aCAVArxwmUb3sVk6p_28M3j3L52XQQfcar1eolLDn4PMbyjFz&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R VTSeva Youth Board Coats and Socks Drive-3/7/2024 VTSEVA Detroit Youth Board collected 144 New & Gently Jackets and 108 pairs of New & Gently socks for Grace Centers of Hope. This organization supports homeless and chemically dependent community members in southeast Michigan. Donated items will be distributed or sold to buy food and resources. 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 LEAD: Hajanthan Muhinthan 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗩𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀:  (𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗮𝘁) Aanya, AbiSrishti, Akshita, Akshith, Amogh, Anirvin, Anushka, Avni, Cordelia, Diya, Eashan, Hajanthan, Harsh, Hrudya, Kalki, Kavi, Nirvan, Nithin, Oviya, Rachana, Rishabh, Rishi C, Rithvik, Sai, Sai Hasini, Sai Sahasra, Saicharan, Samhith, Satvick, Shraya, Shruthi, Swara, Tian Han, Varshan, Varshini, Veena, Videep. 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗩𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀: ( 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗸𝘀)  Akshita, Akshith, Amogh, Avni, Cordelia, Diya, Eashan, Hajanthan, Harsh, Hrudya, Nirvan, Oviya, Pranav, Rachana, Rishabh, Rishi, Rithvik, Sai, Sai Sahasra, Saicharan, Satvick, Shraya, Shruthi, Swara , Tian Han, Varshan, Varshini, Veena, Videep. FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/vtseva.detroit/posts/pfbid02vk4hfX86MgYSxcLfv4yD5vNmYTFrh593j134BS4Kwfnvv6QicVjMaaDUdX7dy8YGl INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/p/C4Nfbi5upUT/?img_index=1 Open Door Food Ministry Volunteering Event- 3/21/2024 During our volunteering experience at Open Door Food Ministry, we assisted in various tasks to support their mission of serving those in need. This food pantry serves approximately 400 families weekly, distributing an average of 20,000 lb of food per week. Our tasks included organizing sugar packets and condiment packages for inclusion in food packages, assisting in the assembly line to load carts for each family, and cleanup after food distribution. 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 LEAD: Shreya Shetty 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗩𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀:   Kushal Durga, Avni Patel, Jishnu Kandalam, Amogh Mavatoor, Rishabh Mavatoor, Shraya Ved, Akshith Ashwanth, Aditi Jethri Kompally, and Shreya Shetty 𝗔𝗱𝘂𝗹𝘁 𝗩𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀: Kalyani Nallamilli, Vandana Durga, and Niveditha Mavatoor FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/vtseva.detroit/posts/pfbid09gadsFaeqQYUMNPochUfAhHvucmxSBKUXPmtphNrbXBBpQH9xFUhJisAmL5Hg3V3l Brilliant Detroit In-Person Volunteering- 3/31/2024 VT Seva Detroit volunteers recently collaborated with Brilliant Detroit, assembling 415 STEM kits for their Adventures in Science and Stories in Science programs. These kits aim to support student learning in STEM subjects, with 16 dedicated volunteers contributing to the initiative. 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 LEAD: Amogh Mavatoor 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗩𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀:  Aditya Sankar, Akshith Ashwanth, Amogh Mavatoor, Ananya Sankar, Avni Patel, Jishnu Kandalam, Shraya Ved, Shruthi Adduri, Swara Rege, Sriraam Hebbar, Nitya Sankar, Rishabh Mavatoor 𝗔𝗱𝘂𝗹𝘁 𝗩𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀:    Pallavi Patel, Nalini Sangita, Neha Ved, Vanitha Gopalan FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/vtseva.detroit/posts/pfbid02wpt7yNaQC2bEdgaLmZwe9bxswEeKZYRt7aneDuAuCMZCXtG5fYqmmDJRr3ozd3dXl Detroit Projects: Food Gatherers Packing Event-1/6/2024 Food Gatherers, a leading agency for hunger relief in the county, supports a network of 170 community partners with free and low-cost food deliveries. Our volunteers sorted dairy, produce, and packaged food, preparing 783 lbs of food for delivery in just 3 hours. Additionally, over 800 lbs of compost will be used to feed animals on local farms. 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗩𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀:  Jisnu Kandalam, Kirupali Sathyanathan, Avni Patel, Shruthi Adduri, Varshan Muhinthan, Hajanthan Muhinthan, Shraya Ved, Rishi Chowdhury, Kushi Kanumuri 𝗔𝗱𝘂𝗹𝘁 𝗩𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀:   Praveen K, Pallavi P, Vijay K, Sathyanathan V, Durga Nalini, Komathy M, Vanitha G FACEBOOK https://www.facebook.com/vtseva.detroit/posts/pfbid0GPodK6BDsGM6dKPP7cdg4tWPQLebPoNM7q5dCaL3Vu86bnXY943XrSVs5o44u1x5l?__cft__[0]=AZX0ZlAJg1LI4FocrSiaGfUotI2INh7mblhoBthbR8hakY3irVyPIcceSfY4tROjMYx_bSUOnMTFMXfwWbhOTM0yHFevtpjVkOoVvHeqxFjsqrgAYn2h13Va6IN8MxW_hhg5i9UTT6GJAyZ38-5pnxW8q_CFlMN-1pXIXiKcpBGAW7EQoARZ3K880qKqX1WtPvUbsUw5yq6bzeQab_IJg_lM&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R DRAW Warehouse- 1/20/2024 13 VT Seva Detroit volunteers (Youth & Adults) volunteered at the  DRAW (Disaster Relief At Work)  Disaster Relief At Work warehouse that provides aid to natural disaster victims. We cleaned 60 tables to be distributed to a city in Mississippi as disaster relief from tornadoes. 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 LEAD: Shraya Ved 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗩𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀:  Shraya Ved, Avni Patel, Jishnu Kandalam, Kushi Kanumuri, Amogh Mavatoor, Rishi Harish, Kaustubh Dingari 𝗔𝗱𝘂𝗹𝘁 𝗩𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀:   Vanitha Gopalan, Neha Ved, Pallavi Patel, Praveen Kanumuri, Chandra Kanumuri, Nivedhita Mavatoor, Suresh Rajan FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/vtseva.detroit/posts/pfbid0377wfVjwxcvBdCFbi8orrFTbCUNGG8rukwHCaHz5BuAQqrQsLSSfDjxHqcp1f4AhUl?__cft__[0]=AZWrRrZg2A-xKuXzlTSmUchn9g5pqGyAouagynvP2XN7BTVMeH2LpyW6niuctFaymUs4O9orB1aZdK1TIKAErP25D5i-ZluecWGRRKZ_aVFzKF7uUFuKu_KH21E0UGlAOrDGGkJfR4rsy_ec19IazqLR433MWr3m2CMyCN7ggrF06PxafVgr8XoRKruxSRHHzmucgAYwbNLMsMi-QiArlGqN&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R Capuchin Soup Kitchen- 1/27/2024 Capuchin Soup Kitchen provides healthy meals to the homeless and hungry, serving breakfast, lunch, and         dinner. Nine volunteers assisted with tasks such as serving food, prepping ingredients, organizing inventory, baking desserts, and cleaning the kitchen and dining area. 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 LEAD: Harshini Manthena 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗩𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀:  Kaustubh Dingari, Rishi Harish,, Amogh Mavatoor, Rishabh Mavatoor, Harshini Manthena 𝗔𝗱𝘂𝗹𝘁 𝗩𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀:   Srinivasa Raju Manthena, Vanitha Gopalan, Srivardhan Dingari, Nivedhita Mavatoor. FACEBOOK:  https://www.facebook.com/vtseva.detroit/posts/pfbid0zhD9TFwKXcSoxuoCWqr1keuK289gWB2nFMHuYAHJZJ5YL2Gw8wp3hwtnuPGeqywKl?__cft__[0]=AZUK6BLZWevtR_J_O5j7fe-C-Og-l5zV1E8fY9PWJojGPJyvpl7rEMlSC4j7BzkHib6-sQSsuAk73laEjuohkgrtNxgKBrkqKilrgGJB49yUw4oLZgc7ZEI1qCCG52dmOlnl9jfwAko7z1TSDjoPE9wu50OmDdyBbEsBMQCNTj1fGmgfBSNf9z8j-v3yrGfCfQ0fzgOiqBJYJnY26_61LvbQ&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R World Medical Relief Center- 2/17/2024  On February 17th, 2024, VT Seva Detroit volunteers had an inspiring learning opportunity as well as an amazing volunteering experience at the  World Medical Relief  center. In total we had 12 volunteers who did a great job sorting medical supplies along with the lead director of the medical center. 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 LEAD: Anirvin Ramanan 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗩𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀: Anirvin Ramanan, Deekshitha Rave, Yathi Shekar Debbata, Shraya Ved, Avni Patel, Hrudya Kishore, Swara Rege 𝗔𝗱𝘂𝗹𝘁 𝗩𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀:   Vanitha Gopalanm Swathi Debbata, Pallavi Patel, Ranga Rao Ravu, Suresh Rajan. FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/vtseva.detroit/posts/pfbid0S4GhJR7i6kUhkdJJ2rFYQhbbJc25UnnKjtH7dcRuVHCY7sZSJ5XFBtresafQTmkvl?__cft__[0]=AZXAc3C92fNpjsXHDeQohdJO5AoGAcHlp0v9SJaTm-vU0XTeU8mPWmC30f139s_cwLQlMCUrm_9gRPG-eaxi_TwfYzI0kJ79-Z9jl-AkdtxfStQbfyoeO0vtTmecPMfhxbcoD9yL__2igPBfZaIrdW0qa58_OoEeseamvDyKHk-S4YiPPRfm0SfkWYW7N-kx7WrS2tUmp6fs_sKdmptjaM9n&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R Clean Love Project- 2/24/2024 Our volunteering experience at The Clean Love Project was incredibly rewarding. In total, 17 volunteers came together to assemble hygiene kits for women in need. These kits, totaling 2,071 hygiene items, will be distributed to women and young girls in Detroit schools, food pantries, and homeless shelters. Our efforts aim to alleviate their hygiene needs and empower them to feel clean, loved, and empowered. 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 LEAD: Avni Patel 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗩𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀:  Avni Patel, Shraya Ved, Hrudya Kishore, Jishnu Kandalam, Kushi Kanumuri, Aarabhi Ratish, Anushka Vikram,  Swara Rege, Amogh Mavatoor, Ruthvi Ala, and Vedhya Raja 𝗔𝗱𝘂𝗹𝘁 𝗩𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀:   Vanitha Gopalan, Pallavi Patel, Praveen Kamumuri, Chandra Kamumuri, Vijay Kandalam, and Rajesh Raja FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/vtseva.detroit/posts/pfbid0MAsUvVaYyjZydp2A4qQ3KLGrCYkK6iDYBmtNurCRRLKCb72UYPZAbJqVNhVTtwDil?__cft__[0]=AZX_2PPjbnicpaAFd_DcGEPfJJnWk444PZV3Dgq3tVF8HnWJx1QVkk-px2O4cLN8nOYKwSFPeNBIyr5pzAUdZhrt0qLdcClvrzZd1Zx8AldhhC7qmwXap_OwG7CLqtPbw1eBdO4XnQYev2IN9VxdtF9XWR3KTMh8_EeKM1yLDMpm6dkAUNW2dmSzOuStFy1rR3aRQv2Eq2lsq_XN64M5zVM_&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R FMSC Food Packing Event-3/1/2024 Several VTS students volunteered at the Feed My Starving Children Food Packing Event to pack food for children in need. This experience taught us gratitude for our necessities. Our group assembled 552 bags, totaling 131,760 meals. With 18 volunteers, we made a significant impact on children's lives by providing nutrient-rich food packets. 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 LEAD: Sathvik Surapaneni 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗩𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀: Sanjula Karunaraj, Rachana Raghunathan, Sai Sahasra Namuduri, Jishnu Kandalam, Sathvik Surapaneni, Hanjanthan Muhinthan, Varshan Muhinthan, Udhayaa Arul, Tejas Raja. 𝗔𝗱𝘂𝗹𝘁 𝗩𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀:   Vanitha Gopalan, Shalini Musunuru, Suresh Rajan, Raghunathan Namuduri, Rajesh Raja, Kavitha, Komathy M FACEBOOK:  https://www.facebook.com/vtseva.detroit/posts/pfbid0eQgxVvBGCeFedcN3NqgLGFTaR4ZVJeRisCRk849YuWgVPLcviW3FsUGwehioPCAkl?__cft__[0]=AZWTynNead5oIRxWlXJZ3Uco_rJvecJiF0TuVG6ss_b9ZCF3LwKTz0N1GdvVpvPY3Yx8MqRSRs1MrFduzZ2gor5P2JrWhCYAa5YHrbN27Ap6GDFRZh8GshcRv5PCWtwxQW3GQsT8m34-BcUo14bqYnl7aH2i-tp2Qo0YDMjC_XaIHF2lkQAntMDJ8Ou4UQwTsU_9BKPNtGi5NbhmMhdAwTh6&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R Food drive and fundraising for Lighthouse pantry with Kroger stores solicitation- 3/17/2024 Despite challenging weather conditions, the food drive for Lighthouse Food Pantry in Pontiac, MI, supported by Kroger Store, was a success. Volunteers gathered 17 boxes of food donations and $580 in cash, thanks to the generous support of Kroger customers from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm. Enthusiastic volunteers, both youth and adults, contributed to the event's success, ensuring that the donations collected will benefit the Lighthouse Food Pantry next week. 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗩𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀:   Abisristhi Ram, Anishya Madala, Rishi Harish, Tejas Raja, Rachana, Sai Karnati, Rishma Madala, Kushi Kanumuri, Vedhya, Videep Routhu, Varshan, Yathi Debbata 𝗔𝗱𝘂𝗹𝘁 𝗩𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀: Shobana Arun, Bindhya Raja, Praveen Kanumuri, Ramesh Routhu, Srinathbabu Karnati, Suresh Rajan, Vanitha Gopalan FACEBOOK:  https://www.facebook.com/vtseva.detroit/posts/pfbid02eYsxjttCQBZKbxpUKRXUFacEahHyxq9Jr3ageES2E6U4Yv88fny8D9ufoyz6devXl?__cft__[0]=AZUz2M9iUHPFrtwoR1pMoNZWDsbZAQaInVInxq1HcBXh9gK8Mk2l7QhtjDbFL-vVVo659Y_ydCRn3m0iLoIlPxRqBQOX85fjnHTlESHEfKkToavrK8Xpy91-jDdVUNjtYTgRQlC_-VBZdCDw5gE20ix8gdze3l9dww0iSBYWh1Zr7I_9O9_CZ8gpI_h_xluUjiDKo0PMZtWaprUDml3ZkA24&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R Destined For Greatness Ford Wellness Center- 3/30/2024 A team of 15 volunteers assisted with an Easter event benefiting underprivileged children, aiding in material setup and organization. The event, hosted by Destined for Greatness, served over 300 families, distributing 15,000 gifts and 90,000 meals. VT Seva Detroit volunteers proudly supported this initiative, highlighting the joy of community service and giving back. 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 LEAD: Rohan Patil 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗩𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀:     Jishnu Kandalam, Nikhil Aerabati, Avni Patel, Shruthi Adduri, Swara Rege, Shraya Ved, Ritvik Harsha,                Amogh Mavatoor, Rishabh Mavatoor 𝗔𝗱𝘂𝗹𝘁 𝗩𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀: Durga Nalini, Vanitha Gopalan, Neha Ved, Savita Patil, Suresh Rajan FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/vtseva.detroit/posts/pfbid0UwueUGzfJjVSdeYEtVX3sikQftZyBxkeEjVm843F6GhTxzK84jfaLz3q84Hpttqhl Annual / FundRaiser Events VT Seva Detroit 7th Annual Public Speaking Workshop VT Seva Detroit conducted the 7th Annual Public Speaking Workshop marked a significant milestone in the journey of empowering individuals to articulate their ideas with confidence and conviction. Hosted by Mr. Raju Brahmandhabheri, the expert Toastmaster and founder of Speaking Masters LLC., who continuously support Nethra Vidyalaya students’ education through VT Seva Detroit. On Mar 2, 2024, Online workshop was conducted by Mr. Raju, students from different states participated. A great interactive session with the youths. Participated students learned the techniques in delivering a good speech and presented their speech in the Farmington Hills Library on Mar 9, 2024 and received feedback from Mr. Raju. Thanks to our youth volunteers Adhip, Yathi & Kaustubh for giving a speech about VT Seva pillars to the participants and their families. 𝗔𝗱𝘂𝗹𝘁 𝗩𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀:    Without volunteers, no event is possible, we would like to thank Ms. Priya Jaisankar, Mr. Srinath Babu Karnati, Ms. Architha Kramadhati, Mr. Sudheer Koppu, Mr. Suresh Rajan, Ms. Vanitha Gopalan, Ms. Asha Puranam and Mr. Jaisankar Kannan. BLOG LINK:  VT Seva Detroit 7th Annual Public Speaking Workshop ( vtsworld.org ) VTS Club Events Troy High and IAE- Boxing groceries for The Dre Project Event leader:  Pelon Date : Jan 26, 2024 On Sunday Jan 26, 2024, Troy High VTS club had led an event where club members from Troy High School VTS club and Troy International Academy East High School VTS club had come together to help pack food donation boxes for The Dre Project. Starting in 2020 in memoriam of Andrea Kristin Jackson, The Dre Project delivers grocery and home-cooked meals to families in need throughout metro Detroit. At the end of the event, both clubs had worked together and had boxed groceries for 25 families! These many families wouldn’t have gotten boxed groceries if it were not for the help of student and parent volunteers. Thank you student and parent volunteers for your time and effortDedicated! 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗩𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀:   Pelon Lin, Sashi Nadigotti, Anuraag Balaji, Anirvin Ramanan, Akshaya Palanisamy, Sneha Chandrasekhar, Shruthika Pallapothu, Aidan Schroeder, Mathew Yang, Luke Sugawa, Sharan Sivakumar 𝗔𝗱𝘂𝗹𝘁 𝗩𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀:    Eddie Lin , Deepthi Venkataraju FACEBOOK:  https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=pfbid05DVRUDFCuNB8z4vDv72 GpKG23zqHbvuhdbQTsZbfft4kVvNTeBJ86fi7STm9JQ28l&id=100088474285020 North Farmington HS VTS Club- Fleece and Thank You Event Leader:  Ayeisha Shahreair Date : Jan 31, 2024 NFHS VTS Club officially kicked off their community service by conducting their first event at Fleece & Thank You. They made blankets for children in the hospital. INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/p/C2zna1WOXIJ/?igsh=aGNrcjd3MGFyN24x Troy High VTS Club- Book Drive for Making Spirits Bright Event leader: Shruthika Pallapothu Date : Feb 5, 2024 Troy High VTS Club conducted a book drive together with VT Seva Detroit. All the books collected are donated to “Making Spirits Bright”. We have collected a whopping 650 books! Making Spirits Bright sort through all the books they receive and donate them to schools, individual families, senior living and even to prisons. We made a difference in people of all age Levels. Thank you so much to everyone who donated. Thanks to all who were collecting books and dropping them off. Each book donated is going to make someone happy for sure. Special thanks to the parents who allowed their homes to be drop off locations. 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗩𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀: Aanya, ,Aarush ,AbiSrishti Akshaya, ,Akshita ,Akshith , Amogh, Anishya, Anushka , Anvika, Arnav, Arya, Cordelia, Eashan , ,Hrudya, Karthik, Nirvan, Nithin, Oviya, Pranav, Rachana, Rishabh, Rishma ,Ruthvi, sai, Sai, Sai Hasini, Sai Sahasra, Saicharan, Sathvik, Shivam, Shraya, Shreya, Shruthi, Shruthika , Sreenika , Swara , Tian Han, Harshini, Veena , Videep, Yathi 𝗔𝗱𝘂𝗹𝘁 𝗩𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀:   Priya, Nalini, Srinath, Ranjani, Komathi, Haritha, Jaisankar Troy IA VTS Club- Sorting at Children Hospital Event leader: Ishan Iyer,  Nishant Sharma Date: Feb 19, 2024 On February 19th, 2024, VT Seva Troy volunteers had an opportunity to help many people in the Detroit area through the Children center, a place that has the mission to help vulnerable children by providing clinical, behavioral and academic support. 8 volunteers did a great job helping organize clothes along with some hanging clothes. This work will make it easier for people who maybe can’t afford these clothes to be able to shop for them easily in the Children’s Center either FREE or for a very minimal price. Overall this experience made us volunteers fulfilled and was a great learning experience for us. 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗩𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀:   Ishan Iyer, Nishant Sharma, Aarya Venugopal, Sameer Singh, Arnav Sharma, Vatsal Oza, Chinmay Sujith Nair, Shalini Jayaprakash 𝗔𝗱𝘂𝗹𝘁 𝗩𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀:   Kannan Iyer and Shalini Jayaprakash FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/share/tc72dEyLvLvMZXCK/?mibextid=WC7FNe INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/p/C3na0H7rG2C/?igsh=NHRoMjh2dXh4ZHJz Troy HIGH VTS Club- Grace Center of Hope Soup Kitchen Event leader: Akshaya Palanisamy Date: Feb 19, 2024 On February 19, 2024 Troy High VTSEVA volunteers had volunteered at Grace Centers  of Hope Soup Kitchen In Pontiac, MI. The organization provides a 9-month rehab program for addicts to come clean and to set them up for the real world through classes, service and treatment plans. In addition, the organization also helps refurnish houses and sells them for affordable prices to help people around the community. This day volunteers had worked in the prepping and serving dinner for 60+ rehab patients. The volunteering effort was an overall success and volunteers were glad to help the community. IAE VTS Math Kangaroo Competition- 3/23/2024 A big thank you to all our volunteers who dedicated their time to host the annual Math Kangaroo Competition! With over 100 kids participating, we had a blast answering tricky math questions and engaging with the young minds. Volunteers played a crucial role in setting up tables, organizing testing materials, managing the registration desk, and proctoring the exam. We hope the kids enjoyed the event as much as we did, and we look forward to hosting it again next year. 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗩𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀:   Advait Pingle, Krisha Saparia, Sreeja Padmala, Anvika Perumalla, Sreenika Perumalla, Rohit Nemani, Arya Patel FACEBOOK:  https://www.facebook.com/vtseva.detroit/posts/pfbid0aafZFtoSpqzmbt5qPhNnNA6iGJfZ2GSi71pzrvtyqcMkNURmA2nEw4g9Dnd5MQmyl VTS Troy High- Gleaners Fundraiser The Troy High VT Seva club, in collaboration with the National Honors Society of Troy High, successfully folded 500 bags for the Gleaners cause. By partnering with the NHS, we were able to enlist more volunteers and reach our goal of folding 500 bags out of the total 2000 needed for the first round. With the help of dedicated volunteers, we completed the bag folding in three sessions. A heartfelt thank you to all our volunteers for their time and effort, and to Gleaners for providing us with this opportunity to make a difference in our community! FACEBOOK:  https://www.facebook.com/vtseva.detroit/posts/pfbid0QqcUdHoXSgAiTjDVoKS2KKbH17Ksec1DR28giL5wxFbbKaCrQmYpDaGF13C8MqDdl Blog written: Veena Karthik (VTSeva Detroit Youth Board) Video created: Shruthi Adduri (VTSeva Detroit Youth Board) Blog published: Nandini Cheemalamarri (VTSeva Detroit Communications)

