Today we’d like to introduce you to Nandini Vegesana.
Hi Nandini, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
As a tri-sport varsity athlete, I understand the importance of physical activity and spending time outdoors, especially for youth. However, only 24% of kids ages 6–17 meet the CDC’s recommendation of 60 minutes of physical activity per day, while the average child spends over 7.5 hours on screens daily. This has led to declining mental health, increased risk of chronic disease, and a loss of childhood joy. Seeing this, I knew I had to do something.
Alongside two of my teammates, I launched the Active Hour Campaign, a community-wide initiative that challenges kids to complete 60 minutes of movement each day for a month. Our campaign had three main components. First, we hosted weekly summer workshops for 5–10-year-olds at a local middle school track, where we taught basic stretches, organized running games, and encouraged outdoor play. Second, we published a children’s book on Amazon called Hello Again, Mr. Playground, which conveys our message about the importance of getting physical activity/playing outside while reducing time on screens. Third, and most importantly, we reached out to 40+ elementary schools in Frisco ISD to implement the Active Hour Campaign on their campuses. Most recently, we visited Curtsinger Elementary, where we presented our initiative and distributed activity logs to over 500 students. These logs encourage students to spend an hour each day being physically active for a month, with the winning grade earning a special prize.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
One of the main struggles we encountered was when we emailed the elementary school principals to ask if we could present our campaigns. Oftentimes, it went into their junk folders instead of their primary inboxes, causing them to not read our message. However, it went to the main inbox for the principal of the elementary school that I previously attended, so that is the school we started with. She is spreading the word to other principals, allowing us to continue our campaign!
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am currently a junior in high school who serves as captain of the girls’ cross-country team, competes in varsity track, and plays varsity basketball. However, I am also very passionate about serving the community and helping those around me, as I am president of my school’s Key Club, where we conduct service projects and activities. However, I am most proud of my Active Hour Campaign since I have directly been able to increase physical activity in hundreds of kids already. What sets me apart from others is my strong work ethic, as I can balance my passion for sports and community service with my academics of currently being ranked in the top 10 of my class.
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
Individuals, schools, and organizations can support or collaborate with me by partnering to expand the Active Hour Campaign. Elementary schools can implement the challenge on their campuses, host assemblies, and help distribute activity logs. Individuals can help support the initiative by purchasing our book, Hello Again, Mr. Playground, since this money is directly used for our fund materials for the campaign, including purchasing copies of the logs. Students and volunteers can assist by leading activity sessions and helping with outreach. Additionally, we hope to spread this project to other cities and locations. Since we have already built the framework for the programs, we would send other high schoolers our slide shows and campaign templates for elementary schools, along with ways to conduct summer workshops.
Pricing:
- $3.99 for book
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/activehour25/
- Other: https://www.amazon.com/Hello-Again-Playground-Nandini-Vegesana-ebook/dp/B0FLRHZ7SF/
