Discus Awards

My passion for service and helping others began when I was diagnosed with an under-jaw bite when I was starting middle school. Doctors projected that I would have major problems speaking and eating if it was not corrected by a costly surgery. Thankfully, I eventually had my under-jaw bite fixed.

But for all this time, I thought about all the kids who had the same difficulties as I did and those who could not even afford treatment. Soon I decided to join in the

Smile Train‘s mission to help raise funds for life-changing cleft-lip surgery for underprivileged children around the world. Funding 60 cleft surgeries and treatments for children around the world, we were able to provide each surgery for less than $250! After countless fundraisers and events, I had seen the power of youth to change the world.

Kids Change the World was founded in 2007 to improve the lives of children by mobilizing the caring power of youth to advance the common good. Since then, we have offered hundreds of youth-led ideas, groups, and charitable initiatives with action tools: website domains, mentors, and grassroots services. You, too, can even use our free action tools for your own community initiatives by getting started here.

Helping children’s well being internationally, we set up an online educational program, Education Preparation, which includes hundreds of educational videos and materials in numerous subjects. Furthermore, we aided in the development of the Dao’s Children’s Centre in Mombasa, Kenya for children affected by post-election violence, funded innovative cleft surgery simulation software and training for local doctors, and started a student-travel program for motivated students to our cleft surgery clinics in 80 countries. Today, Kids Change the World has grown to be one of the world’s leading youth-led nonprofit organizations made of more than 19,000 dedicated volunteers and supporters.

The unparalleled experience of working and meeting people around the world and the gratifying feeling I have helping people will keep me continuing my work for as long as I live. My suggestion is to find an inspiration or idea that you are truly passionate about and do what you believe is right, even if you’re standing alone.

Always remember that no dreamer is ever too small, and no dream is ever too big.

Filed under: Christopher Yao • All-Around High School Students • Meet the Discus Winner