Varsha Dayini Ravi
Varsha Dayini Ravi said that she loves volunteering. “It is true when you say that even the smallest act of kindness or selflessness to another person can make a huge difference.”
Ravi started giving back to the community in simple ways as a child, through projects such as care kits for the homeless and food drive donations.
Today, the Highland Park High School senior’s volunteer efforts look a little bigger. As president of HPHS’ Feed My Starving Children Club, Ravi recently brought together about 500 volunteers who packed more than 101,000 meals at the high school’s first MobilePack event.
Ravi founded the Feed My Starving Children Club as a freshman. She had fallen in love with the organization’s mission of eliminating starvation around the world after being introduced to it in middle school. She even had her 12th birthday party there.
Executing the MobilePack, which included raising about $30,000 to cover event costs and supplies, involved a plethora of barriers and hurdles, Ravi said.
“Being able to come out on the other side to create an impact on children globally when there were many moments that this project could have fallen through not only taught me a lot about myself, but also about the power of having a passion, and the strength that wanting to help others can have over one’s mind,” she said.
In addition to her work with Feed My Starving Children, Ravi has taken on other leadership roles at HPHS. She has been a junior and senior ambassador and an officer of the Community Service Council throughout high school, has been inducted into honor societies and serves as vice president of the National English Honor Society and secretary of the math national honor society, Mu Alpha Theta. She is vice president of the newly established DECA chapter at HPHS, and recently earned a spot at the DECA International Career Development Conference in Orlando. She is also president of other clubs, and runs varsity for the track and cross country teams.
What advice do you have for other youth wanting to make a difference?
Choose something you love and are genuinely passionate about. Build that fire within yourself to make a difference in a cause that has impacted you and you can’t take your mind off of. Inquire and find out any way to support and make a difference in what you love, no matter how small it is. Start off with a simple small step forward and continue to do this — it will turn into a snowball effect, and the more you do it, the greater the impact and difference in the community will be.
What’s a fun fact someone wouldn’t know about you?
I LOVE to travel. Being immersed in other cultures and learning about new perspectives is one of my favorite things to do. I’ve been to over 25 countries and almost half the U.S. states!
If someone made a movie of your life, what would the title be and who would play you?
I would say the movie title would be No Limits. I was raised to go after what I want and to be tenacious — I don’t quit if it’s in my power l until I get what I strive for. I would have Zendaya play me. She is such a poised and powerful figure who I have always looked up to. She is self-made and has worked to achieve and build her career.
What (or who) motivated you to get involved in the community?
Being a part of North Sathya Sai Balvikas, and its founder — Uma Rao — were my base in serving the community. This school is like a Sunday school that emphasizes leadership, service, and teaches the righteous path of living life, with a spiritual and cultural influence. With the motto being “Love All, Serve All,” this school has ingrained service in me since I was a little kid. Therefore, I grew up being involved in community service and affairs, and have continued to do so throughout my life and even after I graduated from the school in 10th grade.
Where do you see yourself and/or your career 10 years from now?
In 10 years, I hope to see my career being utilized for the benefit of others, the global community, and future generations. As I go into business, I hope to come out of college and establish a start-up that will be focused on global sustainable development, helping impoverished families and third world countries.
Who’s your biggest inspiration?
My mom — being a young, newly married woman when immigrating to the US, she built herself and her reputation up in order to qualify for top residency programs and fellowships while simultaneously establishing a family and life. She worked hard with little to nothing to become an esteemed transplant nephrologist, put my brother and I through an amazing school district, and raise us to be in service to others just like she strives for and has been doing all her life.
What do you love most about your community?
I love the focus and how embedded inclusivity is in this community. Growing up as one of the few persons of color in this predominantly white community was never something that was spotlighted. I never have felt out of place or “different” from others. In fact, I felt more embraced and enabled to express my culture and ethnicity. Throughout elementary school, my mom would dress me in traditional clothing on my birthday — this was met with fascination, compliments, and interest from my peers; wearing a bindi was always normal and the only questions asked would simply be because of others’ curiosity in what it symbolized. Beyond me, even the interest in hosting the annual CultureFest, or how vast, progressed, and inclusive the 18+/special needs program is, embodies the open-mindedness and positive culture/atmosphere that this community possesses.
If there was ONE thing that you could change or improve in the community, what would it be?
I would say that one thing I would want to improve is the involvement of people in lesser-known efforts and projects that are being organized and executed. This community does a wonderful job of encouraging, supporting, and uplifting many of the projects that are advocated for, but usually it is the main ones that are annual and well-established throughout the community. On the other hand, projects like my MobilePack, that are new, just beginning, or even annual events that are less known in the community do not receive as much attention or support. So, I feel that while this community is incredible, there could be an improvement in watching out for smaller projects and/or new projects and giving them the boost and attention they especially need.
Where is the best place in the Park Cities or Preston Hollow to grab a bite with friends?
I would say the best place is either True Food Kitchen or Flower Child. Their food and service is absolutely amazing, and they are such great places to hang out and talk with friends while having a delicious meal. Especially being vegetarian, I love to eat there because of how open they are to all diets as well.
What are you most excited about for the future?
In the near future, what I am most excited about is being independent, going into the world beyond the Park Cities bubble, and discovering myself and who I can be in society. Going further, I am excited to see what I can achieve, how I will be able to prosper in aspiring to be there for others, and how/what resources will enable me to strive for reaching those goals.
Is there anything else you think we should know about you?
In my free time, I love to spend time with my family, watch movies with them, or play outside with my brother. I love fitness and am also a dancer in Bharatanatyam (traditional Indian dancing). I completed my solo dance debut that is kind of like a graduation dance at the end of my freshman year, and now am focusing on continuing to build up my skill and perform in more events, such as one I have been invited to perform at in India this December. I have played piano since I was 5 years old, and will be completing my last year at the SMU Piano Preparatory this May.
