Rustic Spirit Spotlights: Mayra, Nathan and Savanah
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Rustic Spirit Spotlights: Mayra, Nathan and Savanah

At Rustic Pathways, we’re constantly inspired by the students who are making change in their communities and around the world. Through their actions they help others and protect our planet.

Rustic Spirit Spotlights are a collection of stories that shine a light on these amazing changemakers who have led young and are working hard to make a positive impact.

Impact advice round up: Get involved with your community by participating in advocacy walks or volunteering to help those in need. Have fun with it and try to include others in your efforts. Be proud of what you are doing and what you have accomplished!

Mayra Lopez
Age 18
Santa Fe South Pathways Middle College
Oklahoma, United States

Mayra has a passion for helping others and has shown this through her actions. She worked to donate many items to an organization that helps women in need and mentors students, including dedicating time to help a student get her grades up through short skill workshops.

Mayra has always been fascinated by the idea of designing buildings and structures so she is majoring in architecture. After earning her degree in architecture, she intends to work for a few years and go back to school to get a degree in nursing. Mayra loves going out and experiencing the world, and her favorite thing to do is spend time with her family.

Nathan Minemyer
Age 17
Rocky Mountain High School
Wyoming, United States

Nathan is involved in many school activities, including the Random Acts of Kindness club and student council. He mentors elementary school children, has set up Easter egg hunts, cleaned up highways and shopped for supplies for those in need.

Nathan plans to pursue pre-med in college and aspires to be an ER nurse. He enjoys playing sports, hanging out with family and friends, hunting, fishing and riding dirt bikes.

Savanah Johnson
Age 17
Council High School
Virginia, United States

As president of Key Club, Savanah has organized events for her community including a pet supply drive and collecting personal items for victims after a flooding disaster. She has also organized events and volunteered to raise awareness for kidney cancer and autism.

Savanah plans to major in psychology in college. Above all, she absolutely loves helping animals.

Nominate a Student

Do you know a student doing valuable work that deserves to be recognized? Nominate them here! Are you making an impact? Tell us about your work here.

Make Change

Interested in creating change in your community? Check out our guide and learn how to make an impact as a student.

At Rustic Pathways, our goal is to make positive contributions to the communities we visit through responsible travel operations and community service projects that contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

About the Author

Kayla Anzalone

Kayla joined Rustic Pathways in 2020 as the Director of Special Projects. She has nearly a decade of experience in communications and marketing. At Rustic Pathways, Kayla is dedicated to helping high school students discover their passion for exploring the world through summer travel programs. She drives impactful initiatives to empower students through meaningful travel experiences worldwide. Based in San Jose, California, Kayla loves the outdoors, live music and travel.