It is with great pleasure that I share with you all our accomplished ambassadors, champions of teen rights, who bring a wealth of experience in science & technology, legislative advocacy, grassroots activism, social media awareness, and most of all, a passion for protecting our communities from deadly diseases!
Teens for Vaccines Inc. is rapidly growing with ambassadors in CA, TX, IL, NY, NJ, CT, TN, NC, MA, MD, LA, MO, and teen partners in KY, PA, and CO. We have also partnered with GENup, a 4000 student member organization with nationwide chapters in the U.S., dedicated to education advocacy. We are jointly mobilizing teens in public health to speak up for the safety of our communities and for teen rights. We consult with state immunization coalitions and health departments, and are a COVID-19 Community Corps member of #WeCanDoThis campaign from HHS.gov. Please welcome our fabulous ambassadors! To join us, sign-up at https://tinyurl.com/join-teensforvaxx.
TEENS FOR VACCINES AMBASSADORS WITH A PASSION FOR PROTECTING OUR COMMUNITIES!
"R," 10th Grade, Texas, Daughter of QAnon followers, Denied the right to vaccinate
I am a sophomore in Texas. My parents are QAnon followers, and they have been fed lies about vaccine efficiency and safety. I am denied the right to vaccinate and protect myself and my community. Not only that, but my parents have been told that masks don’t prevent the spread of COVID, and that has led to them actively prohibiting me from wearing one in crowded spaces. No matter my efforts, they are not backing down. However, I have not given up on trying to receive the vaccine. I know I’m not the only one in this position. There are many teens out there in my situation who aren’t allowed to make decisions for their own health.
I joined Teens for Vaccines to help teens like myself not feel lonely and to push for the “Mature Minor” doctrine in all states. We teens should have the right to make decisions for our health. When I’m not battling with the spread of misinformation concerning the COVID vaccine, I’m advocating for other civil rights issues. I’m passionate about equality and human rights. I like taking things into my own hands and leading others to achieve what they believe in. In my free time, I enjoy listening to music and playing my guitar. I also do coding and fix computers.
Ani, 11th Grade, California, Daughter who convinced her vaccine-hesitant parents
Hi my name is Ani, some may also know me as Anastasia. I am a junior from Glendale, California. I joined Teens for Vaccines, because I live in a community with lots of people who are weary of the vaccine. Including my own mother who wouldn't let me get vaccinated. Parents love their kids so it's understandable why they might be anxious about the vaccine, I hope together we can soothe their worries. The amount of false information that is being spread is increasingly worrisome. Immunizations save lives, and just like the superheroes that we often look up to we can be one too by simply getting the shot and masking up! I recently managed to convince my mother to let me and my brother get the COVID vaccine. I'm thankful to the support and resources from Teens for Vaccines.
I am a volunteer at teen line a peer-to-peer suicide hotline. Additionally I’m also the president of my school's medical club and the co-founder of Female Lead. I enjoy quantum computing and physics. This summer I programmed PCA algorithms for exoplanets. I have published two of my research papers. I write to patients in isolation due to COVID-19 alongside victims of sexual assault. This summer we wrote over 5,000 letters, with the help of people in my community. You can also find me doing pharmaceutical research or scribing at work, or torturing before and after school. I also work on my city’s youth advisory board, alongside the GUSD and LAUSD student advisory board. In my free time I like to watch Marvel movies, my favorite superhero being Spiderman.
Trenton, 12th Grade, Louisiana
I am a seventeen year old senior at Airline High School in Bossier City, Louisiana. I used to think COVID is not serious but on a trip back from Texas, I caught COVID and then decided to get vaccinated. I am now trying to convince my dad to get vaccinated because COVID is not a joke. I can say this from my personal experience. My state has one of the largest number of COVID cases (per capita) in the nation. Our hospitals are full, even our children's hospitals. I strongly believe that there is power in numbers and I joined Teens for Vaccines so I can help spread facts and fight the growing myths about vaccinations in our state. I have seven siblings. For extracurricular activities, I do powerlifting and enjoy a form of martial arts that combines kicks, flips, and gymnastics. I am also a member of the National Honor Society.