The journey began with the blessing of VTSeva CEO, HH Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji . His thoughtful insights and unwavering support bolster the resolve. The flame spreads, igniting the passion of our subject matter experts and the dynamic teachers of Netra Vidyalaya. Our Nethra students are introduced to FLL bricks, coding, and how to build a robot using Legos. For two months, they worked tirelessly to understand, design, test, rebuild, and make their innovative ideas work. They not only improve their skills in robotics but also get better at presenting their ideas eloquently in English. They named their team ‘Thought Notch Robotica’ . The two-day national competition in Goa sees participation from 350 teams from all over the country. Against all odds, the Netra Vidyalaya team did exceptionally well, showcasing their innovative idea of ‘Sudoku for Visually Challenged’  and their passion for ‘Cricket for Blind’ . They presented real solutions to the problems they face as visually challenged individuals. The Sudoku idea they presented is the first of its kind for the blind. They gave it their all and did just as planned.  The result is a testament to their hard work - they won the ‘Champions Award’. Now they are here to attend the FIRST Worlds Championship! We are excited to meet our champions! In Texas, multiple sessions have been planned in Houston, Austin & Dallas. In addition to this, Our Netra Vidyalaya team "𝑻𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝑵𝒐𝒕𝒄𝒉 𝑹𝒐𝒃𝒐𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒂" is going to give a presentation on "𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐫𝐬" - 𝐀 𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐮𝐦𝐩𝐡 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐝 at the 𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐒𝐓 𝐑𝐨𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐬 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐭 𝐆𝐞𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐞 𝐑. 𝐁𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫, 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐧 𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐀𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐥 𝟏𝟗 @ 𝟏𝟎 𝐀𝐌 𝐢𝐧 𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐦 𝟑𝟒𝟎𝐁. We also have a virtual session to meet our champions from anywhere in the world! On April 20, let's join us at 8 AM PST / 9 AM MST / 10 AM CST / 11 AM EST. Meeting Link: bit.ly/vtschampionsmeet Please click here to support our Nethra Vidyalaya team: https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause_pdetails/MjA0NjQz For more details on their journey in India Championship: https://www.vtsworld.org/post/nethra-students-see-the-world-through-robotics

