A couple of years ago, Jasriya Kukreja started volunteering at The Leaven, a tutoring program and homework help center for students, because it was in the apartment building that she used to live in. “My sister went there to get help for homework and I ended up volunteering there,” she said.

While that kept her busy for a while, it wasn’t enough and Kukreja turned to the library as another source of CAS (Creativity, Activity, Service) hours for the International Baccalaureate (IB) requirement. “I chose to volunteer because it makes me happy to make others happy and satisfied,” she said. She has been at the library for about a year.

“At the Leaven, I help kids with homework and other activities with sports, arts and crafts and more,” Kukreja said. “At the library, there are different things to do. During the summer, I signed up people for the Summer Reading Program challenge and help prepare for activities in the library. During the school year, I helped with the Read to a Dog program which involved signing children up for the program and making sure everything was going how it was supposed to.”

“Volunteer(ing) helps you find your interests and passion,” she said. “Through volunteering, I learned to help others and make my goal to one day open free schools and hospitals for children that cannot afford school.”

In addition to volunteering, I am the president of two clubs: the Helping Hands Club and the Medicine and Health Club. She is also the secretary for the Asian-American Association and writes for The Armijo Signal.

After she graduates, Kukreja said that she wants to go to USF and then to UCSF to become a doctor.