Creating a Digital Footprint Through Education

Meet Daily Point of Light Award honoree Danielle Kim. Read her story, and nominate an outstanding volunteer or family as a Daily Point of Light.

Danielle Kim is a senior at Bergen County Academy in Hackensack, New Jersey. She studies design and engineering and plans to pursue a data science or environmental engineering degree. She is fascinated by STEM and thoroughly enjoys coding.

Danielle co-founded The Enlighten Project to link her passion for STEM with positive impact on the world. The Enlighten Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that aims to bridge the digital divide in education. It prides itself on providing personalized support for people worldwide. Through its initiatives, The Enlighten Project reaches out to specific communities with concerns about education, digital literacy or the inability to access digital education.

The organization is comprised of over 100 volunteers in 14 countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, Cambodia, China and more. They have raised over $20,000 in grants and donations. And their digital resources impact approximately 4,000 people monthly.

Danielle finds joy in her work to improve the experience for people of all ages and backgrounds worldwide. She hopes to continue making a difference.

What inspires you to volunteer?

During the pandemic, I saw its disproportionate effects on different communities. Learning became virtual, and we wondered how underserved communities managed their circumstances due to various technological issues.

After we returned in person, the reliance on technology in education became apparent. We noticed that many communities were falling behind, and the disparities in education were getting worse because of the digital divide. In 2023, we decided to officially incorporate our ideas of digital education.

Tell us about your volunteer role with The Enlighten Project.

I am the co-founder and CEO of The Enlighten Project, which I founded alongside my friends. We both currently serve as CEOs. We manage the executive board and our members. We also partner with different organizations, manage partnerships and fundraise. We oversee all operations and have significantly expanded the organization to 100 members in over 14 other countries.

What are your long-term plans or goals for the organization?

We recently secured a $400 grant to develop a digital online learning platform. Two summers ago, we studied how current digital learning platforms do not accommodate neurodivergent students on the spectrum because they have specific preferences. One of the things we proposed in our organization was to develop a platform that adjusts to students’ auditory and visual needs. After receiving the grant, we began working to find the people, volunteers and resources to build this platform. We hope that the platform will be built over the next six months.

Also, we recently hired a new executive for the school year. They’re building upon our current initiatives, and we hope to find more along the way.

What’s been the most rewarding part of your work?

Whenever we tutor or support our students in China or Cambodia, we receive many thank-you messages from them, saying how we’ve impacted their lives even though we don’t know each other in person. It’s heartwarming and touching to see that the initiatives I am passionate about, and my efforts, are helping people there, which keeps me going.

What have you learned through your experiences as a volunteer?

This was my first significant leadership role, and I didn’t know what I was getting myself into initially. Leading so many people and establishing an organization was very difficult at first, but it has become super rewarding over time. I learned I must be patient, understanding and empathetic toward everyone working for me. I’ve also learned to find suitable volunteers based on their applications.

Two immense struggles are getting adults to trust us because we are a youth-led organization. The second part is that although the volunteer efforts are intangible, a difference is made.

Our service sometimes feels like a drop in the ocean, but everything we do matters. Even if we help one or two people, we must strive to have a more significant impact.

Tell us about future partnerships, programs or events that you are excited about.

We are excited about our learning program, which is a significant commitment. Thankfully, we got the grant and are looking for volunteers.

We also contacted Newark, New Jersey, schools because many initiatives are abroad. However, we need help locally, so we’re talking to some elementary schools in Newark to provide the support they need. We look forward to developing a partnership in Newark. We’re always open to more partnerships overseas and in the U.S.

We have ongoing initiatives, including partnering with NextGenCAMA in Cambodia, to train CS instructors there. Another ongoing initiative is providing weekly tutoring for orphans in Chongqing, China.

Any advice for people who want to start volunteering?

Two things: first, it’s okay to start small. You don’t have to start an idea from scratch. Even if you join someone else’s organization, that is still positively impacting the world. Second, feel free to start something new, because many people will put in more time than you think.

What do you want people to learn from your story?

There’s no archetype or model figure for someone who’s creating change. You can be interested in something entirely irrelevant to social impact, and you can find a way to spin it.

I am a mathematically and scientifically inclined kid who uses my passion to make an impact. Many people might wonder how to help others by using their love, but many different ways exist. People can pursue something they’re passionate about and make a difference.

Do you want to make a difference in your community like Danielle? Find local volunteer opportunities.