How This Teen Is Scaling Compassion Through Innovation

Meet Daily Point of Light Award honoree Karissa Tang. Read her story, and nominate an outstanding volunteer or family as a Daily Point of Light.

Karissa Tang, a 2026 Coca-Cola scholar, has turned her creative sparks into wildfire-like impact, most notably through Booted!, a board game she co-created with her brother, Skyden. What began as a tool to teach kids strategic thinking blossomed into a nationwide movement. Through their “one game bought, one game donated” initiative, Karissa has donated over $15,000 worth of games to children in 120 schools and 70 nonprofits. Today, her trademarked game has reached every single one of the 50 states, giving over 10,000 kids a seat at the table of educational play – an achievement that earned her recognition from California Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber.

Karissa also serves as a vital voice for the next generation. Appointed as a Youth Task Force commissioner for Santa Clara County, she is one of only 16 individuals representing the interests of 400,000 young people to the board of supervisors. Her research paper on AI’s impact on teen employment – which predicted a 27% decline in teen jobs over the next five years – captured the attention of major outlets like CNN, NPR and Forbes.

For years, Karissa has also dedicated five to 10 hours each week as a church youth group leader and worship leader, authoring over 150 newsletters and leading music sets. Her reach is as diverse as her talents, extending from the classroom as a National Honor Society president to the basketball court as a coach. Even her hobbies are tools for connection; as a magician and Guinness World Record holder, she has performed for over 1,000 people, including Afghan refugees and senior citizens, using sleight of hand to bring a sense of wonder to those who need it most.

Karissa’s story is a tapestry of high-level achievement and grassroots empathy. Between building eight mobile apps with 15,000 users and winning 25 international awards as a music composer, she still remains humbly focused on her core purpose: to love and impact others. Read on to hear more of her inspiring story.

Tell us about your volunteer roles.

I’m the co-founder and creator of Booted!, an educational strategy board game for ages 4+. I also started the Booted! Educational Initiative, which leverages the funds from Booted!’s Amazon sales to donate Booted! to schools and nonprofits. When I first started Booted!, my day-to-day involved game-testing, designing, creating the promo video, running the Kickstarter campaign, reaching out to people to donate to our Kickstarter campaign and launching Booted! on Amazon.

Now that Booted! is up and running, I’m working on marketing: fine-tuning the Google search and Amazon keyword strategy, collaborating with popular board game reviewers, landing store retail distributors and hosting Booted! tournaments. I also focus on the initiative side of Booted! by reaching out to schools (mainly elementary schools) in all areas as well as nonprofits serving low-income communities in need of academic resources. I’ve reached out to over 1,000 institutions in total the past two years. I would then donate and ship copies, either individual boxes or in bulk, as needed for the organization.

Beyond Booted!, I also volunteer as a church youth group leader, worship leader, National Honor Society president, Youth Entrepreneurship Association executive board member, Santa Clara County Youth Task Force commissioner and nonprofit magician. Looking forward, I’m eager to further dive into my passions in entrepreneurship and leadership to drive meaningful impact.

Why are these issues so important to you?

Accessible and engaging education is important to me because students are the next generation of the world. There are so many students who come into school uninspired and unengaged, or who don’t even have access to a school system at all. I often wonder: what if we truly tapped into every single kid’s natural curiosity and creativity? Through accessible and engaging education, fueled by passionate teachers and interactive learning, students come alive. Meaningful education taps into and empowers the next generation of leaders, scientists and changemakers.

What inspired you to get started with these initiatives?

I’ve always loved to create. When I was in elementary school, I loved building Lego structures, creating origami magic balls and making up games during recess. I rekindled that love for creation after my brother and I got COVID, where we quarantined at home. During this time of boredom, we (as one would expect!) played many board games, and then decided to create our own. After weeks of game-testing with friends and our younger cousins, we prototyped Booted!. Throughout the experience, I saw younger kids improve in their game play and abstract thinking skills. Witnessing this firsthand, learning about the lack of critical-thinking education in elementary schools, and wanting to expand Booted!’s reach inspired me to launch the Booted! Educational Initiative.

What are your long-term plans or goals with volunteering?

My long-term goal is to continue integrating Booted! into schools and nonprofit initiatives across the country. I’d also love to grow the Booted! Educational Initiative into a broader ecosystem with workshops, tournaments and a ranking system. Lastly, through the Booted! Educational Initiative platform, I’d also love to share more of my entrepreneurial background and story with younger students. Ultimately, my goal is to build the next generation of students who both think critically and dream with entrepreneurial vision.

What’s been the most rewarding part of your work?

The most rewarding parts of my work are the emails I receive from teachers, school principals and community leaders on a random Tuesday at 2:00 p.m. They’ll share feedback on the game and photos of their students playing Booted! in class or after school. I know how difficult it is to feel engaged with coursework and enjoy learning, so it’s a joy to see kids laughing together and building friendship while strengthening their critical-thinking muscles.

What have you learned through your experiences volunteering?

I’ve learned that everybody has the incredible power to impact others. For me, volunteering and starting initiatives were daunting at first. I never expected Booted! to grow the way that it has, and I’m grateful that both Booted! and my other volunteering work have scaled the way they have. Throughout this entrepreneurial journey, I’ve learned to better balance dreaming big while taking it day-by-day. Small and consistent effort when volunteering compounds real change, so don’t feel intimidated when you first start out! You have the power to make an impact.

Why is it important for others to get involved with causes they care about?

I believe we all have a part of us – whether big or small – that cares for other people. Getting involved in causes and volunteering is one of the most powerful ways to express that care. When we begin to care for others intentionally, we begin to grow both ourselves and others.

First, volunteering helps us grow ourselves. From personal experience, when engaging with causes I feel passionate about, I feel like I’m actively involved in the world, not just passively letting the world’s problems slide. That sense of agency is incredibly empowering. Second and more importantly, getting involved transforms others. When showing up for others whether through mentorship or service, you affirm their worth and create spaces where people’s needs are met.

Any advice for people who want to start volunteering?

My biggest piece of advice is to know your “why?” What motivates you to help others? For me, when I volunteer, my mission is to utilize my skills and time to help others. That desire stems from my faith, which calls me to love others intentionally and wholeheartedly. By understanding your why, a simple task becomes a grounded calling, your reason behind volunteering.

Do you want to make a difference in your community like Karissa? Find local volunteer opportunities.