Youth Leader Raising Youth Leaders for Big Community Impact

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

Rylee Brooke Kamahele is a 16-year-old trailblazer from the island of Oahu. From the time she was young, Rylee has always displayed a gift for leading others – especially youth – into action. This is exactly why she founded The Catalyst’s Club: to unite youth in driving meaningful social change.

Under Rylee’s leadership, this organization now manages eight separate, youth-led organizations, each designed to empower young people to become agents of change in their communities. Through diverse initiatives, The Catalyst’s Club has mobilized countless volunteers, proving that youth can harness their energy and passion and indeed be a powerful force for good.

“The Catalyst’s Club is an umbrella nonprofit organization with the mission to create and provide youth with opportunities to be catalysts for change that creates positive impact on the world,” Rylee says. “With eight other organizations running under it, separately and individually, we have a total of 37 programs altogether.”

One of Rylee’s signature programs, The Secret Santa Project Hawaii, brings joy to 400-600 underserved children and their families every holiday season. Since 2016, the initiative has delivered thousands of gifts, which have been deeply moving to individuals and families undergoing tougher times. Volunteers come together each year to spread cheer through this program, and Rylee’s efforts have made the holidays brighter for many families in Hawaii.

“The Secret Santa Project Hawaii has been running since 2016 when my dad got into a really bad car accident – he was hit by a drunk driver,” Rylee shares. “My brother and I were recipients of Angel Tree. Before that, we were spoiled brats… but the next year, we chose to give Christmas to other kids. That includes kids in foster shelters, long-term care facilities and hospitals, families going through financial hardships and more.”

Rylee also champions environmental conservation through her Promise to Our Keiki program. By organizing beach clean-ups and sustainability education events, she has involved hundreds of kids in efforts to protect Hawaii’s precious environment. Through hands-on activities, children learn the value of preserving nature, ensuring that the next generation understands the importance of conservation.

Beyond environmental causes, Rylee’s Love is a Verb Foundation engages volunteers in acts of kindness, such as community clean-ups and food drives. By focusing on “actionable compassion,” this initiative has made a tangible impact on communities across Hawaii.

“Love is a Verb Foundation has two parts to it,” Rylee explains. “One is community partnerships, where we build up youth and ensure they’re prepared to volunteer, and then we connect them with organizations that need volunteers. The other part is twelve completely youth-run programs that do all sorts of things, from animal rescue and rehabilitation to plastic pollution and beach clean-ups. This is to help youth learn the leadership side of nonprofit organizations. One of our other organizations – Mogul in the Making – then helps those leaders, after passing through much training, to create their own nonprofits in the future.”

But Rylee’s work doesn’t stop there – she also assists with disaster relief, as seen in her response to the Lahaina wildfires in 2023. She moderated social media pages, connecting victims with vital resources, and personally delivered donations to affected areas via boat. Her ability to respond quickly and effectively in times of crisis has been astounding to many adult leaders watching Rylee’s engagements in the community.

“I’ve been involved with service since I was born,” Rylee reflects. After working in youth ministry alongside the children her parents were actively mentoring, she realized she wanted to be in the world of volunteerism. When she was 4, she started doing pageants, which required community service hours. But when she gave her title away, she realized that the initiatives that she had started during her reign were programs she wanted to continue on her own.

Through The Catalyst’s Club and her partnerships with other organizations, Rylee continues to inspire young people and make a lasting impact across Hawaii. Her personal commitment to service as well as her desire to help raise other leaders in service are powerful examples of youth movements driving positive change in society – with big impacts.

“Volunteering isn’t a set type of role,” Rylee encourages. “I’m an extrovert and can network with people and talk to government officials. My brother likes to be in the background of things, rather than front and center. Volunteering is a wide variety of different things. I want people to learn not to underestimate youth and that youth can make an impact. Your passion is your purpose and what you’re supposed to do.”

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