Raphael Stark

17-year-old Raphael Stark is a homeschooled senior. He founded a nonprofit called CHATS (Caring for Hawaii Teens with Speech Challenges), the only organization in Hawaii dedicated to bringing hope and encouragement to fellow middle and high school with speech challenges. Raphael’s organization, CHATS, has partnered with local nonprofits, including the Hawaii Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Mental Health America of Hawaii, and Spill the Tea Café, a mental health clinic for teens. This year, Raphael has shared his message of inclusion and acceptance with over 3,000 local students. His mission is not only to help teens find their voice but also to teach the community to listen.