TAMPA, Fla. — Shreyashi Bodaka came up with the idea to start her own non-profit back in 9th grade, combining two of her favorite things, music and helping others.
“Music, it’s always been a part of my life; I’ve been playing piano for 12 to 13 years now,” said Bodaka, now a junior at Strawberry Crest High School.
Bodaka wanted everyone to experience the same joy she has playing the piano, starting with her younger sister Shloka.
“So my sister, she is special needs, she is on the autism spectrum,” said Bodaka. “She is more on the nonverbal side and she needs more adaptations for her to be able to learn and so we couldn’t find a teacher who could meet these needs.”
So Shreyashi took it upon herself to teach her little sister, but little did she know, it was the start of something amazing.
“I realized that this was kind of a bigger gap in the community, it wasn’t just something my family faced, it wasn’t just something a few people I knew faced, there is just a lack of music teachers that can adapt to students who are neurodivergent,” said Shreyashi.
That’s when Shreyashi decided to start her own non-profit organization, The Healing Harmony.
“Really designed to just get the students into music in a way that works best for all kinds of learning needs,” said Shreyashi. “I actually wrote a book for piano teachers to be able to adapt their lessons.”
Shreyashi has visited dozens of schools, hospitals, and non-profit organizations, like GiGi’s Playhouse, where she has shared her knowledge and experience with more than 1,200 members of the neurodiverse community.
“When somebody like that who is so young and full of inspiration and dedication to a cause, and willing to change the world for people, that’s an amazing thing,” said Amanda Cordero, president of GiGi’s Playhouse. “It helps build confidence, communication skills, it’s an outlet for some of our individuals to be more creative and build that confidence to go out in the world and do whatever they want.”
“People with down syndrome doesn’t mean they are focused on the 'dis,' it’s about focusing on the ability of what we are capable of, reaching our potential,” said Nick Altieri, one of Shreyashi’s students.
She was even recognized as an outstanding volunteer by Tampa Mayor Jane Castor’s Council for People with Disabilities.
She said the best part about the non-profit is seeing the smiles on people’s faces when they’d never been able to learn music before.
“It’s amazing to see how much music can bring us together and how much it can serve as this method of communication and this method of just bonding,” said Shreyashi.
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