California: Suvidha International Foundation Fosters Youth Learning Through Summer Camps and Global AI Hackathon

More than 40 student instructors led 16-plus summer programs, followed by a virtual AI competition that drew more than 300 young participants from seven countries. Suvidha International Foundation (https://suvidhainternational.org/) expanded its youth education and leadership efforts during summer 2026 through two monthly summer camps and a global virtual AI hackathon that connected students through academics, technology, teaching and community service.

The foundation organized two summer camp sessions from June 1 through June 30 and July 1 through August 4, offering 16 educational programs in each of the camps. Courses included Speech and Debate, Python Coding, Introduction to Agentic AI, SPIKE Prime Robotics, Raspberry Pi Programming, English Writing, introductory Spanish, Vedic Mathematics, Integrated Math 1, Integrated Math 2, Integrated Math 3 and Precalculus.

More than 40 student volunteers, primarily in grades 8 through 12, served as instructors, mentors and teaching assistants. Most courses were delivered virtually, allowing students and instructors from different locations and time zones to participate. Several programs, including Speech, Debate, English Writing and Robotics, also included in-person sessions in Folsom, California.

Adult mentors including Bhaskar Vempati, Bharath Pingali, Vandna Sharma, Avinash Maddy, Padmapriya Maddy, Balu Kodavatikantla, and along with a broader team of volunteers, supported the student instructors in developing lesson plans, organizing course content and strengthening their teaching and presentation skills.

The summer camps were designed to benefit both participating students and youth volunteers. Younger students gained exposure to academics, communication and emerging technologies, while student instructors developed leadership, public speaking, teamwork, teaching and project management skills.

Students from underserved families were able to participate without charge. Families who were financially able were invited to make a suggested contribution, with proceeds from the summer programs expected to help support the education of approximately 10 underserved students facing financial challenges.

The volunteers include Arjun Dhulipala, Arav Parikh, Nidhi Thekkedil, Srinidhi Nagunuri, Uthara Menon, Vedasree Kotha, Samarth Saralaya, Ayushmaan Bellum, Shreyas Cheeti, Mihir Nimkar,  Kanish Deshmukh, Riya Gujar, Sushrut Joginapalli, Vihaan Gaur, Vyom Gaur, Dhanya Papanasa, Dyuthi Thella,  Nethra Venkat, Esha Ram, Tanvi Rathore, Sanvika Pasumarthi, Joshita Annapureddy, Esha Batra, Mithil Biswal, Maha Garika, Nithya Pathi, Roma Embar, Aanya Garg,  Vidditi Khanna, Rhea Marriboyina,   Niharika Nalamalli, Dheepesh Pasumarthy,  Aadyaa Pilkhane, Neharika Rajesh, Rohan Sangala,  Avyukth Salver, Pia Shah, Seerat Sidhu, Mohammed Aamish Mansur; Jethri Burle,Vidhuni Kotalawala, Ananyaa Aravind, Ryan Yarlagadda, and Rivaan Tanneru.

Summer AI Learning Leads to Global Competition

Artificial intelligence was one of the major themes of the summer programming. Youth instructors including Arav Parikh, Sathvika Nivasini and Tanvi Rathore helped introduce students to AI concepts during Suvidha’s educational summer programs. That experience was followed by the Suvidha AI Virtual Hackathon 2026, held August 15–22.

Arav also took on additional responsibility for much of the day-to-day operation, including developing the event website, coordinating registrations and participant communications, helping recruit judges and sponsors, managing participant questions, and supporting the event through the final awards ceremony on August 22.

More than 300 middle and high school students from seven countries registered for the free virtual competition. Students who had previously participated in Suvidha International Foundation’s AI Basics Program during the summer camps 2026 also took part in the hackathon.

Participants were given a single challenge

Build something that makes learning accessible to someone who is currently locked out of it.

The competition encouraged participants to identify a specific educational barrier involving areas such as language, disability, neurodiversity, limited access to teachers, technology limitations or the way learning materials are presented. Rather than rewarding technical complexity alone, organizers asked students to clearly identify who they were helping and how their solution could improve that person’s ability to learn.

By the submission deadline, 75 teams had completed working projects.

The hackathon was led by Arav Parikh, Sathvika Nivasini and Tanvi Rathore, with support from external judges panel, Suvidha International Foundation and host Bhaskar Vempati. Student organizers helped manage the website, registration, communications, participant coordination, sponsor engagement and event logistics.

An external panel evaluated the projects, including Manish Ved, a lead architect at a Fortune 25 health insurance company; Shashank Bangalore Lakshman of Micron Technology; Manoj Yakkali of Hana eSolutions; and Sourabh Sonkamble, an assistant vice president at Deutsche Bank and IEEE Senior Member. Judging considered problem relevance, originality, execution and presentation.

Winning Projects Focus on Educational Accessibility

First place went to Class of One, built by Christian Satersfield from the United States. The project functions as an AI-powered computer science teacher for students who may not have access to one at their school. It guides students through problems rather than simply providing answers and includes several computing disciplines. The first place team was awarded $250.

Second place went to Team VS from Canada, consisting of Viraj Randhawa, Seth Van Vynckt and Michael Zamesnik. Their project, Peel, helps students who may feel overwhelmed by full worksheets by presenting questions individually and offering features such as text-to-speech, timers and background noise options.The second place team was awarded $150.

Third place went to Learn Your Way, developed by Rohit Gautam from Delhi, India. The application helps students access educational material in formats that better match their individual learning needs. The third place team was awarded $100.

Sponsor Support Keeps Participation Free

Featherless AI, the presenting sponsor, provided $25 in inference credits to every registered participant and additional credits for winners, helping young participants experiment with AI technology without requiring personal computing budgets. The summer camps and AI hackathon reflect Suvidha International Foundation’s broader educational philosophy: students should have opportunities not only to learn, but also to teach, lead, innovate and use their knowledge to help others.

About Suvidha International Foundation

Suvidha International Foundation (suvidhainternational.org) is a California-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to education, youth leadership, community service, and sustainable development. In the United States, Suvidha provides educational programs in speech and debate, robotics, artificial intelligence, coding, medicine, law, hackathons, and summer enrichment.

Students also gain meaningful community-service experience through tutoring, stem cell donor drives, park and trail cleanups, clothing drives, and support for local community events. These activities help youth build leadership, teamwork, communication skills, compassion, and civic responsibility. In India, Suvidha supports 120 underprivileged students, with a strong emphasis on helping girls pursue higher education and professional careers.

Financial assistance ranging from $500 to $2,000 per student helps cover tuition, educational expenses, and hostel costs. The foundation also supports more than 20 schools by providing educational supplies, classroom furniture, sports equipment, STEM opportunities, career guidance, mentorship, and soft-skills development.

Additional initiatives include vocational and skill-development programs for women and youth, medical camps, food and grocery assistance, tree-planting activities, and community development projects. Through these initiatives, Suvidha International Foundation works to expand access to education, empower individuals, strengthen communities, and create lasting social impact. For more information, visit suvidhainternational.org.