Meet the JA 18 Under 18 Class of 2026

Image caption: Jalen Blackwell shows off STEM Kits for Kids. He distributed 1,000 kits over the past six months.

At Junior Achievement of Central Maryland, we believe in the power of young people to change the world. The JA 18 Under 18 initiative recognizes students across the region who are doing just that such as launching businesses, advocating for their communities, and leading with purpose well before graduation. This year's honorees are nothing short of extraordinary. Meet the JA 18 Under 18 Class of 2026 as featured in Baltimore magazine.

Jalen Blackwell | Gerstell Academy, Carroll County

Jalen is a STEM superstar. His contributions span mechanical design, CAD modeling, prototyping, and competition execution, earning awards and accolades for innovation and impact through FIRST Robotics Competition teams. An award-winning communicator, Jalen has advocated for educational equity and expanding STEM access nationwide at the National Advocacy Conference on Capitol Hill. Wanting others to have access to the same quality STEM materials he has, he founded STEM Kits for Kids, a student-led venture that delivers hands-on STEM learning to underserved youth. Over the past six months, Jalen has distributed over 1,000 STEM Kits for Kids. Currently president of his 10th-grade class at Gerstell Academy, Jalen helped shape a balanced, ethical approach to AI in learning. He is a JA alum, Senior Patrol Leader in Scouts, and a member of Scouting America’s National Honor Society.

Sravika Bolla | Mt. Hebron High School, Howard County

When Sravika learned that speech therapy sessions can cost over $200 each, too expensive for many families, she spent 12 months leading a team to create Baby Bot, a platform integrating cameras, custom mobile applications, and machine learning models that can operate as a telehealth platform connecting families with speech-language pathologists—all for just $50. In addition to applying her entrepreneurial mindset to underserved communities, the 11th grader at Mount Hebron H.S. organized one of the largest Model UN conferences in the area and answered the critical need for donor blood supplies at area trauma centers by creating a recurring partnership with the American Red Cross. A talented choral singer, Sravika has made the Maryland All-State Choir for four consecutive years and uses her talents to provide free audition preparation sessions to those in need.

Suzanna Chen | The Bryn Mawr School, Baltimore

Suzanna developed an interest in finance and investing at a young age and has embraced it with gusto. An 11th grader at The Bryn Mawr School, she has helped grow the Investment Society (a student club) from 10 to 70 members and advocated for a school-wide investment fund managed by students themselves. As a result of their persistence and vision, the finance department awarded the Investment Society $100,000 over 20 years with $5,000 to actively invest annually. For her school’s capstone project, she is designing a course for middle school students to build their financial literacy, and she volunteers at the Immigration Outreach Service Center teaching adult immigrants financial skills and at Junior Achievement of Central Maryland. She’s begun her own auto detailing business that has a loyal client base, and applies her digital savvy as the volunteer social media manager for Volcano Hotpot and BBQ in Owings Mills.

Diya Sarah Gandhi | The Bryn Mawr School, Baltimore

When Diya accompanied her older sister to Baltimore Saints, a program that teaches ice hockey to neurodivergent children, she found a calling—to advocate for children and adults with Down Syndrome (DS). During COVID-19, she started an outdoor walking club for children with DS and led more than 30 sessions across Greater Baltimore. She also created Sunlit Sonatas, where she plays the harp for children with DS, using music for therapeutic engagement, and she is active in support of Camp PALS, which offers inclusive camp programs, and is a member of the Committee for the Maryland Down Syndrome Association. At just 16, Diya collaborated with researchers at NIH on a published paper on treatment protocols for those with DS; she was the only high school student to present at the American Neurological Association annual meeting in Baltimore.

Reagan Ganjon | Westminster West Middle, Carroll County

Though she is only in 7th grade, Reagan possesses an uncommon ability to bring people together. Most notably, she has brought her talents to the Boys & Girls Club of Carroll County, where she was named 2024–2025 Junior Youth of the Year. At the club, she founded its first Entrepreneurship Club, recruiting local business leaders to help teach the youth about running a business. Her team went on to develop Creative Teens, a student-run business that produces and sells candy at local markets and fairs with the profits reinvested back into the Boys & Girls Club. This fall, she is taking the concept countywide, mentoring students at other Club sites on entrepreneurship. She also started the first Boys & Girls Club of Carroll County field hockey clinic, and is a peer mentor at her middle school.

Image caption: Jonah Goldstein (left) accepts his JA 18 Under 18 award from Junior Achievement of Central Maryland President and CEO Paul Kappel (right).