Author: Parth Ganga Co-President Youth Executive Board      The preparation for our annual walkathon started well in advance. With a dedicated team of youth volunteers in place, we set out to meticulously plan every aspect of the walkathon. From selecting a suitable route to coordinating logistics, every detail was carefully considered under the guidance of our advisors. We used our social media presence, reached out to local authorities, and established partnerships with other organizations to increase the impact and ensure a smooth and successful event. As the date of the walkathon drew near, we focused our efforts on mobilizing support from the community. Through social media campaigns, word-of-mouth promotion, and outreach to local influencers  and school clubs, we spread the word far and wide, inviting individuals of all ages to join us in our cause. This helped us draw the largest and very engaged crowd that we ever saw till date at a walkathon we had hosted. . On the actual day of our mental health awareness walkathon we saw participants from diverse backgrounds and different age groups coming together to raise awareness about mental health issues, promote understanding, and reduce stigma while participating in a fun run/ walkathon. A green balloon arch welcomed the guests to our beautiful venue. The event included walks, talks, and activities aimed at educating the community about mental health resources and support. Our distinguished speakers shared stories, connected with others, and advocated for better access to mental health services. Overall, the walkathon served as a powerful reminder of the importance of prioritizing mental well-being and supporting those who may be struggling. While the primary focus was on raising awareness on this important cause, we made it more fun by awarding medals to the fastest runners to complete the 5k. We also had the privilege of having Matthew Jorgen a representative of local congressman at our walkathon, who was able to hand out the medals to the winners and recognized our organization for hosting this walkathon. As we look back on the journey that led us here, we are filled with a sense of pride and gratitude. The youth-led walkathon was not just a one-time event; it was a testament to the power of collective action and the potential of young leaders to raise awareness towards a meaningful cause.  Receiving recognition for our organization's efforts in hosting the walkathon is truly humbling. It highlights the collective commitment of our team and supporters towards fostering community engagement and promoting awareness for the cause. This acknowledgment serves as a reminder of the impact we can make when we come together with passion and purpose.

