Seth Konaga

Teach with Reach
Founder

Seth Konaga is a 16 year old secondary school student passionate about the issues of global cooperation, health and pandemic preparedness. He is the Founder of Teach with Reach, an organization which empowers two-way mentorship between teachers and students with a focus on education for sustainable development without prejudice and bias. 

One of the most important lessons he has learned in life was during his time in Singapore. There was a camping opportunity in which the school went to a campsite in Malaysia. This took me away from my parents for a full week and he had to take care of himself. At a time when he and his group members had to make dinner, he observed that his group members were taking the wrong approach to cooking pasta. As he was shy, he wanted to avoid conflict and communicate that there is a better way, and the end result was a severely overcooked pasta meal for all. After that camp, he learned that sharing knowledge is a part of camaraderie building, and he became more outgoing and confident. This led to him developing a more positive outlook in life.  

In high school in Japan, this positivity continues to shine through both his academics and extracurricular activities. Seth does best in mathematics up to A level, and he is in the top 1% one time. His personal academic interests are in the areas of business, specifically marketing, which he had been learning in Singapore. To continue upskilling in this area despite a lack of relevant curriculum in Japan, he has been taking online self-paced university courses on the fundamentals of marketing. This course has inspired him to take part in a student organization where he supports the curation and management of class activities. In addition, he is a co-captain of the baseball team, where he manages the planning of practice and games. 

When asked about his future, Seth appreciates that learning is a lifelong journey, and that all the knowledge and experience he acquires through education will be put towards creating impact in the areas he loves. The world is constantly changing, and being able to adapt and adjust is a skill he aims to develop on an ongoing basis.