Kristi Chadha goes out of her way to help others in her community and at her school. “I think it’s just always been in me. Seeing how much my mom cared for others, even when things were hard for us, taught me the power of kindness and how even small acts can change someone’s day,” she said.
Being selected as a 2025 Cameron Impact Scholar, Kristi will continue her education to do even more in the future. The prestigious award is a four-year, full-tuition, impact-driven undergraduate scholarship awarded annually to only 10 to 15 exceptional high school students who have demonstrated excellence in leadership, community service, extracurricular activities, and academics. The Cameron Impact Scholar is unique among their peers in their desire to directly impact their communities and the world at large. These Scholars aspire to contribute to positive forces for change and plan to tailor their education to that end. The Cameron Impact Scholarship covers the full tuition, fees, and books at any accredited U.S. based college or university that the recipient chooses to attend. To learn more, visit www.bryancameroneducationfoundation.org.
“I never thought I’d be a competitive applicant for opportunities like this, but I decided to apply anyway because you never know what could happen,” Kristi said. “Winning the scholarship was more than just an honor – it built my confidence in my work and reminded me that taking a chance on myself can lead to incredible opportunities.”
She hopes to attend UCLA to major in biology as a first step to becoming a pediatrician. Born and raised in San Jacinto, the 17-year-old senior at San Jacinto Leadership Academy has made a huge impact at the campus she has attended since sixth grade.
“In fifth grade, I wanted a school where I could stand out and challenge myself – and honestly, I was also really excited about wearing a uniform because it meant I wouldn’t have to pick out outfits every day,” she said. “SJLA felt like the kind of place where I could grow and push myself, and it turned out to be exactly that.”
Kristi founded the Diversity Club and Guiding Lions program during her sophomore and junior years, inspired by a desire to create spaces where students could feel seen, supported, and empowered. She said the Diversity Club began as a way to celebrate and embrace the unique cultures within the school, fostering a sense of belonging and understanding among students.
“Guiding Lions was born from a passion for mentorship – I wanted to connect struggling younger students with upperclassmen mentors to help them succeed academically and personally,” she said. “My goal for both initiatives was to leave a lasting impact on our school community by building a culture of inclusivity and support that would continue even after I graduated. The most rewarding part has been watching students grow into confident leaders and knowing these programs have truly made a difference in their lives.”
Kristi said the school’s structure helped her learn discipline in ways she had not experienced before, such as managing her time to balance leadership responsibilities with academics and knowing how to stay composed under pressure.
“It also taught me when to take things seriously, like showing respect during flag ceremonies or presentations, and when it was okay to let loose and have fun with my peers. That balance has been invaluable,” she said. “Leadership, to me, isn’t just about taking charge; it’s about recognizing opportunities to make a positive difference and taking action.”
Since January 2024, she has served as vice president of the Graduation Committee, as this spring will mark SJLA’s first senior class commencement ceremony. But Kristi’s willingness to help others goes beyond her campus.
When she learned a peer was struggling with food insecurity, she decided to do something about it. After researching the issue, she found that a large percentage of residents in the San Jacinto Valley are either low-income or unhoused, and she felt called to help in the best way that she could. She created Supplies for Humanity, a student-led nonprofit focused on addressing food insecurity in her community. She works with a dedicated team of student volunteers from schools throughout the valley.
“We’ve been able to help with the needs of our own neighbors and in turn strengthen the bonds within our community,” Kristi said. “So far, we’ve donated thousands of nonperishables to Valley Community Pantry, around 40 fully equipped backpacks, and 60-plus completely stuffed Christmas stockings to San Jacinto Unified School District for their foster or homeless students, and we’ve serviced 70-plus families with essential resources. Seeing the genuine relief and gratitude in a parent’s eyes when they receive the essentials their family desperately needs, knowing we’ve made a real difference in their lives, is so rewarding.”
During February, Supplies for Humanity is partnering with a local transitional housing nonprofit that provides housing and support for young adults from 18-21 as they work toward independence. Kristi said her group will be collecting items and assembling self-care baskets for about a dozen people the program serves.
“This event is inspired by our hygiene kits initiative but with a more personal touch,” she said. “We thought to use thoughtful, personalized self-care baskets instead of our usual plastic bags. The baskets will include items like shampoo, conditioner, body wash, skin care products, cozy socks, journals, and even small gift cards – things that help these young adults feel cared for and supported as they transition into the next stage of their lives.”
If anyone in the community is interested in donating or participating in this event, they can send an email to suppliesforhumanity@gmail.com to learn more.
“I’m most looking forward to spending my final semester with the younger students I’ve mentored and seeing them grow into leaders,” Kristi said. “It’s bittersweet to pass the torch, but I’m excited to finalize the next generation of board members for Supplies for Humanity and the other clubs I’ve started. Knowing these programs will continue to thrive and make an impact after I graduate is the perfect way to close this chapter and step into the next.”
She credits her mother, psychologist Toni Ellis-Chadha, with greatly shaping her outlook on life through her examples of resilience, perseverance and bravery. “She has taught me that success is attainable with determination and hard work, no matter the obstacles,” she said. “Through her impactful actions and support, my mother has instilled in me the belief that I can overcome any challenge. Her commitment to enhancing my family’s life and her tireless pursuit of greater opportunities for her children have profoundly influenced me.”
Kristi’s mother was born and raised in Los Angeles and her father, Dharm Chadha, became the CEO of a wholesale market in Los Angeles after being born and raised in Northern India.
When Kristi is not in school or busy with her community projects, she takes advantage of every opportunity to learn. Last September, she was accepted into the New York Academy of Sciences: Junior Academy Program (NYASJA). This is a highly selective internationally remote STEM program with a global acceptance rate of only 8 percent.
In NYASJA, applicants are required to create a solution to a challenge assigned by the NYAS with a team of six, using STEM. One of the Fall 2024 challenges was Ethical AI and Kristi chose it because she had taken online machine learning, coding, and AI programming courses at MIT, where she learned that many AI systems used in healthcare have socioeconomic biases.
“Additionally, I had conducted prior research during the Summer of 2024 as an intern with ThinkNeuro,” she said. “My research findings revealed that rural and underserved areas suffer the most from disadvantaged healthcare. Combining my MIT knowledge with my ThinkNeuro findings, I proposed the idea of ‘Docubot’ to NYASJA.”
Docubot is a telehealth tool designed to provide remote healthcare resources to underserved communities, specifically focusing on eliminating racial and economic bias within AI systems.
“What motivates me to keep reaching out is the ripple effect – knowing that even the smallest act of kindness can create waves far beyond what I’ll ever see. When I help someone, whether it’s through a care package or a word of encouragement, I know it doesn’t stop there. They carry that kindness forward, impacting others in ways I might never know. That thought keeps me going – believing that every action, no matter how small, has the potential to change a life and inspire others to do the same.”
For more information, www.suppliesforhumanity.com, on Facebook at Supplies for Humanity and on Instagram @suppliesforhumanity.
The Valley News is made up of local residents dedicated to keeping our communities up-to-date with local issues. Since 2001, we’ve covered Temecula, Murrieta, Lake Elsinore, Wildomar, Winchester, Menifee, Hemet, and San Jacinto.
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