Standout Spartan: Fara Alasi '27

When Fara Alasi ’27 applied to serve on the 2025 Teen Summit RVA Leadership Committee, she did so because she wanted to support youth leadership and advocacy. A member of Steward’s Leadership Program, Fara was eager to grow as a leader and learn from others’ perspectives. 

The annual summit is a gathering designed by teens and is held at the Richmond Convention Center. Nearly 600 high school students from the Richmond area attended the 2025 summit, which Fara helped plan by distributing flyers and collaborating with other teens to build the event schedule and book speakers. 

“We focused on leadership, mental health, culture, and equity,” said Fara, who was included in a Teen Summit video. “The goal of the event was to help students connect and use their voices to create change.” Invited speakers met with students to discuss a diverse range of topics, including mental health, the effect of social media on teens, the economy, agriculture, and the arts.

Following the summit, Fara was invited to visit the Richmond Times-Dispatch headquarters, where she was interviewed. 

“I talked about my role at the summit and why student leadership matters,” said Fara proudly. 

Fara, who is a member of Steward’s lacrosse team, Model UN team, and Black Student Alliance, looks forward to continuing her work with Teen Summit Leadership RVA as a member of its board.

“Student voices are powerful when we work together,” she said.