Tanish Gupta and Caleb Lo are helping pave the road for young people to connect, impact, and aid primary school students in developing countries, demonstrating it is never too young to create an inspiring change.
Now rising juniors in high school, Gupta, a Grade 11 students at Seaquam Secondary and Lo, a high school students in Markham, Ont., started their booming non-profit, Global Bound Education out of the COVID-19 lockdown, where they witnessed the challenges that many schools were facing such as lack of resources, closing, and more.
Both students have a strong passion for student advocacy and are interested in driving a change in a rapidly globalizing world, but putting their skills to use outside of school was a challenge.
After their freshman year, during their summer, they both applied for a summer leadership program, hosted by students at the University of Virginia. At the time, both of them were nothing but strangers meeting virtually to execute an Indigenous COVID-19 Relief Project. As the weeks went on, the duo began to work with each other, building a strong relationship. Both came out of the program with the necessary skills to create a real impact in the world.
During the pandemic, earlier in the year, both students struggled with their studies in the adapted school systems. Upon meeting each other in their summer leadership program, they realized how COVID-19 took a toll on students on a social, emotional and academic level.
Eager to continue to drive a long-lasting impact within the world, they explored options to execute a long-term passion project. As a result, they both realized the severity of the educational crisis in underprivileged communities, especially during a pandemic. Global Bound Education was their idea to tackle and contribute a solution to fight this social issue.
Following weeks of research looking at Canadian textbooks and workbooks, they came up with a format that would allow for their packages to benefit both students and teachers.
GBE would be an ideal platform for high school students to immerse themselves in a volunteering/unpaid internship program that taught them skills in communication, time management, organization, and other work essential skills. Homebound high schoolers missing extra-curricular activities and in-person social interaction felt drawn to applying for the non-profit, which sparked as a virtual opportunity.
For several months, both students worked on getting GBE off the ground.
Eventually, the two recruited their very first executive team. They recruited six members over the course of a month as part of the non-profit launching team while interviewing and screening nearly 35 applicants.
The executive members GBE recruited were an exceptional group. All the members of GBE are involved in numerous impactful organizations and school clubs. Both co-founders are heavily involved in their community. Both have equipped a range of skills through their leadership positions and passion projects they have taken on.
The students have gone so far as to winning various awards and being appointed to district representatives within their school boards due to their exceptionally strong leadership, academics, and service. The International Baccalaureate program has fostered both of them to enhance their global awareness and curiosity to make change outside the classroom.
To learn more about GBE see: https://www.globalboundeducation.org/.
