MERRIAM, Kan. — The mission of SevenDays is to promote kindness through education and dialogue.
Right now, the Kansas City nonprofit is looking for high school seniors to apply for its annual Kindness Action Scholarship.
Up to 10 recipients will receive $1,000.
VOICE FOR EVERYONE | Share your voice with KSHB 41’s Rae Daniel
The scholarship is geared toward Kansas City-area high school seniors who are looking to further their education in some way after graduation.
"It can be a four-year university, it can be a trade school, whatever it is, that is some way they're encouraged to continue education," said Jill Anderson, youth engagement director. "And what we ask them to do is some sort of a kindness project that makes a ripple in their community."
Andersen said this project can be one the applicant has already completed or plans to accomplish.
"It's something that they've seen that they say, 'You know what, I can make this better in some way,'" Andersen said. "Some projects are huge and some projects are small, but they're all making a difference and they're all teenagers that are taking it upon themselves to do that. ... It warms my heart and makes me know that there is hope for our community, for our state, for our world, actually."
Fargol Rozati, a 2024 graduate of Blue Valley West, is currently studying biology in the pre-dental health path. As one of last year's scholarship winners, she said this opportunity helped open doors.
"It definitely is something beneficial for high school seniors to continue to do or apply for because it opens so many doors, whether it's going to college or just kind of continuing your education," Rozati said. "It definitely is something that lifts a weight off your chest a little bit, and then also it can definitely help continue to make that positive impact in the community."
Rozati's kindness project was called "Empowering Minds: Nurturing Education and Creativity in Iran."
"I am Iranian, and so every summer, usually, I tend to go back to my country and visit my family. And unfortunately in my home country, there isn't much opportunity for students to be able to expand their English skills or develop that linguistic need for them. So a couple of summers ago, I decided to go and work with students there to try and improve their skills, and it was a really great time there," Rozati said. "It definitely has helped me with kind of that path within school and getting to learn more.
"It is such a privilege to be able to go to school here and be able to learn more about specific things and continuing my education, something that a lot of Iranians in my home country aren't able to do because of a lot of societal struggle. So I definitely think it's an honor to continue to pursue my education but also take back what I learn to my home country."
Rozati said SevenDays' mission is something she is very passionate about and plans to continue to help.
"I definitely want to help them make that impact as well, and so it definitely was something that inspired me to continue to do and I definitely will continue to do this along the way," Rozati said. "Whenever I did this in the past, the change that I saw in the community and the kids that I was able to help teach and help them develop those English skills, it was just such a tremendous thing for me, and it was such a positive impact on them as well. And it definitely is something that I want to continue to do within the rest of my life ... going there in the summer."
Her message to high school seniors is to apply and be a positive change.
"Start something in the community, make a ripple in the community, and then just talk about it, write about it and be that reason for change," Rozati said. "Inspire others — that's so important — and motivate others to continue to make a change in our community. It's important to be the ripple because there's so much negativity in this world and it's important to be a positive change."
The deadline to apply is Jan. 10. Click here for more information, including all requirements, on this scholarship.
—
