Dilsha is a purpose-driven high school student and the Founder and CEO of First Step Forward, where she is creating a transformative platform for global youth empowerment. She brings a rare and inspiring combination of academic excellence, hands-on experience, deep empathy, and purposeful leadership. Her work proves that STEM is a gateway to unlock every young mind’s potential and to change the world—one step forward at a time. Dilsha earned the Director’s Choice Award for her cancer research and was named Outstanding Junior Volunteer by a local hospital. As President of her school’s HOSA, College Prep, and Cybersecurity Clubs—and an officer in several others—she leads initiatives in health science, business, and tech education. Certified in Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, and Machine Learning, she applies her technical skills to real-world challenges. Dilsha has earned accolades in Science Olympiad, DECA, Model UN, and Math Competitions. She volunteers and trains at hospitals, shadows physicians, and serves on her district’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion team, advocating for student voice and equitable change.