Stamford Resident Earns Distinguished National Leadership Fellowship

STAMFORD, CT — A Stamford resident has earned a dynamic year-long leadership fellowship from the Riley's Way Foundation for his work on a project aimed at educating people about cybersecurity.

Jake Davidson, 18, who graduated from Westhill High School last year, led an initiative to create Cyberaware, an organization dedicated to educating young students and senior citizens nationwide about the importance of staying safe online and identifying scams when they occur.

Call For Kindness Fellowships are given to young people ages 13 to 23 from across the country by the Riley's Way Foundation.

The fellowship supports emerging leaders running youth-led projects that are rooted in kindness
and strengthening communities.

Read also: 3 Westhill Students Aim To Raise Awareness About Cybersecurity

Winners receive up to a $5,000 grant to grow their idea and join a peer community of fellow changemakers to build their leadership skills in areas like storytelling, networking, team-building, and strategic planning.

This year, 49 projects were identified as beneficiaries of the fellowship.

Mackenzie and Ian Sandler established the Riley’s Way Foundation in 2014 to honor the life of their late 9-year-old daughter Riley Hannah Sandler.

"At a time when young people are facing historic challenges and deep divides threaten the fabric of our communities, Riley’s Way shines as a beacon of hope—a force for connection, compassion, and lasting change," said Ian Sandler in a news release. "The Call for Kindness is more than a Fellowship—it’s a national movement led by passionate young changemakers. By investing in their ideas and amplifying their voices, we’re not just nurturing future leaders—we’re igniting a generational ripple effect of kindness."

Since 2014, the foundation has supported more than 300 Kindness Fellows with more than $4 million in grants and leadership support. Those projects have touched at least 100,000 lives, according to the organization’s website.

"At Riley’s Way, we believe that kindness is not a soft skill, it’s a leadership superpower. The 2025 Call For Kindness Fellows are living proof that when young people lead with empathy, courage, and purpose, they can transform their communities and our world," Ian Sandler added.