Hello everyone I'm Nishanth Kotapati the President of VT Seva in Forsyth Central High School, I am pleased to announce that we have established a new chapter of VT Seva. The process of setting up the club was not without its challenges, however. We had to navigate through multiple emails and conversations to find a suitable teacher sponsor, and then faced the even greater challenge of getting the administration team on board. Despite these obstacles, our team persisted, and we were eventually able to establish the club. I am proud of what we have accomplished and look forward to making a positive impact in our community through our involvement with VT Seva. We had been trying to establish this club since the beginning of the school year, and we are thrilled that our efforts have finally paid off. Within two months of establishing the new chapter of VT Seva, we are already seeking new members to join us. We are excited to start having meetings and working towards achieving even greater success in our community.- FCHS VT Seva

Hello, I am Shreyas Paladi, president of Desana Middle School VT Seva club. VT Seva is an organization that helps people in need. We are happy to let you all know we have just started this club! It started by talking to my teacher like I do everyday in class. Then we had to collaborate between the vice principal, Madhu aunty, and Ms.Weis to make this happen, and we finally pulled through! Thanks to school authorities and VT Seva leaders Madhu Aunty and Harsh Gulati. I also want to thank our team member Samvar Jain. Now the next step is to get more people to join us and we will have great meetings and have more people help the world, it is going to be a blast. -The Desana Middle School VT Seva club

2024 April April Cool 2024 Kick off is here again with with more than 60 youths signed up to participate in this amazing journey of sowing, growing, caring, and selling the plant seedlings to support the education of blind / visually challenged Netra Vidyalaya students of Bharath. Let’s make April 2024 the best April Cooooool ever so far ✌️✌️ Atlanta VT Seva youths are enthusiastically participating in April Cool Seedling project. More than 40 youths are nurturing the plants and learning the science and the art of plant care, soil health, and nutritive values of various vegetable, fruits, and herbs. Our first plant sale will be in front of Patel Brothers on April 20 & 21st, 2024. 2023 May April Round 1 Atlanta VT Seva April cool plant project was a grand success for the third year in a row. Vt seva youth successfully raised funds for the education of blind children/visually challenged children in India. The sale event took place in front of the Indian grocery store, Patel Brothers on 15th and 16th April from 10am to 2pm. Around 60 VT youth volunteers and 40 adult volunteers participated. Youth explained the cause and sold various vegetable saplings, herbs, fruits, flower plants and seeds to the customers. The vegetable saplings were grown by the youth for 4-6 weeks.The vegetable saplings included tomato, eggplant, peppers, gourds (bottle, ridge, bitter, and snake) green chillies, cucumber, zucchini, chikkudu/papdi beans, long beans, ash gourd, chukka kura, dosakaya, and bathua etc. Fruit plants like strawberry and blackberry were sold. Different kinds of herbs like ajwain, mint, curryleaf, lemon grass, betel leaf, tulsi and basil were sold by the youth. Flower plants like canna lillies, hybiscus, other lillies, and chrysanthemums were also sold. Youth also sold some ornamental plants like pothos, monstera and tradescantia. Some vegetable seeds were sold in this sale event too. Several sponsors came forward and donated this year. It was really exciting to see community actively participate in this event and donate for the cause, raising money for the education of visually challenged/blind children in India. 2022 ROUND 1 April Cool Plant and Pot Sale on 23rd, 24th 2022 The best time to plant a tree was 10 years ago. The second-best time to plant is today! Atlanta VT Seva youth believed in the second option and did exemplary work by planting more than 1000 plants under APRIL COOL 2022 initiative. More than 50 Atlanta youths and adults were involved in APRIL COOL 2022 project in which they sew more than 1000 plus seeds of various vegetables, fruits, and herbs in the month of March. They planted a variety of veggies, fruits, and herbs. Their plant list shows their commitment to service and their enthusiasm to support Mother Nature. They sew various seeds such as Cherry Tomato, Plumb Tomato, Regular Tomato, Eggplant Back Beauty, Kale, Malabar Spinach, Sweet Basil, Green Bell Peppers, Lettuce, Chikkudu Green, Chikkudu Purple, Bottle gourd, Long Beans, Ridge Gourd, Bitter Gourd, Dosakaya, Wax Gourd, Luffa Sponge Gourd, Curry leaf, Lemongrass, Pothos, Snake Plant, Ajwain, Chrysanthemum Yellow, Spider Plants, Brahmakamalam, India Kanakambaram, Rose, Strawberry, Daisy, Cucumber, Sastra Daisy, Chemanthi. Yellow one, Sudan Pink, Mint, Marigold, Strawberry, Batua, Tindora, and many more types of plants. Atlanta youths’ energy, synergy, and enthusiasm was outstanding in sowing the seeds, watering it every day, taking plants out for sunlight, and nurturing it well with care and love. They exhibited the empathy in several ways and donated $4000 proceeds for the education of the blind / visually challenged children of Nethra Vidyalaya. In the words of George Washington, ‘True friendship is a plant of slow growth, and must undergo and withstand the shocks of adversity, before it is entitled to the appellation”. Atlanta youths are committed to build true relationship with Mother Nature by planting more and nurturing it well through adverse conditions with love, care, and empathy. ROUND 2 VT seva youth had a successful second round plant sale for raising funds for education of blind children/visually challenged children in India. The sale event took place in front of Patel Brothers on 21st and 22nd May 2022 from 10am to 2pm. Around 25 youth volunteers and 15 adult volunteers participated. Various vegetable saplings, herbs and flower plants were sold. The vegetable saplings were grown by the youth for 4-6 weeks.The vegetable saplings included tomato, eggplant, different types of chillies, peppers, tomatillos, cucumber, zucchini, bottlegourd, ridge gourd, snake gourd, bitter gourd, chikkudu/papdi beans, long beans etc. Different kinds of herbs like ajwain, mint, basil and chocolate mint were also sold. Flower plants like canna lillies, hybiscus, rose, lillies, chrysanthemums, and marigold were also sold. Some house plants like pothos and crotons were sold. Youth also sold other plants like banana, curryleaf, lemon grass, betel leaf, tulsi and other ornamental plants. It was a huge success. We raised $6000 from the plant sale and It is evident from the community response that people are generous and willing to be part of this wonderful cause of education of blind kids/visually challenged in India.

Atlanta youths and ladies learned Self Defense techniques on March 30, 2024. We learned realistic, practical, and effective ways to defend ourself and think clearly in very intense situations. It is about gaining the confidence to better control situations that might otherwise be completely outside of our control. We also learned how to attack if need arises. Total 40 youths and ladies participated in this workshop. Safeguarding ourself from potential dangers is not a luxury, but an essential skill in 21st century!

Atlanta VT Seva Team has launched a STEM Program for the Atlanta youths in which youths will come forward and ideate, research, & create prototypes in the field of science, engineering, technology, and mathematics. STEM program will ignite scientific temper and critical thinking in our youths! Atlanta VT Seva Team has launched a STEM Program on Feb 4, 2024 for the Atlanta youths in which youths will come forward and ideate, research, & create prototypes in the field of science, engineering, technology, and mathematics. STEM program will ignite scientific temper and critical thinking in our youths! It’s a year-round program in which we will connect 15 times a year to build STEM prototypes with the help of industry experts. In this project, youth will ideate & implement STEM projects. We want to build & implement projects in the areas of Science, Technology, and Engineering. Selected youths will participate in the Atlanta Science Festival in March 2024. Registration per student is $75 for year-long - 15 sessions in 2024 . Register by Feb 10th, 2024 , and participate in the Atlanta Science Festival in March 2024! Please register for this program, after reviewing the Code of Conduct & Waiver and Release of Liability in the above form. Registration will be complete when a parent signs the waiver and release of liability in the registration form VT Seva at the Science Festival in Georgia Tech Empowering our youths in this technological world is crucial to build Next Gen Leaders for VT Seva. At Atlanta VT Seva STEM program our goal is to integrate digital literacy and robotics to provide measurable outcomes in math, science, engineering, and technology. By emphasizing on cognitive and social skills which is required to thrive in the 21st century. Young VT Seva learners will brainstorm and build prototypes to solve problems, face challenges with flexibility, and handle change. Our first project is to take Atlanta youths to the ‘Atlanta Science Festival’ at GA Tech to have hands-on learning in STEM field. On March 9, 2024, they learned about aerospace, chemical, mechanical, bio-molecular, bio-tech, sustainable design and much more. This is our pilot project with 30 youth participants. Overall, it’s a very successful start to our STEM project and young inquisitive minds enjoyed visiting GA Tech and exploring plethora of options for their college journey!

