Seeds of Hope
Meet the Team
Seeds of Hope is student-run, and our current student board spans all four grades of high school and multiple different high schools. If you want to get involved at Seeds of Hope, contact us at oehs.seedsofhope@gmail.com!
Co-Founder & Executive Director
Aarin Bothra
I’m Aarin, a junior at Oswego East High School in Illinois. I’ve always had a passion for the environment and, as I entered high school, I also discovered that making an impact in my community is something that I enjoy. This motivated me to start Seeds of Hope as I saw a lack of awareness and resources in our community regarding the lack of native plants and prairies. I wanted to make a difference–one seed at a time. I also co-invented Algae Air, an algae-based biofiltration system for schools, which received a provisional patent and $7,500 in funding. In my free time, I love to learn languages, read, stargaze, garden, and code. I am incredibly proud and grateful to see the organization grow so much and make such a big impact in the community.
Director of Content and Communications
Lauren Allen
Hi! I’m Lauren Allen and I’m a senior at Oswego East High. I’m involved in various honors societies, am president of the OEHS Ecology Club, and VP of our Women's Empowerment club. I also am involved in choir and a vocal jazz ensemble. The reason I joined Seeds of Hope was because I wanted to make a difference in my community! In the past, I have volunteered at the Kendall County Forest Preserve District and participated in battery recycling drives and various cleaning the environment events! I visited a crap ton of national parks over the summer it was so cool! Also, I love going on walks and planting flowers in my backyard garden! :)
Director of Finance and Fundraising
Krisha Majmudar
Hi, I’m Krisha Majmundar, a senior at Oswego East High School. I joined Seeds of Hope because I wanted to provide more awareness for the lack of native prairie plants in our area and I wanted to assist in growing the number of seed libraries in our community. Local communities are a big part of the fight against climate change, and I want to support Seeds of Hope in their mission to foster collective community action. In the past, I have participated in many garbage pick-up events through the OEHS Ecology Club. I have also participated in many recycling initiatives through my other clubs. In my free time, I love to play tennis, watch Netflix, and read. My favorite nature activity is hiking with my family!
Director of Operations
Ashmit Gambir
I’m Ashmit Gambhir, a senior at Neuqua Valley High School. I joined Seeds of Hope because I wanted to make a positive change in my community. Seeds of Hope combats current issues with native plants, bringing positive change. Currently, I am developing an app that helps combat environmental crises such as carbon emissions, food waste, and water conservation. I presented it to professors from Cornell and Rutgers and was then selected to present at a National Stem Conference to further develop and enhance the app through grants. In my free time, I like to work out, watch movies, and hang out with my friends. My favorite nature activity is hiking.
Executive Secretary
Niraj Viju Sulaja
I’m Niraj Viju Sulaja, a junior at Oswego East High School. In my free time, I enjoy watching and discussing cinema, spending time with friends and family, graphic design, and photography! I joined Seeds of Hope to get more involved in bringing positive changes to the environment, especially here in Illinois. It brings me joy to know that I can bring real environmental improvements to my community–and even beyond— through Seeds of Hope. I have participated in local clean-up projects organized through my school and other community organizations. I enjoy nature photography, and I love visiting National and State Parks when I travel!
Board Member
Emma Ku
Hi! I’m Emma Ku, a senior at Oswego East High School. I enjoy figure skating and running in different forest preserves! I’m also involved in being the President of ASA, Mock Trial and Finance, VP for Rocketry and Mu Alpha Theta. I’ve always been interested in promoting environmental awareness and seeking out ways to inform others about different environmental problems. Seeds of Hope fulfills my needs to inform others about environments and make a change. I’ve written scripts for podcasts on promoting the environment, participated in multiple projects on promoting the environment. I like gardening and camping with my family!
Director of Outreach and Expansion
Krishiv Majmundar
I’m Krishiv Majmundar, a sophomore at Oswego East High School. In my free time, I enjoy playing tennis, watching sports, and hanging out with my friends! I joined Seeds of Hope in order to contribute to making a difference in my community. I found it to be an effective way to work towards fixing some of the environmental problems we have in our community. I have participated in multiple trash pick-up initiatives through school clubs and volunteered at recycling events. My favorite nature activity is hiking with either my friends or my family!
Board Member
Sheza Khan
Hi! I’m Sheza Khan, a freshman at Oswego East High School and a dedicated member of Seeds of Hope. I joined to help protect Illinois’ native prairie plants and combat local environmental challenges in the Oswego/Aurora area. I believe that hands-on, community-driven action is the key to creating lasting change. My favorite nature activity is gardening, which I enjoy with my parents every spring and summer. We plant pollinator-friendly flowers, grow tomatoes and strawberries, and care for them as they flourish—reminding me of nature’s resilience and the importance of preserving it.
Board Member
Linda Rahali
Hello! I’m Linda Rahali and I’m a junior at Oswego East High School. I am Secretary of the Oswego East Rocketry team, a board member for MSA, and I am also involved in BPA and Science Olympiad. Outside of school, I enjoy playing the piano, doing karate, spending time outdoors, reading, and hanging out with friends and family. Seeds of Hope has been an amazing way to be involved with my community and make a real difference on the environment. The lack of native plants in Illinois is an issue that is often overlooked, but our team has put in tremendous work in raising awareness and taking action. I am incredibly grateful to be a part of Seeds of Hope and I can’t wait to see the great things this organization will achieve!
Board Member
Avery Ku
Hi! My name is Avery Ku, and I’m a sophomore at Oswego East High School. I enjoy playing the trumpet and engaging in various sports such as swimming and tennis! :) I have gone trash picking with a group of my friends every month by walking around the neighborhood and throwing away any garbage found for fun.