Benjamin, 10th Grade, Illinois
I’m a rising sophomore at Francis W. Parker School in Chicago, Illinois. I live with my parents, my two older brothers and my three dogs. I play soccer and baseball, in addition to writing for my school’s newspaper and participating on the Model UN team. I’m the founder of The Chicago Vaccine Angels which is an organization that is tasked with booking COVID-19 vaccine appointments primarily for senior citizens, but also for essential workers and others in need of the vaccine. We have scheduled vaccination appointments for over 5,700 individuals. As vaccine availability increased, the Chicago Vaccine Angels have continued to provide help through the scheduling of appointments for over 200 homebound individuals and through collaborative sharing of vaccine and other COVID-19 related information. The group has also been working on the equitable distribution of vaccines in underserved communities.
I joined Teens for Vaccines because I want to help spread accurate information about vaccines in my community and overall I would like to see the COVID-19 vaccination rate rise in teens.
Luke, 12th Grade, Connecticut
I'm a student at New Haven Academy. I am the youngest moderator of the 24,000+ member NY, CT, MA Vaccine Hunters and Angels Facebook group, have personally booked 700+ COVID-19 vaccine appointments, established a hotline for Spanish, Portuguese, and Arabic-speaking communities since I imagined it would be ten times harder for people to book vaccination appointments if they don't speak English. I'm also the chair of the New Haven County High School Democrats, a council member of the Connecticut State Student Advisory Council on Education, involved in Model Congress and Model United Nations, the senior patrol leader of Northford Boy Scout Troop 463, and have served as a congressional intern for U.S. Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro.
I joined Teens for Vaccines to help with COVID-19 vaccine uptake among teens, combating misinformation, and advocating for legislation. I am lending my expertise in grassroots organizing and activism, as the organization is scaling up efforts nationwide to mobilize teens in public health with its partnership with GENup!
Lindsey, 12th Grade, New York
I am a rising senior at Scarsdale High School in New York. In February 2021, I began working with a local organization called Greenburgh Covid Angels. We scheduled thousands of vaccine appointments for local seniors. For Covid Angels, I also helped with data management and volunteer coordination. Once the vaccine became readily available, Covid Angels transitioned to #VaxUpWestchester, an organization dedicated to spreading reliable vaccine information and easy access to the vaccine. With #VaxUpWestchester, I have run our social media pages, helped with in-person outreach, and event organization.
Other than my work in public health, which I plan to major in, I interned this summer at the Weill Cornell/Memorial Sloan Kettering Catalyst Program. I was paired with two radiologists at Memorial Sloan Kettering where I have helped research the use of digital health literacy materials to increase patient satisfaction rates. I also run a food blog, EatsbyLindsey, I am a softball captain, and a Model UN officer.
I joined Teens for Vaccines to continue my efforts to spread awareness about vaccinations on a more national level. I am excited to work with the other teen ambassadors on a topic we are all so passionate about!
Keira, 11th Grade, Massachusetts
I am a high school junior from Massachusetts. I currently attend Oakmont Regional High School. I live with my mom, dad, younger brother, and a golden retriever named Boru. I am passionate about science–more specifically, biology–and it is my dream to become a neurosurgeon someday. For this reason, I am highly invested in spreading information about the COVID-19 vaccine and encouraging others to make the potentially life-saving decision to get vaccinated. I joined Teens for Vaccines for helping teens get the information they need about deadly viruses and how to protect themselves in the future.
I have been playing the violin for approximately ten years, and this will be my third year of being concertmaster of the Worcester Youth Symphony Orchestra and first violinist of the Worcester Youth Honors String Quartet. I will also be playing with the New England Conservatory Youth Symphony this fall. When I am not playing violin, I enjoy reading, baking, and running in my spare time.
Emma, 12th Grade, California
I was a founding member of the Boston Leadership Institute Coronavirus Task Force, which involved communicating with my fellow members to best benefit our individual projects and working collaboratively with them. I’ve also volunteered at my local hospital as both a volunteer and teen advisory board member, which taught me management skills and communication with those under stress (patients, families), in positions of power in the hospital, and my fellow volunteers.