“Communication works for those who work at it.” John Powell. VT Seva Detroit conducted the 7th Annual Public Speaking Workshop marked a significant milestone in the journey of empowering individuals to articulate their ideas with confidence and conviction. Hosted by Mr. Raju Brahmandhabheri, the expert Toastmaster and founder of Speaking Masters LLC ., who continuously support Nethra Vidyalaya students’ education through VT Seva Detroit. On Mar 2, 2024, Online workshop has been conducted by Mr. Raju, students from different states were participated. A great interactive session with the youths. Participated students learned the techniques in delivering a good speech and presented their speech in the Farmington Hills Library on Mar 9, 2024 and received feedback from Mr. Raju. Thanks to our youth volunteers Adhip, Yathi & Kaustubh for giving a speech about VT Seva pillars to the participants and their families. Without volunteers, no event is possible, we would like to thank Ms. Priya Jaisankar, Mr. Srinath Babu Karnati, Ms. Architha Kramadhati, Mr. Sudheer Koppu, Mr. Suresh Rajan, Ms. Vanitha Gopalan, Ms. Asha Puranam and Mr. Jaisankar Kannan. VT Seva Detroit thank Mr. Chandrasekar for his continuous support and sponsoring the Public Speaking Workshop. It was one another successful public speaking workshop with the support of participants, parents, volunteers, sponsors and Speaking Master LLC. For more pictures, click here https://photos.app.goo.gl/NGg8zeTEQ6S78uRt8 Blog written by: Ms. Priya Jaisankar Blog Published by: Ms. Nandini Cheemalamarri

The National Women’s History Month’s theme for 2024 celebrates “Women Who Advocate for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.” The theme recognizes women throughout the country who understand that, for a positive future. "Inspirational women have shaped our world." More than half of the VT Seva team members are women, and these women serve in various roles helping to fulfill our mission of being compassionate leaders and serving our communities.   VT Seva is recognizing women serving across the branches in honor of Women's History Month. We hope you enjoy watching the video & their messages to know how some of our women leaders advocate for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. Happy Women's History Month to all the great women in the world! Dr. Aparna Tamirisa, VT Seva Vice President of Education & VT Seva Houston Director At VT Seva, we support equality, diversity, and inclusion by inviting ideas and collaboration to do better work. In supporting the American Heart Association and promoting National Wear Red Day, we are part of the movement for health equity in the realm of cardiovascular disease. In working with the Houston Council of the Blind, we support equity of opportunity and inclusiveness for the visually challenged in our community. Arathi, VT Seattle Communication Lead As VT Seva Seattle Secretary, I dive into youth initiatives and push for equity, diversity, and inclusion. Keeping the community in the loop through good communication (newsletters, blog posts, etc), I'm all about creating an inclusive, vibrant, and empowered future. Archana Bindu, VT Seva Bay Area Director I've helped create a more diverse and inclusive environment within our organization and a just environment where everyone's contributions are valued and respected. Archana Korlimarla, VT Seva Virginia Communication Lead Worked with youths to conduct free STEM programs and collected funds to provide free education for the underprivileged. Arthima, VT Seva Bay Area Secretary & Youth Director I have actively promoted equity, diversity, and inclusion by fostering an environment where all youth leads and volunteers feel seen, heard, and appreciated. By embracing diverse perspectives and championing equal opportunities, our volunteer efforts have contributed to creating a more inclusive community. Together, we've worked towards breaking down barriers and building a space where everyone's unique strengths are recognized and valued. Gayathri Makhija, VT Seva North New Jersey Communication Lead I made an impact by being kind, helpful, and supportive to my family members Friends, and colleagues! Harika Parvathareddy, VT Seva Atlanta Communication Lead I’ve led an organization that advocates diversity and inclusion during my university, we a group of woman engineers have created various events that teach young children from all races about the importance of STEM and education for equality. This foundational thinking has instilled the same ideology in me that VT Seva holds, especially in our events. Some diversity events I’ve been part of are, feeding the homeless, essential worker appreciation, and letters to less fortunate high school seniors. Kalyani Sanka, VT Seva Cary Director I advocate equity, diversity, and inclusion through varied volunteer activities. By engaging in diverse initiatives, we cultivate empathy, bridge communities, and amplify voices often unheard, fostering a more inclusive society Madhavi Donepudi, VT Seva Boston Director Being aware of diversity and respecting cultural values helps in a collaborative environment. Dr. Madhu Nemani, VT Seva Atlanta Director Atlanta VT Seva team welcomes all volunteers from various ethnic backgrounds to join volunteer work, provide equal opportunities to all, listen to their ideas, collaborate, and recognize their efforts. We have 11 VT Seva Youth Clubs in schools that are promoting this doctrine. Nanda Madadi, VT Seva Columbus Director By trying to include people who come forward to volunteer and treat them equally regardless of their background, like to include pick organizations regardless of the race or gender they cater to. Pranuti Kalidindi, VT Seva National Youth Director I encourage girls from a young age to strive for leadership roles and make their voices heard. I empower them to succeed by advocating for equity across all our youth leadership teams both locally and nationally. Priya Jaisankar, VT SevaNational Joint Secretary of Communication & VT Seva Detroit Outreach Coordinator Promotes VT Seva’s Mission & Vision by sharing all the accomplishments of our volunteers & students. Encourages high school clubs to include members from diverse backgrounds and create a more inclusive environment for youths to engage in community service to create an equitable community. Radha Chilkur, VT Seva Houston Communication Lead As a communications lead, I have encouraged various people to participate in the Vt Seva activities. Radhika Palukuri, VT Seva Charlotte Communication Lead My impact in advocating for equity, diversity, and inclusion lies in providing diverse perspectives, addressing bias, supporting accessibility, and encouraging learning and growth among youth volunteers. Through these efforts, I strive to contribute to a more equitable and inclusive society. Ramya Popuri, VT Seva Minneapolis Communication Lead I promote open dialogue within our organization and consistently advocate for transparency and empathy. By encouraging respect among members, I create an environment where everyone feels welcome and safe to share their diverse ideas. Santhi Kanumuri, VT Seva National Secretary As a woman in leadership, I actively champion women’s empowerment, inclusivity, and equity. This commitment has been demonstrated through workshops, mentoring sessions, and concerted efforts to dismantle societal stereotypes. I emphasize collaborative approaches, showcasing how women can effectively engage with diverse stakeholders and excel as negotiators. Satya, VT Seva Cary Communication Lead Treating everyone with respect listening to their ideas and valuing their contribution. S obana Vasudevan, VT Seva Maryland Director VT Seva MD Team built a diversified volunteer group and as a Branch Director, I made sure to recognize, respect, and value different perspectives in our team. I have also made sure to provide equal opportunities to everyone and protect all our volunteers from being discriminated against. While working with our volunteers, I made sure to listen to each volunteer about their ideas and implement them wherever its possible. I am so proud of our volunteers' team and taking this quick moment to appreciate all our volunteers who roll up their sleeves, and participate in all our events with an empathic heart. EAST or WEST, VT Seva is the BEST!! Sridevi Ranga, VT Seva Chicago Director I've made a meaningful difference by championing fairness, diversity, and inclusivity. By planning volunteer events, I've opened doors for kids of various economic and cultural backgrounds, nurturing an environment where every voice is embraced, honored, and appreciated. Srivani T Kandalam, VT Seva Minneapolis Director As a director of Data and engineering at work, I lead a diverse team of folks from China, Turkey, Nepal, India, and America and I have to be fair and constructive with the feedback I share with my team. I have a diverse team, of folks from China, Turkey, Nepal, India, America, and Somalia we can deliver engineering excellence. Even in my volunteering experience, I meet volunteers and donors from diverse backgrounds and we all work towards a universal cause of making the world a better place! Sruthi Ranga, VT Seva Chicago Communication Lead In an English class project, I delivered a speech and wrote against banning books, showing how it silences diverse voices, aiming to create a school where everyone’s story is valued. Swetha Panuganti, VT Seva North New Jersey Director Encourage friends and youth volunteers to raise awareness about VT Seva. Lead efforts to establish a welcoming atmosphere, enabling all members to freely express their thoughts without fear of judgment. Acknowledge and appreciate the diverse contributions of everyone involved in the cause. Uma Rudraraju, VT Seva Austin Director Encouraging school clubs and enabling them to work with other diversifying clubs in schools. We have two schools with diversifying club members. Vanitha Gopalan, VT Seva National Joint Secretary of Special Program & VT Seva Detroit Volunteer Coordinator  Championed appreciation events for Police Officers/Firefighters; Food drives & Fundraising events to help Detroit food pantries; the homeless & VT Seva causes.Conducted various activities at 35+ organizations in Detroit to help their needs & Foster inclusive & supportive communities from diverse backgrounds.

In the ever-evolving landscape of community service, VT Seva Detroit has stood as a beacon of hope and empowerment. Over the past year, we have embarked on a journey filled with dedication, compassion, and relentless determination to make a tangible difference in the lives of those we serve. Through our collective efforts and unwavering commitment, we have forged lasting connections within our communities. Thanks to our team of volunteers & supporters who participated in the events and made a significant difference in the local neighborhoods and the lives of Nethra Vidyalaya and Jeeyar Gurukulam students in India.

Dear Walkathon Participants,    VT Seva Bay Area is excited to host the Annual Mental Health Awareness Walkathon event and looks forward to seeing you all. Please see the instructions below and reach out for any clarifications. Location: Lake Elizabeth Park, Sailway Dr  Near 40000 Paseo Padre Parkway, Fremont, CA 94538 Check-in starts at 8:30 AM at Sailway Dr. Picnic Area C Walk/Run to begin between 9 AM to 9.15 AM Please show proof of email confirmation either as a printed copy or through mobile phone to receive the T-shirt/Jersey at the time of registration. Location Details Plenty of parking available on Sailway Dr at 8.30 AM Restrooms available inside the park Map of the park is available here  Please bring a water bottle to keep yourself  hydrated Dress in layers, it's going to be a chilly start but it is warming up gradually Look for the balloon arch or Picnic Area C on the left of Sailway Dr People coming from Eastbay please check I-680 closure details and plan accordingly  Lake Elizabeth trail is fairly flat, even ground. One loop around the lake takes approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour, 2 loops to complete 5k.  We will give first, second, and third place medals to adults and youth who complete 5K the fastest. Medals will be given out at the end of the event after our guest speakers have concluded their presentations and to be eligible for the medal, participants must be present at the start of the race.  Every step matters! The VT Seva Mental Health and Wellbeing Walkathon is more than just an exercise. Your participation directly supports education for underprivileged and visually challenged kids, creating brighter futures. Thank you for walking together for a powerful cause! If you have questions, please reach out to us - Arthima Ronda - bayarea.secretary@vtsworld.org Archana Bindu - bayarea.director@vtsworld.org

