There are some truly amazing teens in Chandler, and Mayor Kevin Hartke recently launched the Chandler Changemakers initiative to recognize them.
“Chandler is a Community of Innovation, well known for its talented workforce, high-tech industries, and responsible approach to growth,” he says. “The Chandler Changemakers program is important because it showcases our remarkable leaders, inspiring others to seek their own innovative paths.”
Here, meet four of them.
Prisha Shroff, 15
Shroff, a sophomore at Hamilton High School, was nominated for her design of a wildfire prevention system. Originally conceived as a science fair project, Shroff's innovative design predicts areas that are vulnerable to wildfires using satellite and meteorological data and artificial intelligence. She has won many awards, including the Broadcom MASTERS—which is the nation’s premier Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) middle school competition.
Shroff is inspired by Elon Musk and Gandhi. She's very involved in school as a member of the student council, DECA, math club, coding club, choir, and swim team, to name just a few. She also plays piano, enjoys classical singing, and is a Kathakar, Indian classical dancer.
She has won numerous awards, accolades, and honors for her academic achievements, and strives to help empower her fellow youth through STEM.
Shroff is currently working with Arizona State University to develop a drone deployment system.
Anshul Verma, 17
Verma, a recent graduate of Hamilton High School, founded the Chandler chapter of Phones for Charity, a charitable initiative in which he held drives to collect used and old cell phones which he then repaired and sold, donating all profits to local charities. He has helped to raise about $5,000 through his efforts.
Verma played tennis in high school, serving as captain his senior year. He also volunteered at the Chandler Public Libraries throughout high school and was president of the Teen Advisory Council. As a junior, he participated in the International Science and Engineering Fair where he won the Oracle Academy Award for his submission.
“I am inspired by my parents as they have always been very kind and hard-working and they always put others ahead of themselves” he says. “I am also inspired by individuals who are able to have positive impacts in society and who can transcend barriers to achieve their goals, such as Martin Luther King Jr. or Malala Yousafzai.”
Sam Bregman,18
Bregman just completed his senior year at Hamilton High School and will start his freshman year at Arizona State University (ASU) this fall. He created the Bregman Chapter of Shoes That Fit, a Chandler-based chapter of Shoes That Fit, a nationwide 501c3 nonprofit organization. As founder and president of the Chandler chapter, he built a team of six people to tackle one of the most visible signs of poverty.
Through their efforts, Bregman and his team have raised over $28,000. The funds were used to provide every student at Galveston and San Marcos Elementary Schools with brand new, perfectly fitting, name brand shoes, and five new pairs of Bombas socks. In total, they have distributed 882 shoes and 4,360 pairs of socks.
“Being recognized as a Chandler Changemaker is so much more than a title,” Bregman says.
“It’s proof that kindness, selflessness, and determination among teenagers is not only being recognized but also supported in our community.”
Bregman's current projects include building two startups. One is focused on creating sports drinks that provide complete and healthy hydration for high-performance athletes. The second is focused on empowering young men to choose a life that aligns with the highest version of themselves.
Bregman enjoys working out and competes in Spartan races. At ASU he plans to major in business data analytics. He finds inspiration in seeing others leading by example. He admires the Dalai Lama, Steve Jobs, Wim Hof, Gary Vaynerchuk, Tim Grover, and Tony Robbins.
“The best things in life exist outside your comfort zone, and if you never quit, success is inevitable,” he says.
Ella Wang, 18
Wang created a rapid and automated system to screen for blood-related diseases. She designed a 3D-printed attachment that can be clipped onto a mobile phone to convert it into a microscope with 400x magnification for only $8.With the camera, images of blood cells are captured that can then be combined with her web application that tells which cells may be diseased and whether you should see a doctor.
Wang hopes that this project will help the regions where blood tests aren’t as accessible. As a cancer survivor, she has been motivated to further support the medical field.
“At 3 years old, I was diagnosed with stage IV rhabdomyosarcoma, a soft tissue cancer,” she said. “As a survivor, I owe my life to advancements in biomedical research and technology.”
Wang is a research intern at Arizona State University’s Geometric Media Lab, where she investigated orthogonal-sphere constraints to improve the performance and interpretability of deep learning models for COVID-19 detection from chest X-ray images.
“To me, being named a Chandler Changemaker means being a part of an energetic, innovative community that is motivated to improve the lives of those in Chandler, Arizona, and beyond,” she says. “It represents a commitment to leadership, service, and generating positive change in our schools and communities—something I hope to continue carrying forward with my research, entrepreneurship, and service efforts.”
Wang will be a freshman at MIT this fall.
To nominate a young person in the community, visit
ChandlerAZ.gov/government/mayor-and-council/mayor-initiatives/changemakers