Jonah Goldstein | Boys' Latin School of Maryland, Baltimore City

When Jonah’s older brother suffered a pediatric stroke, Jonah (whose nickname is Sizzle) turned a challenge into an opportunity. Combining his love of sports, apparel, and team culture he created Sizzle Ventures, which includes a clothing brand and a national lacrosse club with all profits going to the family’s nonprofit, Strokes of Luck, to support pediatric stroke awareness and education as well as survivors and their families. When this 11th grader isn’t on the varsity soccer field, he’s managing significant commitments, including president of the Jewish Awareness Club (where he leads discussions and events that foster inclusivity and understanding), and as a member of the One Love Club, helping promote healthy relationships. In addition, Jonah hosts Sundays with Sizzle introducing lacrosse players to roughly 10,000 viewers per week. Jonah is also a proud member of the Senator Ben Cardin Jewish Scholars Program. Jonah is recognized for his combination of compassion, leadership, and entrepreneurship.

Jameson Greenwood | Hereford High School, Baltimore County

Jameson has demonstrated the characteristics of curiosity, gratitude, and giving of himself from a young age. Now in 11th grade, at just 12 years old he founded Replay Hampstead, a community-driven initiative aimed at breaking down financial barriers to youth sports that continues to this day and won him the Maryland State William Donald Schaefer Helping People Award. For the past nine years he’s volunteered with Hampstead’s Little Free Pantry, and he is the secretary of the For Our Troops Club, organizing meaningful service initiatives that honor and support active-duty service people and veterans. He plays a vital role on the varsity baseball and golf teams, all while pursuing his pilot’s license, and upholding 3.9 GPA, pursuing college-level academics.

Maia Hanes | Glenelg High School, Howard County

Maia did not allow two knee surgeries to define her. But they did inspire her. Understanding how frustrating and isolating it can be for student-athletes recovering from injury, she created ReboundU, a nonprofit and social platform to help injured youth recover both mentally and physically. ReboundU creates care packages—Bounce Back Boxes—that include ice packs, a teddy bear support buddy, cards written by teenage volunteers, and invitations to join the peer mentorship program. She’s also created a social platform for injured athletes to share their stories. Maia is active in student government at Glenelg High School, where she is in 11th grade. She is an AP student who is in the National Honor Society, Future Business Leaders of America, and is a Jack & Jill of America, Inc., Columbia, Maryland, chapter member. She also serves as the youth representative on the Howard County Children’s Board.

Image caption: Taige Hart displays her nonprofit wears from Brooklynn's Hart, a nonprofit she created.

Taige Hart | Maryvale Preparatory School, Baltimore County

Taige, a student-athlete in the 11th grade, is recognized for her ability to identify community needs and mobilize others to help meet them. Most notably, she created Brooklynn’s Hart Inc., an organization dedicated to supporting women and children in need, which she is currently applying to have made into a nonprofit. Through this organization, Taige has led numerous outreach efforts, including coat drives, feeding the homeless, adopting families for the holidays, and organizing toiletries and essentials drives for seniors. An inherent leader, Taige is a member of the Youth Advisory Board for Ballet After Dark (a nonprofit that uses dance and movement to provide trauma-informed healing). She is an active leader in the Black Student Union at her school, Maryvale, and has participated in the Baltimore Student Leadership Diversity Conference for three years.

Rocco Katsikides | Severna Park High School, Anne Arundel County

Plenty of kids enjoy baking cookies, but Kiriakos (Rocco) turned a hobby into a business. In 7th grade, Rocco got a mixer and baking supplies and built his own business, Colossus Cookie Company, from the ground up, starting with sales in his neighborhood and growing to sales in local markets. Everything changed when the family moved from Texas to Maryland and Rocco had to begin all over in a new town. Undaunted, he’s grown his cookie company in Severna Park, setting up a website for orders, and connecting with local marketplaces. In addition to being an honor student, the ninth grader plays club soccer and is active in community service through the Greek Orthodox Youth of America.

Elizabeth Liu | The Bryn Mawr School, Baltimore City

As a freshman, Elizabeth joined the Howard County chapter of BranchOut!, a youth-led nonprofit dedicated to promoting equity in STEM education, and earned the Presidential Volunteer Service Gold Award for her service.  After moving schools, she recognized the educational disparities within her Baltimore City community and founded the BranchOut! Baltimore City Chapter alongside fellow students, working closely with The Bryn Mawr School and Dr. Yuhsien Wu, BranchOut!’s director. Over the course of 10 months, the chapter–now comprised of 15+ members from four high schools–established partnerships with four Baltimore organizations and collectively contributed over 200 service hours, serving more than 400 Baltimore City students. Elizabeth leads by example, embodying the mission of “branching out” to support underserved communities through service and action.

Nolan Mitchell | Calvert Hall College High School, Baltimore County

A ninth grader at Calvert Hall College High School, Nolan expresses himself through music and dance with a talent beyond his years. In addition to participating in choirs, including the Maryland State Boychoir, he writes, performs, and records his own original songs—which can  be found on various streaming platforms. Not content to simply dance, he creates his own choreography, mentors young dancers at his studio, and brings his positive energy to the studio’s advanced dance team. While he has performed at numerous ceremonies and festivals and won awards for both his songwriting and dance, he remains a humble artist frequently participating in events that benefit local nonprofits or giving performances at retirement communities and churches. The recipient of a Marion Burk Knott Scholarship to high school, this student-artist aspires to dance at Juilliard.

