Yash Semlani was selected as Houston’s inaugural Young Ambassador.

HOUSTON (Diya TV) — Yash Semlani isn’t your run of the mill 10-year-old, he’s Houston’s official and inaugural Young Ambassador. Mayor Sylvester Turner honored him with the title last month.

“The city of Houston commends and congratulates Yash Semlani on his dedication to serving underprivileged and underserved youth,”

said Mayor Turner during a city council meeting. He also presented Semlani with a proclamation declaring the day in the 5th grader’s honor. The program was inspired by Semlani, who said he made the suggestion for the new program to the city and Mayor Turner in a letter.

“I sent him a letter and I told the mayor why I thought it was a good idea, why I thought kids needed to have more of a say,” Semlani said.

The idea behind the program is to inspire the city’s youth to get more involved and to engage with city leaders, who will provide mentorship to the youngsters. Yash is focusing his efforts on three areas, including children’s literacy.

“I am an avid reader and I think that literacy can take you anywhere and everywhere,” he said.

He’s also focusing his efforts on bringing more attention to the food gap and working with the state legislator to try and get uneaten cafeteria food to children who’d otherwise go hungry. “The kids on the campus, where the food is being collected, are not getting that food,” he explained.

Last year Semlani participated in the annual Tiecon in Silicon Valley, here you get a clear sense of why this young man is going to go places: