What happens when a 14-year-old notices that students around him are overwhelmed… and decides to build a solution instead of just talking about it?

In this episode of GenNext, Ms. Cam sits down with Grade 8 student, chess player, cadet, hackathon participant, and young builder Tanish Dave, creator of Mindful Mirror, an AI-powered app designed to help students manage stress, organize their thoughts, reflect through journaling, and feel more supported.

Tanish shares:

• How video games sparked his curiosity for building
• What it’s really like to participate in hackathons as a teen
• Why he believes students today feel unheard and overwhelmed
• How he taught himself to build apps using AI tools
• The power of mentors, networking, and just starting before you feel ready
• Why young people no longer need to “wait until they’re older” to create something meaningful

This conversation is packed with insight, energy, and a reminder that some of the best ideas start with simply noticing a problem and taking the first step.

🚀 Try This Challenge:

Tanish’s challenge for listeners this week:

Grab a notebook, sticky notes, or your phone and start brainstorming ideas (even silly ones).

Write down:

• problems you notice
• things that frustrate people
• tools you wish existed
• ideas you think would make life better

Then narrow your list down to your top 5 ideas.

Links

Tanish LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tanish-dave-4176503b6/

BEP Website: https://www.bepwr.ca/

Youth Creativity Fund: https://youthcreativityfund.ca/

Instagram: _mindful_mirror

Camelia website: https://camelianunez.com/

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@GenNextPodcast

Instagram: @thegennextpodcast 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/gennext-podcast