Tejasvi Manoj, 17, Named 2025 TIME Kid Of The Year

India-West News Desk

NEW YORK, NY – At 17, Tejasvi Manoj of Frisco, Texas, has been noticed far beyond her hometown. Named Time Kid of the Year for 2025, she has spent the last year helping senior citizens navigate the digital world safely, after a personal wake-up call in February 2024 when her grandfather fell victim to an online scam.

Then a 16-year-old junior, Manoj dove into research on scams targeting older Americans and quickly realized just how widespread the problem was. Determined to act, she created Shield Seniors, a website and mobile app designed to teach people over 60 how to recognize suspicious messages. Users can even upload emails and texts for analysis and get guidance on reporting fraud.

Manoj’s commitment to service started long before the app. She began volunteering in sixth grade and says helping others has become part of who she is. ‘If you’re lucky yourself, you want to make sure other people feel loved and lucky too,’ she told Time. ‘It just makes me feel really happy, knowing that I can make a difference.’

Time’s editors and writers scoured the country for exceptional young people between the ages of 8 and 17. For the first time, the selection included entries from the Time for Kids Service Stars program, which highlights young leaders making a tangible impact in their communities. Developed with the Allstate Foundation, the program supports youth in amplifying their service work.

Andrea Delbanco, editor-in-chief of Time for Kids, said the award gives young people a platform to inspire others. ‘We’re giving kids a platform, and watching them use it to inspire other young people to follow in their footsteps,’ she said.

The 2025 Kid of the Year issue will hit newsstands September 19 and will also appear in the special Time for Kids Service Stars issue, available in classrooms and online starting September 25.