Students from North Farmington High School VTS Club came together on April 15, 2026 to create 150 beautiful "Forget-Me-Not" flower bunches (20 flowers in each bunch) for DAV (Disabled American Veterans). With the helping hands of 15 dedicated student volunteers, this project was more than just crafting flowers—it was an opportunity to express gratitude, strengthen friendships, and honor the sacrifices of our veterans through a simple act of kindness. Every flower carried a heartfelt message: "You are not forgotten." 🌼💙 A huge thank you to all our volunteers for turning creativity into compassion and making a meaningful impact in our community.

𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝: 𝐕𝐚𝐫𝐮𝐧 𝐀𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐚𝐭𝐢 𝐓𝐨𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐕𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐫𝐬: 𝟏𝟑 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭: 𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩 𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐛𝐨𝐱𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝟑𝐫𝐝 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐄𝐱𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐳𝐚 𝐨𝐧 𝐀𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐥 𝟏𝟔𝐭𝐡, 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟎 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝. Destined for Greatness supports local families in need throughout the Detroit area, and it is an honor to work with them in serving our community. These are the activities done: * Organized huge bags of clothing in age-based sections * Prepared many food boxes for distribution * Our Adults volunteers involved in great amount of heavy duty lifting, sorting & organizing card board boxes * Cleaned the facility by moving racks and items into storage rooms

As part of our continued commitment to serving the community, VT Seva Cary added another meaningful activity to our April bucket list by participating in a special Easter Egg Hunt event. This initiative was especially significant as it involved working closely with children with special needs. Our volunteers demonstrated great patience, compassion, and care while interacting with the children, making sure each child felt comfortable, included, and supported. On April 12th, 2026, our 6 youth volunteers actively participated in the Easter Egg Hunt organized by Asha Foundation. They helped children search for eggs, encouraged them throughout the activities, and spent quality time playing and bonding with them. As we continue our tradition of pairing up with special needs children, this event once again reflected our dedication to spreading joy, building connections, and making a positive impact in the community. Their enthusiasm and kindness made the event truly memorable and successful for everyone involved.

Volunteers helped remove invasive plants and plant native yarrow plants in Evan Creek Meadows and Pine Lake parks.

Big shoutout to the 9 volunteers who joined our session at Community Threads on Saturday Apr 11th! We worked hard to get the summer collection ready and organized the furniture and media sections. It’s amazing to see how a few hours of work can make such a difference. By volunteering here, we’re helping the store stay efficient so they can continue their mission of giving back to local charities. Efforts today directly helps our neighbors! Thank you for your hard work and for showing up for our community!!! 🙌

Our volunteers helped out at the Draw event's 5k run. The Bucket Run is a 5K run/walk benefiting Disaster Relief at Work's (DRAW) mission of providing relief services to communities that have been hit by natural disasters.

𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝: 𝐃𝐡𝐫𝐮𝐯𝐢 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐡 𝐓𝐨𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐕𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐫𝐬: 𝟏𝟒 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭: Our group helped sort and pack nearly 𝟗𝟐𝟕 𝐩𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐝, 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐖𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐰 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐲. Food Gatherers serves as the primary food bank for Washtenaw County and plays an important role in fighting hunger and limiting food waste in the community. We appreciate the chance to volunteer and be part of their meaningful work.

Troy High VTS Club members came together to make DAV flowers.

On April 11th, 2026, VT Seva Cary volunteers participated in a DAV Flower Making event, creating handmade “forget-me-not” flowers to honor retired and disabled American veterans. Our 6 youth volunteers and 1 adult volunteer worked together in a fun and productive environment, making flowers while listening to music and engaging in conversation. Throughout the event, volunteers stayed focused and dedicated, carefully crafting each flower to show appreciation for the service and sacrifices of veterans. By the end of the event, the team created over 1,120 flowers, each serving as a small but meaningful reminder of gratitude and recognition. These flowers are distributed by the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) organization at events and in communities across the country, where they help raise awareness and support for veterans. This is also a recurring service event, giving volunteers ongoing opportunities to contribute, connect, and make an impact over time. It allowed participants to combine creativity with service, making a positive impact while spreading joy to those who have given so much to the community.

On the occasion of Earth Day 2026, VT Seva Cary proudly continues a meaningful tradition that began in 2012 through our Adopt-A-Highway initiative. On April 11, 2026, our dedicated team of 15 volunteers came together in Cary to help keep our community clean and beautiful. With teamwork, enthusiasm, and commitment, volunteers worked efficiently to pick up litter and leave the area cleaner than before. This successful cleanup reflects the importance of community service, environmental responsibility, and giving back. We are deeply grateful to all our volunteers who continue to make a positive impact year after year. Together, we can build a cleaner, greener future.

Huge cheers for our young VT Seva stars Mihir, Arjun, Advik & Vasishth who knocked it out of the park this weekend! These young dedicated volunteers combined their love for sports and service by hosting a special fundraising event and served as powerful voices for change. Boys presented the VT Seva mission, highlighting how we empower underprivileged and visually challenged students. They shared how community support provides vital nutrition to children in tribal and blind schools. .