I joined Teens for Vaccines as we are in a critical time in the pandemic when awareness of the COVID-19 vaccine to teens and their parents is especially important, and the organization is consulting with state health departments on strategies for effective teen outreach. I'm looking forward to lending my management and social media experience in expanding our efforts further!
Kentwan, 12th Grade, North Carolina
I’m currently an 12th grader at KIPP Pride High School in Gaston. Being autistic, I was bullied and cornered in the bathroom. However, due to that experience, I wanted to make the world a better place. I joined ABC2, a youth group in North Carolina, became the president of GROW-K/4-H (AKA Growing Real Opportunities With Kids), and founded G.O.O.S.E which stands for Group Of Optimistic Social Engagement.
I joined Teens for Vaccines because I feel that teens are more likely to get vaccinated if they hear from other teens. It is important that we all get vaccinated to protect ourselves and others. I recently spoke at the “National Townhall for Rural and Urban Teens” co-hosted by Teens for Vaccines, along with the National Association of School Nurses, Doctors for America, and Co-Creation Nation. I am excited to make a difference in helping teens get vaccinated and knowing that vaccines are safe and effective.
Anurag, 10th Grade, Maryland
I'm a rising sophomore at Centennial High School. I have always loved the science and the pursuit of knowledge. I have competed and won at various science competitions at a national level, including the National You Be The Chemist champion, the U.S. Academic Bee, the National Science Bee, and the National Academic Quiz Bowl circuit.
I joined Teens for Vaccines as its mission of increasing vaccination rates and protecting our loved ones resonates a lot with me. As a man of science, I believe we can make the world a safer place for all of us by spreading awareness through education. I am looking forward to lending my expertise in science for overcoming vaccine hesitancy.
Aatreyo, 9th Grade, California
I am a rising freshman from California at Mira Loma High School. I live with my mom, dad, and younger brother. I joined Teens for Vaccines because I believe that it is very important to advocate for safety and spread good information about vaccines that can prevent many deadly diseases. The key to ending the current pandemic is getting people vaccinated and I hope that as a part of Teens for Vaccines, I can contribute to this cause for COVID-19 as well as many other diseases.
I am very involved in various activities such as Quiz Bowl, Science Bowl, and Math Team. I was the captain of the 2021 Churchill Middle School team that won the Middle School National Championship Tournament. I also got 2nd place at the Middle School Individual Player National Championship Tournament, and led the 2021 Science Bowl team which got 4th place at the National Science Bowl. I am especially interested in biology because it helps explain how our bodies work, how other organisms work, and how life interacts and repopulates. I hope to one day become a cardiothoracic surgeon to help save lives.
Rohan, 9th Grade, Tennessee
My name is Rohan Ramachandran. I am a 9th grader at the University School of Nashville. I live with my father, mother, younger sister, and younger brother. I have been interested in science from a young age, from computer science to biology. I am the current national champion of my grade division for the US Academic Bee. Individually, I placed in the top 11 in the 2021 Middle School National Championship Tournament for Quiz Bowl. Additionally, I have placed in the top 5 in the nation in areas like math, history, science, and humanities competitions. I also enjoy cubing- I can solve a Rubik’s cube in less than 40 seconds. I love engineering and programming in C++, JavaScript, HTML, and CSS. Lastly, I love playing tennis, swimming, and traveling with my friends and family. I joined Teens for Vaccines as an ambassador because I knew that I could apply my interest and knowledge of science in a way that could help bring an end to this deadly pandemic by disseminating information about the vaccine. I look forward to combating COVID and other terrible viruses out there with Teens for Vaccines.
Shriya, 11th Grade, New Jersey
I’m from New Jersey, and I’m a rising junior. I joined Teens for Vaccines to encourage others to get vaccinated and educate them on the false information they may have. I believe getting vaccinated is a crucial step to crushing COVID, and I wanted to participate in promoting that. In school, I am a volunteer at the Red Cross Club and hold a board position in the FBLA club. Furthermore, I am an advocate for climate change. I am the Head of Outreach at EcoLearners, where we educate others on climate issues and work to pass climate education policies. Recently, I also have been volunteering at an organization called Hoste Hainse outside of school. Some of my hobbies include dancing and piano— I have been dancing for 11 years and playing the piano for 4 years.
