About Teens with Heartsongs

About Teens with Heartsongs

A student-led movement built around compassion, service, and hospital family support.

A student-led movement built around compassion, service, and hospital family support.

Teens with Heartsongs gives high school students a meaningful way to lead fundraising efforts that support children and families at Children’s National Hospital through the Heartsongs Fund.

Student volunteers preparing community support items

Heartsongs Fund history

Heartsongs Fund history

The Heartsongs Fund was created in honor of Mattie J.T. Stepanek, a child poet, peacemaker, and longtime patient at Children’s National Hospital before he lost his battle with a rare form of muscular dystrophy in June 2004. To honor Mattie and the enormous efforts put forth by the family of doctors and nurses at Children’s, not just on Mattie’s behalf, but on behalf of the millions of children treated at the Hospital every year, The Heartsongs Fund was created to support the hospital’s housing initiative for patients and families. Teens with Heartsongs carries this legacy forward through student-led service and fundraising.

Testimonials

Testimonials

“Heartsongs is the best organization I have worked with in terms of character building and skill development for high schoolers. The skills I developed in communication, leadership, collaboration, and project vision are skills that I will forever carry with me. It is my true belief that Heartsongs has had the most consequential impact on my high school career, and the admissions officers at [The University of] Michigan agreed when they called me to express the importance they saw in the commitment to public service that Heartsongs brings. I will be forever grateful for all that I have learned working with you. They explained that it was Heartsongs that drew them to my application. Heartsongs has the possibility to do for every student what it did for me - instill a commitment to public service.” 

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Zain Ahmed, TWH Student Director 2021​​

“Heartsongs is the best organization I have worked with in terms of character building and skill development for high schoolers. The skills I developed in communication, leadership, collaboration, and project vision are skills that I will forever carry with me. It is my true belief that Heartsongs has had the most consequential impact on my high school career, and the admissions officers at [The University of] Michigan agreed when they called me to express the importance they saw in the commitment to public service that Heartsongs brings. I will be forever grateful for all that I have learned working with you. They explained that it was Heartsongs that drew them to my application. Heartsongs has the possibility to do for every student what it did for me - instill a commitment to public service.” 

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Zain Ahmed, TWH Student Director 2021​​

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Meet the team

Meet the team

Lisa Friedlander

Lisa Friedlander

Founder of The Heartsongs Fund

Co-Director

Teens With Heartsongs

Ilana Kashdin

Ilana Kashdin

Co-Director

Teens With Heartsongs

Mae Lazerow

Mae Lazerow

2026 Director of the Board of Teens

2026 TWH Board of Teens

2026 TWH Board of Teens

Sophia Snyder

Bullis School│

Assistant Director of the Board

Mason Wechsler

Georgetown Day School│Director of Social Media

Lulu Wachs

Georgetown Day School│Director of Social Media

Layla Winston

Bullis School│ Director of Fundraising

Anastasia duPlessis

National Cathedral School│Director of Fundraising

Ariana

Zemichal

Paint Branch High School│Director of Fundraising

Devon Pratt

Walt Whitman High School│Parent Support Manager

Avalon Jarvi

Stone Ridge School│Parent Support Manager

Rachel Pitlick

Walter Johnson High School│

Parent Support Manager

Cooper London

Bullis School│

Parent Support Manager

Becca Dodek

Walter Johnson High School│

Parent Support Manager

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