VT Seva Maryland is proud to be part of Adopt-a-Road Cleanup Initiative on April 11th 2026 Anwesha Parida and Akul Pallerla our Youth Leads led event. Anwesha describes her experience as below, I am proud to be part of the Adopt-a-Road cleanup initiative through VT Seva, contributing to a cleaner and greener community. This experience has been truly fulfilling, bringing together volunteers with a shared commitment to care for our environment. Along with Akul Pallerla, I had the opportunity to help coordinate this initiative. It was inspiring to see everyone come together with such enthusiasm and dedication.Equipped with safety vests, gloves, and trash bags, we worked as a team to clean our adopted road. This effort not only helped improve the surroundings but also reinforced the importance of keeping our public spaces clean and sustainable. I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to Prashamsa aunty, Srinivas Putthana uncle, and Deepa Parida my mom for lending a helping hand and supporting us throughout the activity. Your encouragement truly made a difference.Being part of this initiative reflects the core values of VT Seva—volunteerism, environmental responsibility, and giving back to the community. I look forward to continuing such efforts and making a positive impact together. Team's collective efforts helped make our surroundings cleaner and healthier for everyone. The enthusiasm and teamwork shown by the children and parents truly made a positive impact. We look forward to organizing more such initiatives to continue promoting community responsibility and environmental awareness.

VT Seva Houston launched its annual 2026 Walking for the Beat campaign on February 21st and concluded our campaign with our walkathon on March 21st. We would like to deeply thank you all the individuals who laced up their sneakers for our walkathon! It was an incredible day of community and spirit. Our youth began with sharing a little bit about heart health, leading some exercises in preparation for the walkathon. Subsequently, we began the walkathon! We completed the walkathon with a fun kahoot on heart health! We had an amazing turnout with 30+ participants hitting the pavement to support our mission. Thanks to your energy and the generosity of our supporters, we successfully raised over $500! These funds will go directly towards supporting the American Heart Association, where we hope to make meaningful impact in the lives of those we serve. Whether you walked the full distance, cheered from the sidelines, or donated, you made this possible. Let’s keep this momentum going!

