Ethan Hwang (he/him)
Ethan Hwang is currently a senior attending Taipei American School. He is an avid basketball player and is co-captain of his Varsity Basketball team. Ethan enjoys giving back to the community through his love of basketball and sports and has worked with underprivileged orphans. He is co-founder of Hoop Hero, a movement that’s mission statement is “forgotten children, in forgotten places, with forgotten issues, and is also engaged as an ambassador for a number of other global social impact organizations. He has traveled to Myanmar to visit orphans with AIDS and provide them with educational aid and uses basketball to bring joy to their lives. Ethan believes that by investing in children, he has the opportunity to create long lasting change for families and communities around the world. He seeks understanding, builds trust, and creates meaning in the work that he does. He is committed to delivering sustainable results and recognizes that learning and growth are at the heart of helping people facing hardships.
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TAIPEI, TAIWAN
OHIO, USA
Sol Rivera (she/her)
Sol Rivera is a 15 year old freshman at the Hathaway Brown School in Shaker Heights. It is her mom’s hometown, a lovely suburb near Cleveland, Ohio. Born and raised in New York City, she attended The Spence School until 5th grade when she moved with her mom and dad. They wanted to be close to Sol’s grandmother, who also lives in the neighborhood.
A compassionate young lady, Sol is involved in many extracurricular and charitable activities, spending time every year working on a cause that her family has long been active in, helping developmentally disabled children realize their full potential. She is a hands on activist. In lieu of Bat Mitzvah presents, Sol asked for donations to save a therapeutic nursery near her New York home, raising $40,000 for the cause. In Cleveland, Sol volunteers at the Friendship Circle, where she plays with children who are on the autism spectrum or who have special needs. She also supports causes like fundraising for the 5 Under 40 breast cancer foundation in NYC and organizing dance-a-thons to raise money for the TaDa Theater, bringing arts to kids who can’t afford it. She supports Black Lives Matter-Cleveland, Planned Parenthood, Cleveland Food Bank, marching for gun safety laws, helping refugees acclimate to Cleveland and likes to babysit in her spare time. Sol is on the Teen Board of Hope For Henry-Cleveland, which makes hospital care more comfortable and fun for children living in hospitals.
Sol is Puerto Rican and Jewish. Her hobbies include cooking, baking and travel which she would love to incorporate into a career of food genealogy and the study of anthropology before law school. Sol made the high school golf team, joined the debate team, her school magazine called Retropect, and studies classical piano under Dr. Shuai Wang at the Cleveland Institute of Music. In her spare time, Sol is an avid reader of classics and fan fiction.
Will Saxman (he/him)
Will Saxman is a senior at Cinco Ranch High School in Katy, Texas. He is a Varsity Track and Field athlete and President of his school’s Spanish National Honor Society. Will has lived in Katy all his life and has done his best to do good in his community. In kindergarten, he enrolled in Two-Way Immersion English and Spanish classes. Although he initially struggled to learn Spanish, he is so glad that he stayed persistent with his learning. Beyond learning a second language, Will treasures the friendships he has made that have introduced him to Latinx culture and broadened his world view. Inspired by his passion for pole vaulting and his deep appreciation of learning a second language, Will has founded Vaulting The Bar, a 501(c)3 non-profit clearinghouse site that serves to match English as a Second Language (ESL) students with proficient student mentors. He understands that mastering English is critical to their success and empathizes with the struggle ESL learners face. He hopes his commitment and story can inspire younger students to continue to strive to reach new heights in language learning and life. Will loves the feeling of accomplishment when he learns something new, makes a new friend, or reaches a new personal record in pole vault. He hopes to make valuable resources and teachers more accessible to others so they can continue to thrive in their language learning.
TEXAS, USA
Zac Spivak (he/him)
Zac Spivak is a senior at Avon High School in Avon, Connecticut. While there, he is the president of the Entrepreneurship Club and is a member of various other clubs and plays lacrosse. His whole life revolved around sports up until his high school years where he has shifted his focus from strictly being an avid sports fan into taking initiative in his community and trying to make a difference anyway he can. In 2019, through working with a local charity organization which helps the fight against pediatric cancer, he was able to raise almost $10,000 through a Halloween fundraiser which will grow in the coming years. Beyond just the fundraising, Zac works with inner city kids at Charter Oak Boxing Academy in Hartford and mentors them weekly, building a connection with them and helping them learn.