"We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give." - Winston Churchill As this wonderful quote says, we could make a life by giving a helping hand to the visually challenged and Tribal children with our generous donations. Our heartfelt thanks to the generous support of compassionate hearts throughout the year for the greater cause. VT Seva Detroit successfully celebrated the 8th Annual Cultural Event RAAS-2023  on November 4th, 2023. RAAS is our Annual Celebration event, culminating a great year of various fundraising activities and volunteering services to the community. A memorable evening with marvelous Entertainment & Sumptuous Dinner Some of the key highlights of the event: Raised funds for 342 Visually Challenged and Tribal students’ education . 450+ people attended. Sumptuous Dinner with Mesmerizing Entertainment First-ever game night & Electrifying Open-floor Dandiya dance to engage the audience. Special Thanks to all the Donors, Volunteers, Participants, Sponsors, Choreographers, and everyone for bringing great success to VTSEVA Detroit and keeping VTSEVA Detroit at the Top in service.   Great things happen only when there is a gathering of great minds & kind hearts. VT Seva Detroit board acknowledged the year-long hard work of our dedicated volunteers and kind donors with an evening of music, dance, game, food, fun, and celebration. The evening event started with Mr. Srinath, Ms. Priya, and Ms. Vanitha welcoming the donors/volunteers. The event started around 5 pm with Deepa Prajwalana by Mr. Kishen, Ms. Sunitha, Mr. Madhavan, Mr. Sudheer, Mr. Srinath, Ms. Vanitha, and Ms. Priya. Ms . Priya introduced EMCEE coordinator  Mr. Arvind , who mentored our youth EMCEE team. Mr. Aravind introduced the youth. The event was followed by Prayers from Prajna students, the American National Anthem by Shivani & Indian National Anthem by JET Michigan Prajna students. The Director of VT Seva Detroit, Mr. Srinath Babu Karnati, explained the impact that both Volunteers and Donors created in 2023 and thanked them for all the support they provided to VT Seva and the local community. VT Seva Detroit conducted 70+ events in 52 weeks in 2023 and is leading nationwide. VT Seva National Secretary Mr. Sudheer Koppu addressed the audience and thanked them. VT Seva National Youth Director and VT Seva Detroit Volunteer Coordinator Ms. Vanitha Gopalan talked  about all the community service projects conducted in 2023 and thanked all the donors. VT Seva National Joint Secretary – Communications and VT Seva Detroit YB Outreach Coordinator Ms. Priya Jaisankar talked about Youth Board projects, including Outreach Project and Walkathon. Explained the projects conducted by 3 VT Seva High School Clubs, including the new high school club established in 2023. Thanked all the youth volunteers and High School Club teams. Please review the short video below on the key accomplishments. VT Seva Detroit Sports Coordinator Mr. Suresh Rajan talked about various sports activities conducted throughout the year and thanked the participants. VT Seva Detroit Digital library coordinator Ms. Asha Puranam explained about the Digital library project and thanked the contributors.   VT Seva Detroit YB Director Ms. Nalini Aduri talked about Youth board Projects and thanked all the Youth volunteers, parents, and High School Club teams. VT Seva Youth Board Parent and Volunteer Ms. Kanchana Perumalla spoke about Troy High School club activities and shared her reflections as a parent on how VT Seva shaped the high school club board members as leaders in the High School Club. Youth EMCEES also shared presentations throughout the evening. 1.       Youth Empowerment Presentation - Oviya and Amogh 2.       Education Presentation - Sai & Abhi 3.       Health Care Presentation - Shreya & Veena 4.       Disaster Recovery Presentation - Shruthi & Kaustubh In 2023, VT Seva Detroit Youth Board did a fantastic job serving the community and environment by participating in many volunteering events and raising money to support 50+ students' education through various summer camps and fundraising projects. They celebrated their 4th anniversary and had a party for the senior sendoff. A recap of their achievements in 2023 are - 180+ Youth Volunteers - 18 Projects - 10 Youth-led Projects - 3 High School Clubs - 6 Environmental, 6 Community Service, 2 Health & 5 Education Projects - 1000+ volunteer hours - Raised $3600+ to support families impacted by cancer - Raised nearly $25,000 through an outreach program to support Nethra Vidyalaya student's education - Many students acquired leadership skills and felt confident Please watch the video below to see the summary of Detroit Youth Board's accomplishments in 2023  A few core members presented awards to all the performers and local volunteer team members.  Rocking Dance and Awesome Vocal Performances: We had a gala of professional teams and local talent throughout the evening that rocked the stage from classical to Bollywood fusion. Thanks for the Goose Bump performances by Nrithyapooja Dance Academy - Classical Dance Usha's Kuchipudi Dance Academy - Classical Dance Usha's Kuchipudi Dance Academy - Classical Dance Rhythm Arts Dance Academy Junior Team - Bollywood Dance Nrithyalaya School of Bharatanatyam - Bollywood Dance Swaravedika - Girls Group Song Smruti's Dancing Mist - Bollywood Fusion Dance Rhythm Arts Dance Academy (Pre Teens-Team) - Bollywood RVD - Bhangra by Jagtar Sohal team Manzat Special - Youth volunteer Abhinav & Team (University of Michigan Students) Rhythm Arts Dance Academy - Adult Group Swaravedika - Boys Group Song VT Seva Detroit Team has introduced two new items this year. Game-time by Ms. Keerthi Dingari & Electrifying open-floor Dandiya dance to engage the audience. Mr. Srinath invited the PVSA and Jeeyar Award winners of 2022 . Core members awarded them with medals and trophies. Congratulations to all PVSA and Jeeyar Award winners. No event is complete without delicious food and dance. After the dinner and other programs, the event concluded with an open-floor Dandiya Dance. Thanks to the bighearted local restaurants below for sponsoring delicious food. Thanks to Mr. Sudhakar Kolluri for the advice to the food department. Our dedicated volunteers worked tirelessly throughout the day to pick up food, load, unload, and set up the kitchen area to serve hot food for the RAAS attendees. Kudos to everyone engaged in the end-to-end process, and thanks to all the volunteers for their services. RAAS is the best example of this quote: "No one can whistle a symphony. It takes a whole orchestra to play it." – H.E. Luccock. Congratulations to all of you for making our annual event a successful one👏👏 It would not have been possible to conduct such a successful event without such a large group of our AMAZING, DEDICATED, and ENTHUSIASTIC volunteers:   All the below volunteers (adult and youth) did a terrific job in all the areas identified. Thanks to all the unsung supporters  for this great cause. It would not have been possible to pull off such a HUGE event  without your constant support and help.  AREAS ADULT VOLUNTEERS YOUTH VOLUNTEERS Setup, Hall, Stage Décor, Photo booth Team Akshay & Pratyusha Kanchana Perumalla Vanitha Gopalan Suresh Rajan Keerthysri Dingari Srivardhan Dingari Sony Devarashatty Komathy Muhinthan Neha Ved P Jishnu Kandalam Sai Sahasra Namuduri Komathy Selvarajah Hajanthan and Varshan Kaustubh Dingari Nikhil Aerabati Hrudya Kishore Usharani Ragothaman Kirupali Sathyanathan Kushi Kanumuri Registration Desk Team Anand Renganathan, Latha Nimmagadda , Jaisankar Kannan Prisha Agarwal Shivani Nimmagadda Sreenika Perumalla Program Coordination and Slide deck creation Priya Jaisankar Volunteers Coordination Team Vanitha Gopalan Neha Ved Shraya Ved Donation Forms Team Jaisankar Kannan Shreya Srivatsan Saisha Srivatsan Snack Serving Team Sai Sahasra Namuduri Rishabh Mavatoor Pelon Lin Hajanthan Muhinthan Stage Assist Team Mrudula Paturi & Kalyani Shetty Sneha Chandrasekar Projector setup and Support team Santhosh & Sudheer Koppu Sound System Srinivas Raju and Viswa Teja (Lucky) Presentation Team Priya and Nalini Kaavya & Harish Game Organizers Keerthi, Kanchana, Srilatha Emcee Team Arvind Narayanan Oviya, Veena, Amogh, Shreya, Sai Sriram, Kausthubh, Abishristi & Shruthi Gift Labelling Team Pavani & friends Photography and Video Recording Team Santhosh & Nitin Prakruthi Food pickup team Raghunathan Namuduri Suresh Rajan Srivardhan Dingari Venkat Pisipati Chandrasekhar Jaisankar Kannan Kalyani Shetty Sreenivas Cheemalamarri Swaroop Kancharla Anand Renganathan Srilatha Kaparthi Dinner Serving Team Nandini Cheemalamarri Vidhya Anand Magesh Kumar Chandru Srinivas Pavani Namuduri Architha Kramadati Komathy Muhinthan Keerthysri Dingari Srivardhan Dingari Asha Puranam Jyothi Karnati Sirisha Pratapa Niveditha Mavatoor Swaroop Kancharla Srilatha Kaparthi Kalki Renga Anand Rishabh Mavatoor Hajanthan and Varshan Yathi Shekar Debbata Swara Rege Nikhil Aerabati Hrudya Kishore Aanya Janga Sailaja Pochimreddy Shreyas Posam Dinner area Food trays & Crowd control Supervisors Team Suresh Rajan Vanitha Gopalan Sreenivas Cheemalamarri Venkat Pisipati Chandrasekhar Vijay Perumalla Dinner Area Backup Helpers Sai Sahasra Namuduri Akshitha Narla Diya Harsha Ritvik Harsha Kushi Kanumuri Anirvin Ramanan Clean up activities The entire Core team with their families and kids Social Media Updates Nandini Cheemalamarri Our sincere appreciation and thanks to: NRIVA team, Bhavya's team, Detroit Telangana Club, and Destined for Greatness - Ford Wellness Center, President Shadora Ford  for gracing the event. Shadora Ford  for the Chrome book donation to the visually challenged student. This was one of the best events we ever had. Thanks to all event sponsors, donors, supporters, guests, and volunteers who helped make this event successful. Finally, many thanks to Mr. Srinath & Mr. Sudheer for your leadership. For more pictures, please check out this link, like and share https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.731383125691861&type=3 https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.731364542360386&type=3 https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.726999149463592&type=3   Watch the RAAS video recording https://www.facebook.com/vtseva.detroit/posts/pfbid0aTy23kFfxANG8wcXY8FFtVkESqbj2syGzjnc6ndEm41MAbVeBUD4FnybAa89wgqVl Please go to our Facebook Page to 'Like' and 'Comment.' https://www.facebook.com/vtseva.detroit/posts/pfbid0gagyXx4mvqPoSiaZXHFKrkSc2atDBW4mEwxRksUMchum2bNpudR1fbxtaiEsQNtKl   For other events and activities from Detroit, please visit http://vtsworld.org/detroit Photos compiled by Teja and Arya Cheemalamarri (VT Seva Detroit YB members) THANK YOU SO MUCH, ALL! YOUR SUPPORT IS OUR STRENGTH TO SERVE Blog created and published by Nandini Cheemalamarri (VT Seva Detroit Communications Director)

