Vandegrift student recognized by the governor for her volunteer work

LEANDER, Texas - A Leander ISD student is being recognized by Governor Greg Abbott for her many years of volunteer work.

The backstory:

Vandegrift High School junior Shreya Poladia decided to turn her passion for art into an opportunity to raise funds that will support people with special needs.

"Each painting takes around two to three hours. So, I make around 80 to 90 paintings for each art show," says Poladia.

The Poladia siblings share a special bond through art. While many siblings tend to have a bickering type of relationship, the Poladia's enjoy painting together.

At a young age, Shreya knew she wanted to make a difference and make a social impact. She started an art for a cause non-profit called Shreya’s Atelier Art for a Cause where she raises funds to donate back to organizations that support people with special needs

"My brother has down syndrome and autism. He's had this since he was like a little kid," says Poladia.

"It's inspired by my brother, Raj. I started it back in 2020 because he was having some medical issues along with the pandemic. He was struggling with that a little bit. And as a way to help deal with the stress, I started painting and doing art," says Poladia.

Shreya hosts art shows in the spring inviting people to buy her artwork. In the past year she was able to raise over $5,000 towards the Down Syndrome Association of Central Texas.

"I think it opened a dialog more for like there's like a lot of ignorance about disability and so I think it really helped people understand what Down Syndrome is or what is Autism. And I think she tried her best way to talk to people about it," says Deepali Poladia, Shreya's mother.

For Shreya, autism awareness isn't just something she focuses on for one month. It's year round.

"The fight for autism goes far beyond legislation. It calls for social acceptance, compassion, and proactive responsibility in removing variables to create spaces where people feel safe and comfortable to talk, in general," says Poladia.

Her work hasn't gone unnoticed. Shreya was recognized as a recipient of the 41st Annual Governor’s Volunteer Awards. The awards celebrate the service and dedication of exceptional individuals, groups and organizations that have significantly impacted Texas communities through volunteering over the past year.

"I'm really happy and I'm really proud of myself for getting the award. And I'd love to continue raising awareness for people with disabilities," says Poladia.

What you can do:

To learn more about Shreya's non-profit you can click here.