YJA Convention 2000 07 LA Fourth

SR No.: 527607
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Young Jains of America (YJA)
Publisher: Young Jains of America YJA USA
Publication Year: 2000
Total Pages: 88
Language: English
Classification: Magazine, USA_Convention YJA, & USA
File Size: 9 MB

Page 80

NEEL J. SHETTI is a senior at Columbia University studying Biomedical Engineering with a
minor in Computer Science. He serves as president of the Asian American Society of Engineers, as a student government representative, and works as a volunteer health educator. He is also a YJA local representative in his home state of New Jersey and member of the on-campus Jain club. "Neel enjoys being involved, loves a challenge, and likes to 'get around"."
OCEAN ROBBINS: "My dream is to see people of all backgrounds, races, religions and nations joining together for something we all have in common: planet Earth. I want to see each individual doing his or her own part to make the world a better place. I want to see the human race cherishing diversity, and working as a team to create the healthy future we deserve."
Ocean was born in 1973. At age seven he organized a peace rally in his elementary school. He ran his first marathon at the age of 10. His entrepreneurial talents began to emerge at the same time, when he was the baker, salesman and accountant for "Ocean's Natural Bakery". When his door-to-door sales of natural baked goods began reaching hundreds of customers around the neighborhood, Ocean's work and life became the feature story on the front page of the Santa Cruz Sentinel. The headline read, "Boy Isn't Very Rich But He's Got Dough." At ages 14 and 15, Ocean facilitated the environmental portion of two international youth summits in Moscow and another in Washington, DC. He met with Mrs. Gorbachev and numerous ambassadors and US Senators to discuss environmental concerns. His articles began to be published in major national magazines. At 15, Ocean was co-founder of the Creating Our Future environmental speaking tour on which he and three other participants spoke in person to more than 30,000 students, presented before 2,000 at the United Nations, and opened for the Jerry Garcia band in San Francisco.
At 16, Ocean was founder of Youth for Environmental Sanity (YES!), which he directed for five years. YES! has reached more than 585,000 students in 1,200 schools and 38 states through full school assemblies. YES! has also organized and facilitated 54 week-long summer camps in six countries, published seven youth action guides, and led 150 day-long youth training workshops. Ocean has spent seven years as the primary fundraiser and administrator for this non-profit organization, which (without endowment) presently has an annual budget of over $250,000. He has personally facilitated summer camps and workshops in Singapore, Costa Rica, Russia, Finland, Canada, and across the USA. Ocean is co-author of Choices For Our Future: A Generation Rising For Life On Earth (1994), which has sold more than 15,000 copies.
Ocean has been interviewed on more than 70 local and national radio and TV programs and in another 50 newspapers and magazines including the Washington Post, USA Today, and the New York Times. He has served on the Board of Directors for Friends Of the Earth and EarthSave International. Ocean's on-going efforts on behalf of a better world have been honored by many organizations, including the Giraffe Project (for people who stick their necks out for what they believe), the National Alliance for Animals (The Compassionate Youth Award), E Magazine (The Kid Heroes Hall of Fame), and EarthSave (Volunteer of the Year Award). He is an honored member of the US Registry of Who's Who Among Outstanding Americans.
Ocean lives happily in the mountains of Santa Cruz, California, with his parents, Deo and John Robbins (author of the international bestseller Diet for a New America and founder of
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