Middle and high school students honored for leadership, volunteerism, and success despite difficult odds
The annual Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners' Youth Excellence and Achievement (YEA!) Awards recognize young peoples' positive contributions in three categories: Leadership, Volunteer or Community Service, and Success Despite Difficult Odds. Selected by the Hillsborough County Commission on the Status of Women, these students are shining examples of young people dedicating themselves to improving their community and shape its future.
The Board of County Commissioners honored the winners during its Oct. 21 meeting. During the presentation, these five students were recognized for their initiative, innovation, and commitment to their community:
Leadership
Vanshika Prabhu from Roland Park K-8 School
An 8th grader from Roland Park K-8 School, Vanshika is President of the National Junior Honor Society, President of the Student Council, and Director of the school's Morning Show. She also is a team leader with numerous clubs and activities, including Robotics, History Fair, Math, and Black History Month Drama Teams. Vanshika also plays ice hockey for the Hillsborough South High School travel team as part of the Power Pole Arena Team and she served as a team leader in "Odyssey of the Mind," a creative, problem-solving competition program where team members present their solution to a predefined, long-term problem that takes many months to complete.
Arman Ahluwalia from Hillsborough High School IB
A 17-year-old 11th grader at Hillsborough High School IB, Arman founded the organization Cancer Crusaders, with the hope of making a difference in the fight against cancer. Since then, he has built a 30+ member organization that has partnered with the American Cancer Society and has volunteered at Miles for Moffitt, a community-wide Moffit Cancer Center movement that raises funds for life-saving cancer research. Through the High School Internship Program in Integrated Mathematical Oncology at Moffitt Cancer Center, Arman spent eight weeks of his junior year summer period to help build mathematical models of tumor growth and treatment response. He additionally presented circadian rhythm research at the University of Florida during a summer residential program going into his junior year. He continued to volunteer at Baycare's Mease Countryside hospital across pre-op, urgent care, and nursing station settings, gaining direct exposure to patient-facing healthcare operations alongside his research background. Because of his work, Arman received his school's Medal and Scholarship offer for excellence in math and science.
Volunteer or Community Service
Millie Dashner from Martinez Middle School
Millie dedicates approximately 100 hours of her summer to volunteering. She has maintained a 4.0 GPA during her years at Martinez Middle School and has been recognized on the Principal's Honor Roll every year. Millie is also deeply involved in her middle school's "Future Farmers of America" program, serving in FFA leadership roles in both the 7th and 8th grades. She represented Martinez Middle School at both the Hillsborough County Fair and the Florida State Fair, where she demonstrated her knowledge, skills, and commitment to the program. Beyond the classroom, one of the clearest examples of Millie's commitment to service is her involvement with the Keys to Kindness Camp. Millie represents Martinez Middle School as a member of both the volleyball and flag football teams. Through athletics, she has demonstrated teamwork, commitment, and the ability to work toward a common goal while supporting her teammates.
Zach Hartman from Sickles High School
A senior at Sickles High School, Zach is the founder of a youth-led initiative called Zach's Planet, which focuses on reducing landfill waste through reuse and community engagement. Over the past 10 years, Zach's Planet has become a nationally recognized service project and nonprofit that has collected and donated more than 330,000 books, kept more than 200,000 pounds of unwanted goods out of landfills, and impacted more than 65,000 students nationwide.
Most recently, Zach earned a Congressional Award Gold Medal, Congress' highest honor for youth achievement. Zach has also earned six Gold President's Volunteer Service Awards and the EPA President's Environmental Youth Award. He was selected as one of only 20 people nationwide for the Points of Light Youth Ambassador Council. As an Eagle Scout, he created a project to provide children in foster care with sturdy duffel bags filled with items intended to bring comfort and dignity during difficult transitions. Zach led 30 scouts in preparing 250 bags containing more than $10,000 worth of donated items, including blankets, books, art supplies, backpacks, and more.
Success Despite Difficult Odds
Kelsie Meister from Sickles High School
A junior at Sickles, 16-year-old Kelsie faced circumstances that dramatically impacted her life, including a severe medical condition suffered by her father. She launched an Angel Tree program similar to the Salvation Army's - an effort that quickly expanded and brightened the lives of 74 families from Sickles and Smith Middle School in just its first year. Kelsie holds a 4.25 weighted GPA, sometimes completing schoolwork in hospital rooms, and has successfully completed three Advanced Placement courses. She is currently enrolled in four additional AP courses. A leader in the Sickles' Student Government Association, Kelsie has helped lobby for state legislation to ban cosmetic animal testing, and she has served as Secretary and Director of Membership for Leaders in Action, among participation in numerous other clubs and organizations. Further, Kelsie serves as Spirit Sergeant for the Sickles Wall of Sound Marching Band AND is an award-winning starting left fielder for the Sickles softball team.
The Board also presented a proclamation declaring Oct. 28, 2026, as First Responders Day, honoring Hillsborough County Fire Rescue and Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office for their hard work and service to the community.
Interested in all the details about the latest BOCC meeting? Here is a full recap.
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