Youth Spotlight: Sudeep Mazumder

In three years of participation with Hands4Hope - Youth Making A Difference, Sudeep Mazumder has tallied 235 service hours through his involvement in his on-campus Hands4Hope clubs, after-school Committees, and various Community Engagement opportunities. He is now a sophomore at Oak Ridge High School, and involved in the Oak Ridge Empower Hands4Hope Club. His leadership roles so far have included roles with the Fall Festival Committee (Vice Chair of Games and Activities, Vice Chair of Volunteer Management); and Empty Bowls, where he is now serving as Vice Chair of the committee and chair of the Marketing sub-committee.

"I have had the pleasure of partnering with Sudeep on the Empty Bowls Dinner Marketing Committee," says Youth Mentor volunteer Tracy Messineo. "His dedication to ensuring the success of the event has been evident in every interaction, and his ability to inspire and lead by example is impressive! He demonstrates initiative, follow-up, creativity and passion in how he approaches his work. Sudeep's commitment to fostering a positive impact on the community through his work with Hands4Hope is both admirable and inspiring. His efforts have undoubtedly contributed to the success of the Empty Bowls Dinner and the organization's mission."

How did you first hear about Hands4Hope - Youth Making A Difference?

I first heard about Hands4Hope - Youth Making A Difference when my brother volunteered at the Hands4Hope Fall Festival in 2022. I had just learned that Hands4Hope made the Fall Festival event in Town Center at this moment. Later, I found out about the Hands4Hope school club at Rolling Hills Middle School, and after participating and learning about the amazing things Hands4Hope has done for the community, I couldn’t leave.

How have your experiences with Hands4Hope shaped you into the person you are today?

When I first joined Hands4Hope in 8th grade, I was a very introverted kid that could not do anything unless I had a close friend nearby. I remember in the on-campus Hands4Hope Club, there would be days where everyone would be talking and hanging out with new people, but I would just stand in the corner to hide from everyone else. However, through my experiences in Hands4Hope, I realized that other youth here have similar passions as me for joining: helping the community. This helped me get out of my comfort zone a little bit, meet new people, and not hide in corners in scary situations. Hands4Hope was the one activity that I did that helped me mask up my "antisocialness" and interact with others as this ultimately makes events more fun.

What has been your favorite memory so far with Hands4Hope?

My favorite memory so far with Hands4Hope is the Empty Bowls Dinner. It was so cool to see the hard work the committee did to make this event, I was very impressed with the bowls that were at the event too. The high schoolers and artisans who made the bowls did a really good job designing them.

What would you tell someone who is considering joining Hands4Hope - Youth Making A Difference?

I would tell someone who is considering joining to definitely join. Hands4Hope gives youth the opportunity to not only be able to volunteer at many different community events, but also develop as a community leader.

How do you picture yourself being involved in the future?

In the future, I picture my involvement in Hands4Hope increasing substantially with me joining more committees and doing more community engagement.

What other activities do you enjoy?

Outside of Hands4Hope, I enjoy swimming, sleeping in, biking, and hanging out with friends.