8. Sruti Peddi, 17
Sruti Peddi, a senior from Fountain Hills, Arizona, has transformed her local library into a vibrant community hub. After moving to Fountain Hills at age 10, she began volunteering at the public library and eventually became its youngest board director and first teen representative for the Friends of the Library nonprofit. During the pandemic, Sruti led fundraising efforts that secured over $300,000 for library programs, teen spaces, and scholarships. She also taught herself to code to build the library’s website and manages its social media. Beyond literacy, Sruti co-founded Civication, a nonprofit promoting civic education, and serves as a Lead Volunteer Advocate with the ACLU. Her work earned her the Daily Point of Light Award in 2023.