From 8th Grade TEDx Leader to VMA Club Visionary: He Don’t Miss
One of the most meaningful aspects of the Junior Program is seeing students grow into leaders.
Ishaan Sai Kancharla is a clear example of that journey. Since joining the VMA in middle school from Raleigh, NC, he has shown a deep commitment to leadership and the arts, balancing music with active roles across student organizations and academic programs.
Now a rising sophomore, Ishaan is helping shape the future of the Junior Program—not just by participating, but by orchestrating the Junior Program’s next movement: the club structure.
Through a recent Raleigh-Boston virtual VMA presentation, he introduced ideas for student-led virtual workshop drop-ins, stronger monthly club structures, and new ways for students to engage through outreach, fundraising, and community connection. So as not to disrupt the current framework of Leadership Initiative and Student Government, Ishaan is skillfully creating a helpful club playbook with fellow leaders, diving into and tackling some very important questions:
How many outreach concerts should a club be expected to give? Is there more beyond the club concert experience to motivate students to join? What social activities should be encouraged? Aside from student government nomination fundraising thresholds, what is a club expected to fundraise over the course of the year to fund VMA’s charitable service initiatives (Music for Meals, Shelters, Healing) and programming? The list goes on.
Ishaan understands that the next stage of growth is clear—empowering students to work together so that every VMA club is rooted not just in mission, but in follow-through of reasonable club expectations.
Does this all not touch upon the deeper question kids should be asking themselves, of “how much good are we called to do in our busy lives?” Something we as adults could ponder as well.
One thing is for sure: when students take ownership of the mission, they naturally inspire others to join. Students will always have access to professional VMA mentors, but the power of a grassroots movement needs the freedom and accessibility to assemble.
Ishaan Sai Kancharla
Executive Committee Head
Ishaan Kancharla, an eighth-grader at Fred J. Carnage Middle, is a multi-talented individual with a passion for leadership and the arts. Serving as part of the Executive Committee in numerous clubs including the Student Ambassadors, TEDx, FBLA, and Student Council, Ishaan always strives to excel in his leadership opportunities. Along with this, Ishaan is also heavily involved in the Science Olympiad, Hindustani Vocals, and Flute, placing 1st in the North Carolina All-State Band. This is his third year in TEDx, and Ishaan is exhilarated to serve as the Executive Committee Head while mentoring the TEDx members in his last year at CMMS.
