In 2023, Aariz Mawji, an 8th-grade student at Nellie Carlson Junior High, founded the Ben Stelter School Fundraiser; that was the start of it all.
Now, three years later, the BSSF is undergoing a major shift, marking its growth from a one-student initiative to something much larger, going further than it ever has before.
Anandita Shah, Director of Operations, is soon to join Founder and Director Aariz Mawji to share the title of Director.
Shah joined the BSSF early in its development as one of the first members of the internal team. Her commitment and direct involvement eventually led to her official title as Director of Operations.
However, the Ben Stelter School Fundraiser is not the same organization it was in 2023. While it still follows the same goals and passion, it has expanded immensely. Roughly 42 new team members joined the BSSF during spring 2026, and with even more members joining in summer, the internal team was brought from 1 person to 54 people.
With the growth of the BSSF, Shah’s responsibilities have evolved as well, becoming one of the central members of the initiative and playing a major role in the organization, day to day tasks, and management of the internal team.
Shah remarks that dividing responsibilities with Aariz over time has brought a blossoming of perspectives, experimentation, and innovation.
“Having two different perspectives working behind the scenes on strategy and direction, continuously pushing the team to new heights of achievement, is something that allows us to scale and grow stronger.”
Shah moreover adds: “When we consider everyone’s ideas and share the responsibility equally, we become a stronger, more united organization!”
The Co-Direction leadership model is the next logical step, given Shah’s central role and the expansion of the organization. However, it also serves as a benefit that major responsibilities and decisions lie on multiple shoulders rather than one, allowing a broader perspective and potential as the organization broadens itself.
Mawji says that nothing great is done alone, emphasizing that only through collaboration was he able to push the BSSF to the extent it is at today.
“I raised $8,000 alone, and $43,000 the next year with her on my team, and hopefully $1M now with 50 team members. Ana and I have worked on this for years, and she deserves this more than anybody.”
Apart from Mawji and Shah, other major members of the BSSF concur that shared leadership is a crucial and necessary next step for the fundraiser.
Zach Chia, Director of Finance at the BSSF, and Alex Sokolovski, Director of Marketing, agreed that the new system prioritizes efficiency and effectiveness.
“It removes a large bottleneck that is created when everything has to be run through one person,” says Chia.
The BSSF will shortly enter its fall fundraising season, and this vital new chapter will allow the fundraiser to amplify its impact more than ever through cooperation and partnership.
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