About
My name is Aadya Gaurishankar
I'm currently a junior in high school who wants to eventually go into the psychology field. I'm fascinated by where mental health meets public policy, especially for kids. I want kids to be able to understand how the digital world they grow up in, shapes how they feel, and how the right policies could help.
My Story
"The youth of today, including myself, live in a digital world and do not know what life is like without it. Excessive online and social media presence has been shown to be linked to a variety of mental and emotional health struggles, which is why I started Kits For Kids: to break the stigma around mental health discussions and to help kids find other alternatives to screen time that may help improve their individual well-being, as well as their connections with others. I have always been passionate about mental health awareness and advocacy, and because I know what it's like to struggle, my goal is to try to make a difference—even if it's small."
What I'm Currently Working On.
Currently:
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Running Kits for Kids, my project on screen use and mental health in younger kids.
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Reading and breaking down research papers on mental health policy (see my Writing).
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Looking for mentors and teachers who can challenge my ideas and methods.
How I Approach This
I try to take evidence seriously. I pay attention to how things may differ for kids of different backgrounds, such as race, gender, or family income, instead of lumping everyone into one group. I also recognize that, as a high school student, I will not have all the answers, and that's okay, I have an open mind, look at things from a variety of different angles, and am always willing to learn more.