Medha and Reshma Lalani from Hempfield High School honored for program that offers free technology support for seniors
ARLINGTON, VA, UNITED STATES, July 9, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Lancaster, Pennsylvania students Medha and Reshma Lalani noticed that their grandparents were struggling to complete essential tasks on their phones—from managing photos and notifications to banking and accessing healthcare portals.
When they learned that other seniors in their community faced similar challenges with digital literacy, the Lalani sisters were inspired to act.
Now, they have been awarded the $10,000 grand prize in the Bill of Rights Institute’s MyImpact Challenge for creating Tech Buddies, a youth-led initiative that connects high school students with local seniors by providing personalized, one-on-one technology support.
The Bill of Rights Institute is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that teaches history and civics, guiding teachers and students to engage in the principles, ideas, and practices of self-government and our shared civic life.
Through MyImpact Challenge, students are invited to create community service and entrepreneurial projects that advance constitutional principles like liberty and equality, and civic virtues like respect and responsibility.
This year, more than 200 students across America participated in the national online contest, and thousands more attended local civics fairs.
Medha and Reshma Lalani, students at Hempfield High School in Landisville, Pennsylvania, have recruited and trained more than 100 youth volunteers to deliver in-person tech support sessions at retirement communities, libraries, and recreation centers. To date, Tech Buddies has served 3,500 seniors.
Additionally, the Lalani sisters built a website and blog that provides resources, tips, and stories from volunteers, creating a library that’s both a learning hub and a source of encouragement for viewers, and has earned 3M online impressions.
Tech Buddies helps seniors with everyday needs, from navigating a variety of apps to understanding online security and how to avoid scams. The Lalani sisters have found that their program helps build confidence, independence, and social connection for seniors, while helping young people develop leadership, empathy, patience, and communication skills.
The Lalani sisters are proud to have helped bridge the digital divide and foster intergenerational connection. “At first, I think they doubted us, and doubted themselves,” Medha Lalani said about how seniors have responded to their help. “But the bonds we create are really extraordinary. Now, we go to these senior living facilities, and their faces light up.”
The Lalani sisters are working with a retirement community partner to expand their program across multiple states and are exploring partnerships with organizations like AARP to scale their offerings and create a structured volunteer platform for students to launch chapters nationwide.
“Through Tech Buddies, we learned that civic responsibility isn’t a one‑time act of service, but a daily habit,” the Lalani sisters wrote in their contest submission.
The Bill of Rights Institute awarded $40,000 in student and teacher prizes through this year’s MyImpact Challenge. In addition to the Lalani sisters, other top prize winners included:
• First Prize, $7,500: Amber Chih, Northwood High School, Irvine, CA
• Second Prize, $5,000: Shaili Chudasama, Portola High School, Irvine, CA
• Third Prize, $2,500: Bella Carson, Reese Carson, Miami Country Day School and Leila Murena, American Heritage Schools, Miami, FL
• Honorable Mention, $1,500: Jayesh Singhal, Eastside Preparatory School, Kirkland, WA
• Honorable Mention, $1,500: Yana Bijoor, Stuyvesant High School, New York, NY
• Honorable Mention, $1,500: Vivian Liu, Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science, Denton, TX
• Honorable Mention, $1,500: Ronit Ginde, North Allegheny Senior High School, Wexford, PA
• Honorable Mention, $1,500: Sophia Donald, Dana Hills High School, Dana Point, CA
• Honorable Mention, $1,500: Emily Hsia, Arnold O. Beckman High School, Irvine, CA
“The Bill of Rights Institute empowers the next generation to learn and live by America’s principles and civic virtues,” President and CEO David Bobb said. “Through MyImpact Challenge, young people are finding creative and meaningful ways to create a brighter future for their neighbors, communities, and our nation.”
The Bill of Rights Institute is a national nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that teaches civics and history through market-leading curricula and educational programs for teachers and students. To learn more about the Bill of Rights Institute, visit www.mybri.org. For more information on MyImpact Challenge, visit www.myimpactchallenge.org.
Ally Silva
Bill of Rights Institute
asilva@mybri.org
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