Meet Ishan Gupta from Auckland

For Ishan, leadership began when he taught chess in the Northcote Primary library at age 9.

“As a Library Leader at Northcote Primary, I discovered a sense of purpose at the age of nine. It involved more than just issuing books; it involved teaching chess to other students, guiding younger students on how to use the database, and spreading the love of learning.”

During this experience, he saw his efforts improve peers' education and developed a belief in "high-quality education should be shared", which led him to find SVA.

With SVA, he logged more than 500 volunteer hours, during which he discovered new opportunities such as the Red Cross Street Appeal, and he saw how his belief in "passing it forward" could make an impact beyond schools.

Then he founded and led clubs, including Robotics and Code Clubs, at Westlake Boys High School.

"It wasn't just about me teaching robotics; it was about creating a space where the senior students I coached could then turn around and mentor the juniors, sharing concepts we wouldn't usually see until much later in school."

And Ishan didn’t stop there. He then developed his own NZQA Scholarship-winning application, Spot Olympiad, founded a non-profit supporting Starship Foundation, and now guides juniors as a prefect.

Through SVA, he realised that “technical skills weren’t just personal achievements—they’re tools for uplifting communities.”