VT Seva Maryland Hosts Successful 3rd Annual SAMATHA Science Fair Competition! VT Seva Maryland's Youth Advisor, Mridula Vasudevan, successfully led the 3rd Annual SAMATHA Science Fair Competition on March 22, 2026. Below is a detailed account of the event, highlighting its impact, growth, and the collective efforts of students, volunteers, sponsors, and the community. Event Summary To begin with, on March 22nd, from 12:30 PM to 4:30 PM, VT Seva Maryland proudly hosted its 3rd Annual SAMATHA Science Fair. The event was a remarkable success, bringing together seventy student participants and over two hundred attendees, including families, STEAM organizations, and volunteers. What made this year especially notable was the level of innovation and effort demonstrated by participants across all grade levels. Students presented a wide range of creative and thoughtful projects, showcasing not only scientific knowledge but also critical thinking and real world application. The average score of 39.5 out of 50 further reflected the outstanding quality, creativity, and dedication that each participant brought to the competition. We are pleased to share the list of Winners/Runners: Pre-K: Viraj Venuturimilli (1), Daksh Sharma (2), Jaitra Danturti (3) Kindergarten: Adhrith Navalgund and Ronin Valpadasu (1), Ayaan Garg (2), Avyaan Nasini (2), Mihira Anjali Muddada and Veda Gupta Boorugu (3) Grades 1 to 3: Tejas Anand (1), Varuni Vijai, Samritha Krishnanand, and Magilini Balakumar Sindhu (2), Jay Gupta Boorugu and Vihaan Muddada (2), Anvith Komperla (3), Radhika Raghavendra (3) Grades 4 to 5: Samarth Sinha (1), Srivatsav Ponnuru, Eshaan Dasa, and Sridatta Kakkireni (2), Ayaansh Bejgam and Surya Muddam (2), Samhitha Sri Kosana and Devayani Sharma (3), Tanushree Bonla and Avighnya Krishnaswamy Rajashekar (3) Grades 6 to 8: Ishaan Krishnan (1), Pranay Swaminathan (2), Parikrithi Bonla (3) High School: Aditya Samarth Community Partners and Sponsors In addition to participants and volunteers, the event was enriched by the presence of community partners and organizations who shared their knowledge and engaged with students in meaningful ways. Teja Pusunuri – Financial Advisor at AATS Financial A knowledgeable financial advisor who works to guide families and individuals in making informed financial decisions Provided insight into financial literacy and planning, helping students and families understand the importance of managing resources and planning for the future The RAY Foundation Founded by Anvi Chaturvedi and Tanvi Chaturvedi, this youth led organization focuses on service, leadership, and community impact As young leaders, Anvi and Tanvi have worked to create opportunities for students to engage in community service and leadership initiatives, encouraging youth involvement and social responsibility Their presence highlighted the importance of youth driven initiatives and inspired younger students to take leadership roles in giving back Youth Climate Institute An organization dedicated to empowering youth to take action on climate change through education, leadership, and community projects Focuses on sustainability, environmental awareness, and hands on learning experiences Vivia Chipley – Volunteer Led an interactive water filtration activity with students Helped students understand the importance of clean water, sustainability, and simple scientific solutions to real world problems Together, these partners added another layer of learning to the event, connecting science fair concepts to real world applications and community impact. Youth Leader Contributions In addition, several youth led initiatives took place during the event, further enriching the experience and highlighting the spirit of service within VT Seva. These efforts combined community impact with education and awareness. Divya Putthana – President of Healthcare Branch & President of Social Media “My experience making the forget me not flowers during the science fair was amazing. We got to educate many people about why we do this act of service and how much the veterans do for us. Seeing everyone come together to make the flowers was inspiring and great. It was a wonderful experience overall!” Tejasvi Divi – President of Environmental Branch “Our plant sale at the science fair was a meaningful success, raising $47 for VT Seva. The funds will go toward supporting a school for the visually challenged, helping provide meals for students with visual impairments. The event brought together environmental awareness and community service, showing how a simple project can make a positive impact. We’re very grateful for everyone who stopped by to support our sale and donated for the cause!” Manasvi Divi – President of Education Branch “Our science fair book sale recently has raised $41 for VT Seva, with proceeds going toward supporting schools for the visually challenged. Every contribution, big or small, made a difference, and we’re grateful to everyone who stopped by, donated, or spread the word. Looking forward to growing this effort even more next time!” Feeding Hope Maryland Team Mrs. Shwetha Sannenalli, Keerthi Siripurapu and Anwesha Parida Hosted a henna stand during the event while also spreading awareness about their mission Engaged with parents and attendees to share their cause and encourage community involvement Together, these initiatives showed how student leadership can extend beyond academics and create meaningful contributions to the community. Acknowledgments Equally important, the success of this event was made possible by the strong support from parents, volunteers, and organizers. Their guidance and encouragement played a key role from preparation to execution, helping create a welcoming and organized environment for everyone involved. Thank You Judges! We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to our distinguished panel of judges, whose expertise and thoughtful feedback greatly enhanced the experience for all participants: Dr. Bharathi Subramaniasiva Associate Professor of Physics and experienced STEM educator with a strong focus on hands on learning Mrs. Rebecca Clark Dedicated CTE teacher who continues to inspire students through resilience and commitment Dr. Balamurugan Kuppusamy Associate Scientist and accomplished researcher with extensive publications and mentorship experience Dr. Mahesh Aitha Translational scientist and community leader advocating for STEM education Mr. Vasudevan Akkoor AI product leader focused on improving healthcare systems and long time VT Seva volunteer Their time, dedication, and insights played an important role in recognizing and encouraging student achievement. Thank You Volunteers! Finally, we would like to sincerely thank all the VT Seva Maryland youth and adult volunteers who played an integral role in organizing and conducting this event: Youth Leaders: Akanksha Subramaniam Divya Putthana Tejasvi Deivi Manasvi Divi Mikaela Abobar Taara Vasudevan Anwesha Parida Inika Keranahalli Akul Pallerla Misha Nabel Keerthi Siripurapu Vishan Das Mukkapally Youth Volunteers: Saanvi Chaithra S. Deethya B. Anvi G. Additional volunteers who contributed their time and effort Adult Volunteers: Mr. Srinivasa Putthana Mr. Vasudevan Akkoor Mrs. Sobana Vasudevan Mrs. Swetha Sananelli Mrs. Prashamsa Muppavaram Their support with setup, coordination, guiding participants, and cleanup ensured that the event ran smoothly from start to finish. Commitment to STEAM Education Looking ahead, the SAMATHA Science Fair continues to highlight the incredible talent within our community while reinforcing VT Seva Maryland’s commitment to promoting STEAM education. The continued growth of this initiative reflects the dedication of students, families, and volunteers working together to inspire the next generation of thinkers, innovators, and leaders. Best regards, Mridula Vasudevan VT Seva Maryland Youth Advisor and Coordinator of the Annual SAMATHA Science Fair

On March 15th, 2026, VT Seva Cary volunteers assisted the FS Series Marathon, supporting runners throughout the morning. Our 10 youth volunteers and 2 adult volunteers arrived early to set up tables and prepare refreshments despite the cold conditions. As runners passed through the rest area, volunteers efficiently handed out water and Gatorade, ensuring a smooth flow without slowing participants down. Throughout the event, the team demonstrated strong coordination by rotating roles and maintaining energy during peak moments. Volunteers also helped with cleanup at the end, leaving the area organized. Their proactiveness, teamwork, and dedication contributed to a successful event while supporting the local running community.