2024 VT Seva Atlanta youths participated in the Bird House Making & Feeding project with fervor and zeal. Can You imagine a world without birds? Birds paly an essential role in our eco-system as they are the predators, pollinators, scavengers, and seed dispersers. If birds are healthy, our eco- system is also healthy as they are the eco-system engineers. More than 60 Atlanta youths of all age groups enjoyed making creative bird houses to provide home and food to the birds in this harsh winter. It’s good to know that our youths care about birds and building healthy habitat in Atlanta. Each youth will put bird seeds and water in their bird house year-round which will be instrumental in birds’ nurturing and growth and also contribute significantly in making our planet earth healthy. We raised $500 which was donated for the food for the blind/visually challenged students of Nethra Vidyalaya, India. It’s a gratifying experience for the Atlanta VT Seva Team and this is just a beginning... our giving wings of inspiration will never stop pushing us to the new heights! 2023 VTSeva Atlanta was delighted to hold the Bird House Making Project at Sharon Forks Library on February 25, 2023. This is our second annual year of doing this event and we had participation from more than 60 VTSeva children and adults. All the children enjoyed painting and decorating their birdhouses creatively. We raised over $300 from this bird house event for the cause. We can say this is ‘Tripple Bottom Line’ project, which impacted lives of Visually challenged kids in India, Atlanta VT Youth and Wild Birds. First, VT Seva Atlanta raised funds for the living of visually challenged kids in India. Second, VTSeva youth had an opportunity to help out the wild birds which are vital for a functioning environment. Third, Birds were given home to shelter, feed and to be protected from the wild winter. Spread Kindness to the birds nearby, Build Bird Homes & let your art apply, Give food to the Birds so they can fly, Let's do it Together, don't feel shy! 2022 On February 19, 2022, Atlanta VT Seva youths participated in a unique Bird Feeding project. They believe that birds had a tough winter, thus their promised themselves that let no bird die looking for food in spring. Atlanta youths spread their giving wings first by building bird houses and later putting bird seeds in it on the regular basis throughout the year. More than 25 Atlanta VT Seva youths participated in this bird feeding project. We collected $120 from this project which we used in donating for 1 day food to the Nethra Schools children for all 3 meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner). It’s a win-win situation for everybody - for the birds, for our Nethra School kids, and our Atlanta VT Seva youths as they implemented what they learned in the Prajna classes of serving all beings as service to God. Check out the latest update on our Bird Feeding / Bird House project. One of the volunteers Tameraa's bird house attract momma bird which laid eggs and the chicks hatched! yay!!

Imagine a small school nestled in a remote forest area, surrounded by nature's tranquility but needing more resources for quality science education. Now, picture that same school equipped with a state-of-the-art science lab, bustling with curious minds conducting experiments and exploring the wonders of the universe. Thanks to the Amazon Grant program building the science lab in Jeeyar Gurukulam. In the realm of education, access to resources can make all the difference, particularly in subjects like science where hands-on learning is crucial. Beyond the immediate benefits to students and educators, the Amazon Grant program contributes to building a more sustainable future for the students in Jeeyar Gurukulam. By investing in science education, particularly in remote areas, it nurtures a new generation of innovators, researchers, and environmental stewards. As we look ahead, let us continue to support efforts to expand access to quality education for all of our students.

