Arushi Gireesha (she/her) is a junior at Dougherty Valley High School. After witnessing the intense academic and social pressures faced by her peers, she stepped into leadership as the CEO of Not The End, where she recently donated over 100 care packages to middle schools across her county. Arushi grew up volunteering and supporting others in her community. She is also a varsity debater and the President of Future Speakers. Bridging these interests together, she spent last summer teaching speech and debate skills to students in low socio-economic school districts.
Through Not The End, Arushi plans to use her public speaking skills to raise awareness around mental health and empower young people to speak openly about their experiences. She now leads free virtual public speaking classes for elementary school students, encouraging them to build confidence, take ownership of their voices, and advocate for themselves and others. In her free time, she enjoys playing on her varsity lacrosse team and playing with her cats.
Tanisha Raju (she/her) is an 8th grader at Windemere Ranch Middle School in the Bay Area. She is passionate about mental health, recognizing its impact on every aspect of a person's life—from self-perception to relationships with others. She believes that healthier communities are built on awareness, education, and empathy, and she advocates for universal access to understanding and support. Her community involvement allows her to foster growth, resilience, and mutual care.
Through ongoing volunteer work and engagement, Tanisha is dedicated to strengthening connections and helping create environments where everyone feels supported and valued. In addition, Tanisha enjoys singing and dancing competitively, binge-watching her favorite shows, and spending time with friends.
Avani Gireesha founded Not The End in 2020 after developing a strong passion for mental wellness and social justice in middle school. She recently graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in Data Science.
Through Not The End, Avani organized over 20 events and conferences, reached 800+ students, and established partnerships with 10+ community organizations to expand access to mental health education. She launched educational video content for schools and created a youth suicide prevention program that has certified 70+ youth leaders. For her work, she was recognized as CA District 16 AAPI Youth of the Year by Assembly member Rebecca Bauer-Kahan.
She was the first student representative on the San Ramon Valley Wellness Committee and the Contra Costa Crisis Center Suicide Prevention Coalition, where she contributed a youth perspective to suicide prevention efforts. In addition to Not The End, Avani has been involved with organizations including Rewire Community, Sewa International, San Ramon Valley Interact, Girl Scouts, and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. In her free time, Avani enjoys reading, dancing, spending time with her cats, and meeting new people.