Scalable Leadership Initiatives
In our Merit Money Method Program, students don’t just chase achievements—they build movements that grow with them.
Each initiative featured here represents a long-term leadership journey (4–5 years in development) that blends academics, entrepreneurship, and purpose. These projects are still being implemented—showing measurable progress, credibility, and future potential.
Disclaimer: Names and identifying details have been changed to protect student privacy. The initiatives and results described reflect authentic student projects currently in development.
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Leila is developing StoryForge Interactive, a student-led storytelling studio that merges creative writing, game design, and digital art. Her vision is to create games that teach empathy through play—each one rooted in real-world moral and emotional dilemmas.
Currently, Leila is:
Completing her first interactive fiction prototype in Twine titled Walking Through a Story
Enrolled in Unity Create with Code and Blender scripting tutorials to integrate 3D narrative worlds
Forming a Digital Storytelling Collective at school to host peer-led workshops
Drafting her first “Play to Learn” lesson series for middle schoolers
Over the next two years, she plans to publish her first Unity game, submit to the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, and launch the Play to Learn Game Jam, inviting students to design purpose-driven digital stories.
Leila’s project is more than creative—it’s architectural. Every design choice reflects her growing philosophy: games can build empathy by telling emotional truth.
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Malik is in the early stages of developing ReGen Athletics, an AI-powered platform that helps student-athletes track performance and recovery with precision and care.
His idea grew from his dual passions—data science and running—and his frustration with how few recovery tools are available to non-elite athletes.
Currently, Malik is:
Designing the V1 prototype of his AI app to measure biomechanical trends in training
Leading data analysis projects for his track team to improve injury prevention
Mentoring middle school runners through a community partnership
Building a blog and YouTube mini-series sharing early research on sustainable recovery
In the next phase, Malik will test his app during competition season, gather team feedback, and begin developing V2–V3, integrating athlete-generated data and AI feedback loops.
By Year 3, he plans to launch ReGen Mentorship Labs, combining coaching, coding, and community service—making him one of the few high schoolers bridging athletics, analytics, and access.
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Arianna’s long-term vision is to become an orthodontist who uses her platform to build confidence—both in smiles and in learning. Her early-stage initiative, SmileStrong Foundation, aims to offer free tutoring and wellness programming for students who lack access to consistent academic and dental support.
Currently, Arianna is:
Leading a peer tutoring circle for middle schoolers in math and science
Volunteering with a local dental clinic to learn about community outreach
Planning her first “Smiles & STEM” day, blending science demos with self-esteem workshops
Researching youth nonprofit management through Coursera and mentorship programs
In the next year, she’ll pilot her first community tutoring drive, launch a micro-grant campaign for supplies, and begin developing SmileStrong’s website and brand identity.
Her leadership demonstrates a future-facing fusion of STEM, service, and social systems—modeling what it looks like to design confidence as both a medical and moral mission.
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Sisters Riya and Zahra are co-developing the Healing in Action Network (HIA), an evolving platform that blends medicine, mindfulness, and creativity to make healthcare more human.
Their current focus is testing small-scale community pilots that use art, music, and storytelling to promote emotional wellness for families navigating medical hardship.
Currently, they are:
Hosting “Joy-in-Healing” workshops in partnership with a local youth center
Producing early episodes of their podcast, Healing Talks with R&Z, focused on empathy and innovation
Interviewing healthcare professionals about creative therapies and patient stories
Designing a pilot curriculum that fuses art and health education
Next steps include launching a Compassion in Action micro-enterprise, where proceeds from student art sales support families in need, and expanding through mentorship under the CAMPUS Program.
The sisters’ project embodies sustainable compassion—transforming empathy into a leadership model that scales across service, science, and storytelling.
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Elias is currently building the foundation for History by Design, a student initiative that fuses engineering, ethics, and historical storytelling. His mission: to make the innovations of World War II accessible to new generations through hands-on design and cultural representation.
At this stage, Elias is:
Leading a small school club that reconstructs WWII-era inventions using modern engineering tools
Creating bilingual learning materials (English–Spanish) to highlight unsung inventors and soldiers
Preparing to launch the first History by Design Exhibition, a mini fair showcasing reimagined technologies and historical insights
Collaborating with his IB history teacher to develop cross-curricular lesson plans
Future milestones include establishing a nonprofit branch to expand into other schools, building partnerships with local museums, and developing interactive virtual exhibits that connect engineering and ethics.
Elias’s leadership is already redefining what academic passion looks like—a bridge between the precision of science and the purpose of storytelling.
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Amara is developing Voice by Design, a student-led leadership hub that helps peers shape school culture, influence policy, and strengthen belonging through communication, service, and ethical media. Her mission is to make student voice a structural force—something schools are built on, not something they react to.
Currently, Amara is:
Leading event strategy for her school’s Black Affinity Group (BAG), where she’s reimagining assemblies and student discussions to spark higher participation.
Coordinating service initiatives through the school pantry, modeling consistent service and mentoring peers in volunteer leadership.
Drafting her first Belonging Survey to help school leaders measure inclusion, participation, and student engagement.
Developing a media responsibility code for peers that promotes transparency, consent, and dignity in digital storytelling.
In the next phase, Amara will launch Voice by Design’s three wings—the Student Stories Studio (storytelling & leadership workshops), Responsible Influence Hub (ethical student media), and Culture & Policy Design Lab (feedback and reform tools). Together, they form a framework where youth can learn to design culture, not just participate in it.
Long-term, Amara plans to expand Voice by Design into a multi-school Empowerment Network—a space where students create playbooks, policies, and peer-led initiatives that make belonging both measurable and sustainable.
Amara’s leadership is rooted in both empathy and structure—showing what it looks like to turn student voice into a system of empowerment.
Why These Projects Matter
These initiatives reflect the heart of our college admissions philosophy—students learning to scale their ideas from spark to system.
By the time they graduate, our students won’t just have resumes—they have real institutions in motion. They’ll carry the kind of leadership legacy that makes them irresistible to colleges, scholarships, and future partners.
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Every initiative connects multiple disciplines—like science and storytelling, or engineering and ethics—so students learn to think across boundaries and translate knowledge into real-world impact.
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From budgeting to branding, students learn how to sustain their ideas through resource management, mentorship, and measurable outcomes—skills that prepare them for leadership beyond high school.
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Each project grows out of a student’s lived experience and sense of purpose, teaching them to lead with conviction, collaborate with others, and stay consistent over multiple years of development.
