Written by Sophia Hong, Red Cross Youth Volunteer

The Navin Narayan College Scholarship is awarded annually to just two high school seniors who have served with the Red Cross, honoring the legacy of Rhodes Scholar, Harvard graduate, and dedicated Red Cross volunteer Navin Narayan.

Out of more than 50,000 Red Cross youth volunteers across the nation, Ayu Kira, a recent Mountain View High School graduate, was chosen as one of two recipients—the first ever from the Cascades Region—to receive $1,000 in support of her college education. She was recognized for her outstanding leadership, academic excellence, community impact, and commitment to the Red Cross mission—qualities that embody Navin Narayan’s principles.

Kira first joined the Red Cross as a youth volunteer in her freshman year of high school, through her school’s club fair. After volunteering at blood drives, she became more interested in the organization and quickly grew her involvement. In her sophomore year, she was elected publicities coordinator of her school’s Red Cross club, and in her junior year, she worked with the Cascades Region as a Youth Project Coordinator, focused on increasing wildfire awareness.

Now, as a senior, she leads Mountain View’s Red Cross club as president, creates local youth initiatives as a member of the Southwest Washington Red Cross Youth Council, and serves the Cascades Region as a Youth and Young Adult Ambassador. As an Ambassador, Kira has created online guides for region-specific information to facilitate events such as blood drives, cookie baking for veterans, and cards for veterans.

Having volunteered with the Cascades Region for 4 years, Kira reflects, “[The region] has almost been like family; I know the people who work here well and they’re so supportive of me and my goals. Winning this award means a lot to me and I’m so grateful to represent our region.”

To students hesitant to apply, Kira offers encouragement: “If you’re worried you’re not qualified enough, I would just apply. It’s worth a shot.” She also points out the value of personal storytelling: “Think of little moments you had within the Red Cross and then use those to paint your narrative, because I think those small moments really define your story.”

This fall, Kira will attend Stanford University as a biology major on the pre-med track. She intends to become a doctor and believes the scholarship will support her interests and future goals, whether in medicine, research, or learning Spanish. She plans to continue her involvement with the Red Cross in college and hopes to keep giving back to her community.

To current high school students, Kira leaves a few words of advice: “Always look for opportunities and get to know the people you work with, because that will open so many doors for you.”

Rising high school seniors can find more information about the scholarship here.