VT Seva believes in the power of collective action to bring a positive impact in developing the community and bringing change to society.  Throughout the year, our dedicated team and volunteers have been actively engaged in various volunteering events aimed at making a tangible difference in the lives of others. Volunteering is not just about giving back; it's about creating meaningful connections, driving positive change, and building stronger, more resilient communities. In the 4 th  quarter of 2023, our volunteers participated in remarkable initiatives from volunteering in food banks, attending health webinars, and raising funds to support underprivileged visually challenged students’ education in India. In this blog, we're excited to share a recap of some of the remarkable volunteering initiatives we've undertaken. Youth Board Projects Outreach Project Salvation Army Bell Ringing Cancer Webinar Detroit Projects Motown Soup Kitchen RAAS Promotions Mercado Food Hub Club activities: Brilliant Detroit Christmas prep work Annual Event: RAAS We were busy with multiple activities in the 4 th  quarter with a special annual event RAAS. Below are our event details from this 4 th  quarter of the 2023 Outreach Project: "𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲. 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐮𝐬 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫 – 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐚𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐞 𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧." - 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧 𝐋𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐉𝐫. Our VT Seva Detroit Youth Board members have been participating in our 𝐎𝐮𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭 since 2020 to support underprivileged visually challenged students' education at 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐚 𝐕𝐢𝐝𝐲𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐚 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐚. This year our youths 𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 $𝟐𝟓,𝟎𝟎𝟎 and supported 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝟔𝟖 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬' 𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐰𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫. Thanks to all the donors and parents who encouraged the youths. "Those who stay will be champions"  is the motto of Michigan's Football Team. All the youths who stayed in the Outreach program are our champions of education. Wonderful team leads who participated in this outreach project: Youth Volunteers: Oviya Jaisankar, Sai Sriram Karnati, Jishnu Kandalam, Varnika Jakka, Shruthi Adduri, Sathvik Tirumalakanduri, Ruthvi Ala, Anvika Perumalla, Shreya Shetty, Sneha Chandrasekar, Adhip Pisipati, Rakshan Samynathan, Kaustubh Dingari, Ridhi Manjunath, Swara Rege, Samhith E, Anirvin Ramanan, Rishi Chowdhury, Adithi Esrala, Nishant Sarma, Akshay Kumar, Abhi Mudeganti, Sreenika Perumalla, Kalki Renga Anand, Farhang Irani, Vahini M, Ishan Iyer, Mihita Lokesh, Sucheta Lokesh, Jayanth Batti, Vishnu Athreya & Swara Rege Adult Volunteer : Priya Jaisankar For more details:  https://www.vtsworld.org/post/vt-seva-detroit-youth-board-outreach-2023   RAAS 2023 Promotions: VT Seva Detroit RaaS 23 promotions were organized at India grocers, Vani grocers, and Bathukamma events from October 5th to October 27th. It was a great awareness as well as a promotional campaign for the VT Seva Detroit RaaS event.  With the help of Vani promotions, we raised money to support 2 students' education for a year. These are our volunteers who participated in these promotions.  Youth Volunteers:  Abishristi; Shruthi; Hrudya; Shraya; Samhith; Aarti; Kavi; Sai Sahasra  Adult Volunteer s : Durga Nalini, Vidya Anand, Sailaja, Pavani, Srinath Karnati, Suresh Rajan & Vanitha Gopalan These are our volunteers who participated in these promotional campaigns at India Grocers and Bathukomma events. Youth Volunteers:  Sai Karnati, Hajanthan, Varshan Adult Volunteer s : Srinath, Sudheer, Shrivardhan, Komathy Muhinthan  Facebook:   https://www.facebook.com/vtseva.detroit/posts/pfbid0Eg19PhSNsoZRBe4LCPVrzRKPTQ8ujMefRiLuwRXivZWegtad4FSFMnu23vWxtjvVl Motown Soup Kitchen: VT Seva Detroit volunteer’s 1st volunteering event at Motown Soup. Thank A Time to Help Say Detroit for collaborating with VT Seva in this wonderful opportunity at Motown Soup.  A volunteer-driven nonprofit, Motown Soup produces and sells products such as soup and dips to benefit nonprofits and community organizations that feed the homeless and hungry. Our volunteers did a fantastic job in packing more than 1000 soup and dry mixes and cleaning up the work areas. These products make a difference in the lives of the hungry and homeless throughout Michigan.  These are our volunteers who participated in this event.  Youth Volunteers:   Hajanthan Muhinthan, Varshan Muhinthan, Kirupali Sathyanathan, Jishnu Kandalam, Amogh Mavatoor, Rishabh Mavatoor Adult Volunteers : Sathyanathan, Muhinthan, Vijay Kandalam, Vanitha Gopalan Facebook:   https://www.facebook.com/vtseva.detroit/posts/pfbid0EjpKerRNjj9bDoPASygV1E2Yejq91tJqW4i16XvLZxw8XTYgRRdV4ayyBLAtNt43l RAAS: VT Seva Detroit celebrated their 8 th  annual event RAAS to recognize their volunteers’ efforts in making a difference in the community. Entertained the audience with dance performances, music, and other cultural activities.  Many restaurants sponsored food for all the event attendees and volunteers. Volunteers who earned PVSA awards have been recognized on the stage. This event attracts a diverse audience and contributes to community building and cultural exchange. For more details https://www.vtsworld.org/post/vt-seva-detroit-8th-annual-raas-event-2023-1 Mercado Food Hub Volunteering: VT Seva Detroit volunteered at Mercado Food Hub  on Dec 2nd, 2023 is to alleviate hunger among the families and is guided by belief in the dignity of all people, compassion and respect for all, and with a collaborative spirit and a community focus. 11 VT Seva Detroit volunteers (Youth and Adults) volunteered at the Mercado Food Hub in Detroit Ford Resource and Engagement Center and packed and distributed 8500 pounds of food to 69 families.  It was indeed a fulfilling day to have helped 69 families with so many food supplies at Mercado. From the start to the end, our tireless volunteers were on the move, loading the carts with veggies, fruits, nuts, bread, milk, etc. We also organized milk cans, stacked the cartons, and cleaned the floor. These are the volunteers who participated, Youth Volunteers:   Abishristi, Shreyas, Shraya, Amogh, Jishnu, Rishi, Rishabh  Adult Volunteers : Suresh, Dharma, Vijay & Vanitha Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vtseva.detroit/posts/pfbid024qQ5M7qKVaTr1EwTqDB7uersZ1oFnp2TSegjDZzuyF6qAnejfsf5zEBUAQEsHWbEl   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/C0ePrnxOsP5/?img_index=1 Troy High & Troy IAE led BD Garage Ready for Christmas: Troy High & Troy IAE had a successful event with Brilliant Detroit for their Christmas Giveaway Garage Cleanup in the McDougall Hunt Hub. Brilliant Detroit is dedicated to building kid-success families and neighborhoods where families with children 0-8 have what they need to be school-ready, healthy, and stable. With all the volunteers' help, we could clean and organize the garage and completely change the way it looks. Thank you to our adult volunteers who came last minute to support our event today. Youth Volunteers:  Anvika Perumalla, Sreenika Perumalla, Ritvik Jillellamudi, Nishant Sharma, Anuraag Balaji, Sneha Chandrasekar, and Mithesh Govindaraja Adult Volunteers:   Priya Jaisankar, Vijay Perumalla, Kannan Jaisnkar, and Srinivasaraju Chandrasekar Facebook:   https://www.facebook.com/share/ofMeDy6XU9UJ7njr/?mibextid=WC7FNe Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/C0aH79FJjE6/?igshid=MTc4MmM1YmI2Ng== Salvation Army Bell Ringing: 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗝𝗘𝗖𝗧 𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗗: 𝗢𝘃𝗶𝘆𝗮 𝗝𝗮𝗶𝗦𝗮𝗻𝗸𝗮𝗿  𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘:  𝟮𝟬𝘁𝗵 𝗗𝗲𝗰 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝟮𝟭𝘀𝘁 𝗗𝗲𝗰 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯 Each year, The Salvation Army will serve more than 25 million people across America – including many here in your community. That means 55+ million meals for the hungry, 10+ million nights of shelter for the homeless, and countless Christmas gifts for children who may otherwise go without. VTSEVA Detroit Youth Board participated in 2023 yet again to raise funds to help year-round impact in the community through social services assistance, homeless shelters, disaster relief, children’s programs, rehabilitation services, anti-human trafficking, and more.  Thanks to all the youth and adult volunteers for participating in this fundraiser. Youth Volunteers Day 1 : Oviya Jaisankar, Swara Rege, Rishi Harish, Shruthi Adduri, Sanjula Karunaraj Adult Volunteers Day 1 :  Komathy Muhinthan, Priya Jaisankar, Kavitha Karunaraj Youth Volunteers Day 2 :   Oviya Jaisankar, Hrudya Kishore, Sai Sri Ram Karnati, Kushi Kanumuri, Hajanthan, Varshan, Sriraam Hebbar  Adult Volunteers Day 2 :  Srinath Babu Karnati, Komathy Muhinthan, Priya Jaisankar, Veena Hebbar Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vtseva.detroit/posts/pfbid02RsHdTW8itbV73pFsMduH5r7sxpMFfjFNkhdpTB8E5N9ujtEsy769VM7T6T1gPtxcl Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/C1WxAtROXUN/?img_index=1 Cancer Awareness Session: Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide, accounting for about 10 million deaths annually. Cancer is a scary and complex disease but when detected early, it can be cured. There are a lot of steps that can be taken to prevent cancer. To bring awareness about the group of diseases termed Cancer, and the preventative steps that can be taken, VTSEVA Detroit organized a talk with the acclaimed physician, Dr.  Sri Yadlapalli, a VTSEVA Detroit youth board parent herself. Dr. Sri Yadlapalli is an MD who is currently working as a Hematologist and Oncologist at Trinity Hospital in Oakland. Dr. Sri Yadlapalli completed her residency at WSU/DMC and fellowship at Ascension Providence.  Youths learned how to reduce cancer risk behaviors, the innovative developments in the field of cancer prevention, and simple lifestyle changes to reduce the chances. Video created by Shreya Shetty (VT Seva Detroit Youth Board) Blog written by Oviya Jaisankar (VT Seva Detroit Youth Board) Blog published by Nandini Cheemalamarri (VT Seva Detroit Communications)

"Communication works for those who work at it .” – John Powell When communication is effective, it leaves everyone who is involved satisfied and feeling accomplished. By delivering messages clearly, there is no room for misunderstanding or alteration of messages, which decreases the potential for conflict. This is a crucial skill needed for every one of us. Youths are future leaders, leaders with good communication skills can clearly define their vision to inspire and empower the people around them. VT Seva has been providing an opportunity for our youth to get introduced to public speaking and communication skills to advance their skills for the last 6 years. VT Seva is collaborating with Speaking Masters and bringing another great opportunity this year as well! VT Seva is proud to announce the 7th Public Speaking Workshop presented by Speaking Masters . One one-day virtual work workshop will be organized on March 2 and a free in-person public speaking presentation ( not a competition ) for the registrants will be held on March 9th in Farmington Public Library . During the online workshop on March 2nd , the youth will be exposed to different aspects of public speaking like tone, vocal variety, how to avoid fillers, and many more by none other than one of the experts in public speaking and the founder of Speaking Masters, Mr. Raju Brahmandhabheri. This is a great opportunity for the youth to learn and refresh the nitty gritty of public speaking. The youth will also be provided an opportunity to practice what they learned on March 9th during the public speaking in-person presentation ( not a competition ). Out-of-state students and long-distance students can send a video recording of their presentations to get personalized feedback. Raju Brahmandhabheri is passionate about public speaking and communication skills and has been part of Toastmasters International (the platform to improve Public speaking and leadership skills) for the last 10 plus years and achieved the DTM(Distinguished Toastmasters) award- the highest educational award in the Toastmasters program. To pursue his passion for teaching public speaking and communication skills to youths, he founded Speaking Masters LLC, a public speaking and communication skills coaching institute, and has been teaching these skills to kids in grades: 3-12 for the past four years. He has been receiving 5-star ratings from both students and parents for his public speaking classes. He is a mentor for high school students to coach/advise/prepare them for the annual Leadership Speech Contest hosted by the National Management Association (NMA). He has also served as a judge on various speech contests at Toastmasters and community organization’s educational competitions (public speaking, spelling bee, etc.). By profession, he is an Electrical Engineer currently working as a Senior Regional Engineering Manager at ITC Holdings Corp., Novi, Michigan. What a great way to support others while becoming competent in the essential life skills of Public Speaking & Communication! Don't miss the opportunity to learn from the best by registering ASAP!

Feb 11, 2024 Atlanta VT Seva youths had a great day on Feb 11, 2024 with the seniors of Phoenix Assisted living. Our youths played bingo games, listened to their stories, made them laugh, and played kick ball & ballon throws with them. It’s a gratifying and fulfilling experience for us today! Dec 3,2023 On December 3, 2023 Atlanta's VT Seva youth & adult volunteers, visited senior living home. A team of enthusiastic youth volunteers spread holiday cheer and spend meaningful time with the senior citizens. The agenda centered around engaging the seniors in various activities, fostering a joyous atmosphere in celebration of the holiday season. During the visit, the VT Seva youths engaged the senior citizens in lively bingo games, offering companionship and building relationships. A delightful musical presentation followed, featuring renditions of festive tunes such as "Jingle Bell" and "We Wish You a Merry Christmas," performed by the youthful ensemble. Additionally, our youth played the piano, keyboard, and saxophone, and created a medley of holiday compositions. Expressing their heartfelt sentiments, the volunteers distributed thank you cards, happy holiday cards, and bookmarks, extending warm wishes and appreciation to the seniors and staff for the enjoyable and meaningful time spent together. It was a gratifying event for the VT Seva Team!

"Communication is the human connection, which is the key to personal and career success.” – Paul J Meyer Public speaking has taken center stage in today’s education and career. All of us know the importance that communication plays in our daily lives. Please review the guidelines, competition topics, and rubric before registering