Tenley Raymond | Old Mill High School, Anne Arundel County

Tenley exemplifies leadership that uplifts others and has a lasting impact on her community. She is an active volunteer at community events, including collecting and delivering donated books for her community’s book sale, and she created a fall lacrosse clinic to teach young girls the fundamentals of the sport during the off-season. Tenley’s leadership and compassion truly shine in her 10-year commitment to Girl Scouts. Now a senior Girl Scout leader, she mentors 55 younger Girl Scouts in grades 1 through 7. A Junior Achievement alumna and ninth grader, she participates in engaging activities, teaches valuable life skills, and leads by example—fostering teamwork, confidence, and a strong sense of community among her peers. An honor roll student at Old Mill High School, Tenley also manages to maintain a part-time job, earned “rookie of the year” as goalie for the field hockey team, and manages the school wrestling team.

Image caption: Reagon Ganjon, Saanvi Singhal, and Saanvi Venumbaka display their JA 18 Under 18 plaques.

Saanvi Singhal | Dunloggin Middle School, Howard County

Saanvi is described as a highly talented, driven, and versatile student with strong leadership, collaboration, and problem-solving skills, all of which were very much in evidence when she sought to address a gap in her middle school. Noting a need for greater student representation, the eighth grader created a proposal to establish a student council. After achieving approval, she built the organization as its founder and president into a place where students can share ideas, plan events, and build school culture. This is a passion she’s expanded beyond her school; Saanvi participates in the Howard County and Maryland Associations of Student Councils. When not advocating for student voices, Saanvi participates in the Johns Hopkins APL STEM Academy, is in band, and performs Indian classical dance. She is also the founder of Slime Till You Dye, a small business she built through persistence, creativity, and hands-on problem-solving. Through continuous testing, learning from setbacks, and refining her products, she transformed her ideas into a successful venture and is now working to relaunch and scale the business.

Connor Tayloe | Franklin High School, Baltimore County

To be the national flag-bearer of a color guard is an honor to be carried out with precision and dignity. And it is a role Connor undertook more than 10 times last year, from the Reisterstown Parade in his local community to Veteran’s Day events in the region. Connor is a Cadet Second Lieutenant in the Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (MCJROTC) at Franklin High School, where he’s in 11th grade, and of 173 members, he is one of the select few who is an officer. Beyond merely participating in MCJROTC, Connor ensures the honor guard teams are prepared to execute at events flawlessly, has developed new events for cadet participation, and frequently teaches courses on leadership to junior cadets.

Saanvi Venumbaka | Hammond High School, Howard County

A combination of empathy and action make Saanvi a dynamic leader. Currently a 10th-grader at Hammond High School, Saanvi participates in many volunteer activities and shares Indian classical music through performances. But it is her interest in international affairs that sets her apart. Recognizing a lack of student engagement with global issues, she took the initiative to create a platform—the UNA-USA chapter—where students could learn, discuss, and take action on international topics. The club now has over 50 active members and has hosted community-wide events focused on global awareness. She also successfully advocated for her school to obtain a Maryland Association of Student Councils membership, opening the door to many students to have a greater leadership role in conferences and other statewide events.

Anika Verma | Howard High School, Howard County 

As the co-president of the speech and debate team at Howard High School and a medal-winning debater, Anika knows a little something about the field—including that not everyone has access to quality public speaking programming. A leader in the Girl Scouts, Anika designed and launched a Girl Scout Gold Award project that offered free speech and debate classes for middle school students at the Elkridge Library. She did everything from designing the curriculum to leading participants in a competition. Always one to fill a gap when she sees it, she also founded STEM Roots, a student-led club that connects youth to hands-on STEM opportunities. Remarkably, she still finds time to participate in activities like HOSA (a future health professionals organization), and to advocate for gender equity as a member of the Howard County Commission for Women.

Anna-Marie Watson | Mercy High School, Baltimore City

Anna-Marie didn’t realize when she and her friends started making and selling bracelets that she was on her way to entrepreneurial success. But that’s just what happened. As their small business grew, her school suggested she legitimize her business through Junior Achievement’s Company Program. Over two years, she served as the lead of the supply chain team for the bracelet company, Done Beautifully, led the marketing team for the slime business, and co-led the supply chain team for the Cereal Candle Company, which won third place at the JA Company Program Regional Competition in 2025. Using the skills she learned from JA, Anna started her own mail-order chocolate cookie company, A&M Cookies. A creative and positive leader, she is also a gifted coder who has already secured a place in Mercy High School’s Women in Technology program as a freshman.

Image caption: It's the JA 18 Under 18 Class of 2026!

Congratulations to the JA 18 Under 18 Class of 2026!

These 18 remarkable young people remind us what's possible when curiosity, compassion, and drive come together. From founding nonprofits to launching businesses, advocating on Capitol Hill to performing on stage, each honoree represents the best of what our region's next generation has to offer.

Junior Achievement of Central Maryland is proud to celebrate them — and we can't wait to see what they do next.