Jason Zheng believes that, simply put, volunteerism has the power to “give back to others, uplift our communities, and ensure that no one has to rise alone.” Seeing his family members model how selfless acts of service can lead to a community-wide impact, Jason has always found ways to get involved and meet critical community needs through volunteerism. This lifelong commitment to serving others has led him to help children in need, support military families, and assist with hunger relief efforts, among many other pursuits.

Jason also turned to service when, in the face of senseless violence, he felt the need to act. The tragedies at Sandy Hook, Marjory Stoneman Douglas and the discovery of multiple firearms at a nearby high school instilled a deep desire to go beyond sporadic activism to make a real change in the lives of students.

After the COVID‑19 pandemic, teachers reported more disruptive and aggressive student behavior. Hearing this, Jason decided to prevent further conflict by creating a community‑based initiative to address violence by fostering belonging and teaching conflict‑resolution skills. While balancing school and other commitments, he worked with K–12 students to help them manage disagreements constructively. Within a week, teachers and administrators reported better student behavior, particularly a greater willingness to talk through conflicts. The initiative’s success led school board liaisons to adopt his lesson plans across grade levels, improving social interactions school‑wide.

Jason continues this work today, offering community‑centered recommendations that expand conflict‑management resources for K–12 students and building a career that serves communities through community engagement and collaboration. His service has also earned him significant recognition, including being named to the Serve Virginia 2026 Winter Honor Roll for his achievements in volunteerism and civic engagement. When asked what advice he would give to those wanting to serve their community, Jason had this to say, “The next time someone has an opportunity to make their communities a better place, or see something, read something, or hear about something that tells them that they can’t just stand around and do nothing, I hope they will remember, that it only takes one person to be willing to ask, ‘How can I help?’”