Way to Go: Rhea Manjrekar, Hicksville

A Hicksville High School sophomore with a passion for community service has been making her mark -- locally and abroad.

Rhea Manjrekar, 16, and several peers raised about $12,000 over the past year through a variety of fundraisers to benefit a local chapter of the nonprofit Children's Hope India that they started.

Most recently, she was among a handful of local pupils named a Leader of Tomorrow by the South Asian Political Action Committee to recognize her community service efforts.

"I've always really liked the idea of community service," Manjrekar said. "It feels so amazing to be able to help out."

The fundraisers -- which included events at Om Sweet Om Yoga in Port Washington, a local Friendly's and Panera Bread -- were used to send local underprivileged children to summer camp, purchase holiday gifts for local children in need, and send shoes to youths in India, Manjrekar said.

She is a member of her school's Key Club, National English and Spanish honor societies, and cross-country and track teams.

"Rhea is a promising student with positivity that extends to everybody she is around," Hicksville High principal Ray Williams said.

Working with Manjrekar to benefit Children's Hope India were Fatemah Mukadum and Annamarie Zisimatos of Hicksville High School, and Divya Advani, Karishma Kamat and Milan Sani of Paul D. Schreiber High School in Port Washington.