Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Darshan Sivalogan. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Darshan, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about serving the underserved.

Pathway Packs serves elementary students across Texas who often begin the school year without the basic resources they need to succeed. Many come from low-income families, where purchasing a backpack can mean sacrificing other essentials. Without these tools, students can feel unprepared and left behind from the very first day, affecting both their confidence and participation in class.

Some of the most meaningful moments come in quiet, ordinary gestures. At a Dallas elementary school, I handed a backpack to a young boy who gripped it tightly and pressed it against his chest, holding it with the kind of care usually reserved for something treasured. Moments like that remind me that Pathway Packs is about more than supplies; it’s about creating moments of confidence and belonging for students who deserve the same opportunities as anyone else.

That experience showed me that readiness for the classroom is only the beginning. Students also need opportunities that continue to spark curiosity throughout their education. This led me to co-found Impact Engineering, a club that inspires early interest in STEM for younger students, especially where enrichment programs are limited. I led the design of Spark Kits, hands-on challenges that introduce problem solving and innovation, and delivered them to classrooms with few STEM resources, giving students the chance to build, experiment, and see themselves as future innovators.

Whether it is equipping a student with the tools they need for the first day of school or creating opportunities that spark their curiosity, my goal has always been the same: to remove barriers and open possibilities so every student knows their circumstances do not define their future.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m Darshan Sivalogan, a senior at Allen High School and the co-founder of Pathway Packs, a nonprofit dedicated to providing backpacks filled with school supplies to underserved elementary students across Texas. I started this organization with a simple belief: no child should walk into their first day of school feeling unprepared.

That belief comes from what I’ve seen in my own community. Students were showing up without the same tools as their peers, not because they lacked potential but because they lacked resources. I wanted to change that. Our mission is more than just distributing backpacks; it is about creating a sense of belonging and giving every student the confidence to fully participate in their education from day one.

What sets Pathway Packs apart is how deeply rooted it is in community connection. We have built our reach through partnerships with schools, local businesses, and volunteers of all ages, holding donation drives, securing grants, and rallying people around a common purpose. We have delivered more than 1,000 backpacks to students in over 10 school districts across Texas, from Dallas to Houston, and provided teachers with supplies to better serve their classrooms.

But the impact is not just in the numbers. Some of my proudest moments are seeing Pathway Packs spark new ideas and initiatives that continue to grow beyond our work. My goal has always been to make this more than a one-time gesture. I want Pathway Packs to be a model for what is possible when people work together to close opportunity gaps in their own communities. To those learning about us now, know that we are here to equip students for more than just a school year. We are here to equip them for the future.

How do you keep your team’s morale high?

My best advice for managing a team and keeping morale high is to make every person feel that their role matters. I take the time to understand what motivates each member, recognize their contributions in meaningful ways, and connect their work to the bigger picture. When people can see the real impact of what they do, they show up with greater energy, creativity, and commitment.

I make it a priority to give people the space and trust to lead. Instead of directing every detail, I encourage team members to take ownership of projects or ideas they are passionate about. That trust not only builds confidence but also sparks new ideas and solutions. When people feel empowered to shape the work, they develop a deeper investment in its success.

Even when the work is demanding, I make space for moments that bring people together. We share progress, celebrate achievements, and reflect on the difference we are making. When a team feels connected to each other and to the mission, their morale stays strong and their commitment continues to grow.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

When I began Pathway Packs, we had no budget, only an idea and the determination to make it happen. I created a simple website and a GoFundMe page that clearly showed how each donation would provide backpacks and supplies for students. I shared it with friends, family, and local community groups, and the response grew quickly. I also spoke with people in person, including teachers, and small business owners, explaining our mission and why it mattered in the hope they would join in.

We set up donation boxes in our high school and local elementary schools at the end of the year, a time when families often had leftover supplies. Over the weeks, those boxes filled with pencils, notebooks, crayons, and backpacks, each item cutting down our costs and allowing us to stretch our budget further. At the same time, I applied for grants and reached out to companies for sponsorships, often customizing proposals to show exactly how their support would make an impact.

That initial momentum not only gave us the resources to start but also built a base of supporters who still fuel our growth today. It proved that when a community comes together, even a small idea can turn into something that makes a lasting difference.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://pathwaypacks.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pathway_packs
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darshan-sivalogan-7b973931b