Joshua, 9th Grade, California
I'm going to be a freshman this fall. I have always loved science and math. I have an older brother who is a resident physician at the Stanford Health Care. I joined Teens For Vaccines in order to pursue something that was meaningful to our society, and I think we’d all agree that vaccines are particularly relevant in a time like this. I hope that by contributing to vaccine awareness, we can end the pandemic quicker and make a mark on the widely ignorant world that we live in. After all, what’s the point of being alive if you don’t at least try to do something remarkable?
I like to play piano, and compete in Quiz Bowl and Science Bowl. I'm the highest scoring science player on our team and got 10th place in at the MSCNCT, the national middle school quiz bowl championship in 2021. I’ve also been a part of my school’s Math Club for 3 consecutive years, each one being filled with competitions and problems containing topics such as combinatorics, modular arithmetic, and number theory. I also type with the Dvorak layout at a speed of around 130 WPM and enjoy programming.
Eric, 9th Grade, California
I currently attend Jeffrey Trail middle school. I live with my mom, dad and a younger sister. I am keen and passionate about STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math). I enjoy computer science; I am proficient in C++, C, Java, Python, CSS, HTML, and UNITY. I am interested in biology, and want to help with cancer in future, as my grandfather has cancer. And the reason I became a Teens for Vaccines ambassador is so that I can strive to spread the message with my experience and knowing that the only way for our community to recover quickly is by taking the vaccine. I look forward to helping other teens get vaccinated without worries and to be protected from the virus.
I enjoy music a lot. have played the piano since I was five. I also played the viola in our school orchestra for 3 years. I also like swimming and hiking with my family and friends.
Rignesh, 8th Grade, California
I am seventh grader, homeschooled with Wolsey Hall Oxford. I am a single child and I live with my parents. I am very passionate in Science mostly—especially the medical and astronomical components. I have competed and received awards in my school science fair. There’s just so much to explore and many ways to benefit our world! As I learnt about cells and the building blocks of life, I became more and more interested in Science. I joined Teens for Vaccines in order to voice my opinion to the world to help the welfare of the people around us. Even if it is just a small opinion, it is worth it. I look forward to helping people get vaccinated for their own safety without any worries. No one should be shielded from vaccines—vaccines help increase immunity against a virus which can harm you. I look forward to fighting off viruses together which keep trying to infiltrate our body and prevent it for as long as everyone can and stay safe.
I am competitive table tennis player and in my age category (U13), I am ranked 4th in the U.S for boys.
Arhan, 12th Grade, California
My name is Arhan Surapaneni, and I am a rising junior at Stanford University’s OHS, I currently involve myself with research at labs in Stanford and UCSF, mainly focusing on works in genetics and neuroscience, I also volunteer at my local hospital in the ICU assisting with things like inventory, and I also lead on the youth council to help make quick, efficient decisions to help the wellbeing of patients. I also teach international students who are not able to afford tutors, or lack educational resources due to refugee status, or military involvement subjects like English, Biology, Chemistry, and Math. I have published 10+ award winning research papers ranging from topics like Addiction and Gambling to Emotion in Tandem with EEG’s. In my free time I enjoy caring for my pet tortoise and beta fish, and I am an international fencer.
This passion has driven me to provide and assist teens to get their vaccinations, and as someone who is so involved with the medical field, it truly is heartbreaking to see teens endangering themselves and others when the problem to be solved is so simple, as teens we have a unique ability to communicate with each other to truly solve this problem, as well as the misinformation that comes with it.
Samhita, 11th Grade, New Jersey
I am from New Jersey and I am a rising junior. In school, I am a volunteer at the Red Cross Club and I am part of the FBLA club. I joined Teens for Vaccines to show others that getting vaccinated is an important thing. There are many false news stories out in the media, and I want to help educate them on the false information out there. Getting vaccinated is a huge step forward to fighting this deadly disease. In my free time I dance and play the piano. I have been dancing for 12 years and have been dancing competitively for 5 years. I have been playing the piano for 5 years. I am also a member and tutor for the organization Team Bezzie. Our goal is to make sure all kids have the help they need especially during this hard and difficult time.
