Empowered to Achieve

FOUNDER, DONAVAN JACKSON
Student President & Social Media Director

About Empowered to Achieve

Too often, young people are described as vulnerable, disadvantaged, or underserved. At Empowered to Achieve, we are determined to flip the narrative, instead we see them for what they truly are: UNDERESTIMATED!

Empowered to Achieve (ETA) is a student-led, community-based nonprofit founded by Donavan Jackson when he was just 16 years old and a junior in high school. The organization was born from a deeply personal realization: too many young people facing adversity don’t see a clear path forward and no one is consistently walking beside them to help them imagine what’s possible.

After losing a close friend to cancer, Donavan began thinking seriously about the his future  and that of his peers. He noticed how many students around him felt stuck, overwhelmed, and uncertain about life after high school.  For many of his peers college wasn’t always the answer, and  neither was being left without guidance, support, or a sense of direction.

Empowered to Achieve was created to change that!

ETA exists to help young people understand that their future matters. No matter which path they choose., whether a student pursues college, vocational training, entrepreneurship, workforce development, or decides to  choose military service, we believe they deserve preparation, mentorship,, encouragement and support to step into adulthood with confidence, purpose, and the ability to give back.

Today, as a senior in high school, Donavan remains deeply committed to this mission and is intentionally building a structure that will outlast him. Through the expansion development of  ETA's Community Student Council and leadership hubs within cities across the Coachella Valley, Empowered to Achieve is creating a sustainable model where students support students, today and for generations to come. Our work is not only about helping students plan for their future, but also about cultivating a culture who understands the value of service, leadership, and community impact.

Funds raised through CV Giving Day directly support student programming, mentorship initiatives, educational resources, and leadership opportunities that keep youth voices at the center of everything we do.

Together, we are empowering the next generation to achieve more because being underestimated should never define a future!!