Honor Society® member
Arjun Kothari
- Urban Studies, Environmental Studies, and American Studies
- Class of 2027
- Closter, NJ
Member since September 2026
About
I am a senior in high school at Riverdale Country School. I am deeply passionate about housing and food justice.
Education
-
Riverdale Country School
2023 – Present
Goals and interests
- Career goal
After I graduate high school, I would like to attend college and then pursue a post-doctorate in urban studies with a focus on sustainability and design.
- Graduate school interests
Stanford, Harvard, University of Pennslyvania
- Outside the classroom
Scavenger Hunts Creator: Design historical explorations: American Revolution to Fort Lee, NJ, NYC, creating trail of El Camino Real (CA) & SF
YouTube University PhD: Avid self-learner exploring topics across history, engineering, & science, ex: Silk Road, Bridge Construction, Planes, etc.
Pen Collector: Collected 1000+ pens from hotels, travels, and colleges because each pen tells its own story
Photographer: Photograph the most mundane, overlooked objects, like dominoes or the mouse we use- won Scholastic Gold Award for both
Experience
-
Green Guerilla
Through my two years of volunteer work and 7-week internship with the non-profit Green Guerillas, I have found that while community gardens play a vital role in urban restoration and community engagement, they are often overstretched and under-resourced. To address this gap, I have designed a portable “shopping cart community garden” and am seeking funding to build a working prototype and expand to multiple units. By reimagining and repurposing discarded materials, my finished product will fully recycle shopping carts into functional mobile garden units that provide fresh produce in areas of need, promoting sustainable building practices and environmental stewardship within local communities. After receiving feedback from New York City residents and community garden supervisors, these shopping cart community gardens will be these shopping cart community gardens will be installed in food desert areas at accessible locations such as community centers, YMCAs, and community gardens like the Harlem Roots Star Community Garden. By placing these carts outside these locations, they will not only foster community engagement but also provide 24/7 access to fresh produce, serving as an extension of the community center. I intend to continue interning and volunteering my time from February 2027.
Jun 2026 – Jul 2026
-
IvyBound Consulting
Ivybound Consulting helps high schoolers navigate the overwhleming college admissions process. As a summer intern, I helped students lacking connections & resources obtain pro-bono services, alleviating the economic/emotional stress of college admissions; Edited 31 webpages and 20+ hours of visual content for online course; Lead short-form content marketing on Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube.
May 2024 – Jul 2026
Volunteering
-
Co-founded and now I am president of this non-profit (501(c)(3)). Empower youth activists through education and mentorship. Mentored 20+ leaders & nonprofits. Organized mental health, education access, and domestic abuse workshops. Phone banks & panels featuring professional & student activists. Global reach: 80K+; secured 22+ partners & 16,200+ followers. Raised $21K for social causes like housing & climate justice.
Take Action Inc
Jun 2023 – Aug 2026
Languages
- English (US) Advanced
- Hindi Advanced
- Spanish Advanced
- Urdu Intermediate
- Thai Beginner
- Romanian Beginner