Tanay, 9th Grade, California
I am a ninth grader at Mira Loma High School in Sacramento, California. I joined Teens for Vaccines because I wanted to be able to have a part in helping fight against the spread of COVID-19 and keeping those in my community safe. Earlier this year, multiple of my relatives living in India were infected with COVID, which changed my view towards how serious the disease really was and how cautious I needed to be to keep myself as well as my family safe. As an ambassador, I hope to be able to help others around me get vaccinated - especially teenagers, since adolescents are a group who have been overlooked throughout much of the pandemic. Outside of school, I enjoy participating in multiple extracurricular activities. In my 8th grade year, I competed in the quiz bowl Middle School National Championship Tournament, which my team won, as well as the National Science Bowl, in which my team placed fourth. I enjoy learning about science and math, and I have a deep interest in chemistry and physics. My dream job is to work as a scientist for NASA. In my free time, I can frequently be found playing basketball with my friends or reading a book. I also love playing the piano, which I have been learning since I was six years old.
I am extremely excited to have the opportunity to be an ambassador at Teens for Vaccines and to help others get vaccinated!
Caleb, 8th Grade, North Carolina
When Duke University in the U.S. was testing Pfizer-BioNTech’s coronavirus vaccine on approximately 2,000 children between the ages of 12 and 15 years old, I volunteered for the trial. I definitely wanted to be part of it in order to show that the vaccines are safe for children and progress the development of the vaccine for young people. I believe getting the vaccine gives people an extra layer of protection.
I am excited to join Teens for Vaccines to help other teens realize the life-saving power of vaccines and do my part to help end the COVID-19 pandemic for us all.
PICTURES AND BIOS COMING FOR MORE AMBASSADORS
Mason, Gulf Breeze, Florida
Lilly, Hidden Hills, California
Emma, Mount Laurel, New Jersey
Ava, Valley Cottage, New York
Asher, Raleigh, North Carolina
Pranav, Folsom, California
Tessa, San Mateo, California
Noor, Evanston, Illinois
Jacqueline & Amelie, Louisville, KY
Dwight, New York City, New York
Lilley, 12th grade, St. Louis, Missouri
Avonelle, 12th grade, St. Louis, Missouri
Rishi, 7th grade, Springfield, Missouri
Aadi, 8th grade, Nashville, Tennessee
Daksh, Sacramento, California
Kapilan, Sacramento, California
Arav, Sacramento, California
Tannishtha, Sacramento, California
Arnav, Sacramento, California
Ethan, Sacramento, California
Dhruva, Sacramento, California
Asher, Raleigh, North Carolina
Alia, Austin, Texas
Shreyas, Ballwin, Missouri
Aria, Ellicott City, Maryland
Fabio, Rome, Italy
Pajdawb, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Cameron, Laona, Wisconsin
Neil, Pearland, Texas
Neev, Pearland, Texas
Milana, Phoenix Arizona
Gabriel, Phoenix Arizona
Adele, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
Rajalakshmi, Fremont, California
Jia, New York City, New York
Shaan, Bethesda, Maryland
Nicolas, Langhorne, Pennsylvania
Melissa, Fremont, California
Christine, Fremont, California
Amber, Emeryville, California
April, Newport Coast, California
Olivia, Reno, Nevada
Taniyah, Beloit, Wisconsin
Bridget, Denver, Colorado
Dev, Whiteplains, New York
Ian, Sacramento, California
Katiella, Union City, California
Naomi, Plainsboro, New Jersey
Veera, Clarksburg, Maryland
Alexa, New Jersey
Ellen, McDonough, Georgia
Michelle, Houston, Texas
Alexa, Manalapan, New Jersey
Wynn, Cupertino, California
Helena, Chappaqua, New York
Humari, Edgwater, New Jersey
Kailey, Brownsville, Texas