What a Wonderful World

Sohan Chunduru ’22 has a long list of passions and accomplishments on the LJCDS campus and beyond. More importantly, his values are clear through his many involvements: Sohan believes in doing his part to change the world by increasing awareness and giving back to his community. Behind his quiet demeanor is a fierce determination to help others and make a difference.

When Sohan witnessed the hate toward the Asian and Pacific Islander community during the pandemic, he wanted to increase cultural awareness, so he wrote children’s books, the first one Ni Hao, China!, followed by Shalom Israel, both published in October 2020. There are a total of five books now, with more on the way. They all feature siblings, Gigi and Geoff, who set off on adventures in their red airplane to discover different countries and cultures.

“I want to build compassion and tolerance by teaching children to appreciate other cultures and diversity so that they’re more understanding of people who are different from them,” shares Sohan. “I use lyrical rhyme schemes to make cultural awareness fun, educational and engaging for children of all ages. Each book highlights the spirit of the country, and the readers are introduced to customs, festivals, food, landmarks, history and the culture that makes each country and their people special.”

Not only is Sohan a published author, but he has also won awards for his books, including multiple Certificates of Excellence in Literature (in the cultural diversity, picture books nonfiction, early readers nonfiction categories), a Young Authors Award and finalist in the Next Generation Indie Book Awards. While reading to audiences in bookstores, Sohan’s favorite reaction is when children express interest in traveling to the countries to learn more about people and their cultures. He has enjoyed writing as young as 5 years old. In kindergarten, he won his first Young Author writing contest.

Sohan’s passion for service was sparked during Experiential Education week in 10th grade when he volunteered with various organizations in San Diego that support homelessness. These encounters opened his mind to the enormity of the situation locally and triggered a desire to do more. Sohan merged his passions for volunteering at soup kitchens and cooking to create a nonprofit that delivers meals to the unhoused population every other week with a couple of friends and his parents.

Sohan joined LJCDS in eighth grade. Since then, he has transformed into a more confident and outgoing person by embracing the opportunities that are presented to him. While he wasn’t initially sure about joining Model UN, his participation on the team helped him develop a sense of presence and public speaking skills so much so that it led him to become president. “I really enjoy going to the conferences, learning about current events and different countries,” he says. “It is compelling to see how solutions affect problems in different countries.”

Sohan credits the close-knit and caring LJCDS community. “[I had] the best teachers I could ask for who are caring, supportive and encouraging,” he says. “Because of that, I was able to more easily step out of my comfort zone, and I have grown as a person. That motivates me to help others grow. My goal is to make the world a more collaborative place where I can help bridge the divide between people and their opposing viewpoints.”