Miah was introduced to her mother in the 4th grade who also played volleyball when she was young and encouraged her to try it. She is so grateful that she did that, because it opened the door for so many incredible experiences and lifelong friendships. When Miah was 14 and in her first season of club volleyball, the daughter of her very first recreation coach happened to be in the same team, which offered a special experience to re -connection and see each other improve. On the way to her fourth year as Libero for champion Volleyball Club, Miah has found a mission that brings her as much joy as volleyball, who supports the education and nutrition of poor children in India through her non -profit.
Miah developed a strong interest in medicine during her freshmen and second -year years of high school after experiencing a personal battle with her intestinal health. After countless serious flare-ups, doctors’ visits and adjustments to her diet, she continued to struggle with her mental nad-physical health, which directly influenced her ability to maintain energy and endurance for her academic workload.
“As I learned more about the different parts of the body and the brain by investigating how I could best help myself to cure and manage my symptoms, I became increasingly interested in medicine. I applied for the Wake Forest Summer Immersion program in February 2025 and was accepted,” “ said Miah.
The program offered a great experience for Miah, who immersed her in what the career paths within sports medicine look like, as they learned directly from the doctors, surgeons, residents and caregivers.
“One thing that struck me was their shared wish to help us learn more about what they are doing in their individual professions, and what steps they should take as a high school student who is interested in the pursuit of medicines. They really helped me to understand how and why certain injuries are taking place, which I am very interested with a volleyball player. Miah added.
The summer immersion program also opened Miah’s eyes for the power of medicine as a vehicle to help others in need. An orthopedic foot and ankle surgeon gave a presentation about a DEAC program, a program led by students where residents offer basic foot care to homeless people in the vicinity of Wake Forest Hospital. Moreover, they offer a brand new few sneakers of good quality for the disadvantaged citizens. Through images and telling stories, the surgeon described the bad state in which patients arrive, and how they are so grateful and unused to be cared for in this way, especially free.
“This really touched my heart. This inspired a light in me to share this kind of love with others. I realized that what career path I ultimately do, I certainly want to have this kind of impact on the world and find a way to improve life of those who are not blessed with all the gifts and opportunities I have received,” “ expressed miah.
The summer immersion program helped Miah get interest in the business and non -profit sector. In December 2023, Miah had the opportunity to go to India on a mission trip with her grandparents, David and Chaya Sumanth. After their youngest son died many years ago in a car accident, they felt a calling from the Lord to start a ministry in India, to help support poor children because their son’s wish was to support people with much less than he. After this they decided to create them Paul J. Somnath Mienistries. Since then they have built churches and schools that help to offer food and education to disadvantaged children in India. During her journey, Miah was able to visit the schools and churches that her grandparents built to support children and families in the slums of India. She also saw the hunger and poverty that so many children have affected who had never known the luxury and opportunities she had received growing up in the United States. It was after this experience that she knew she had to do something to make a difference and change their lives.
“This inspired me to start a club in my high school, where I could somehow withdraw their ministry and raise money to offer food for these children. My grandmother was the one who suggested the idea of making and selling bracelets to help these children, and that is what I worked on the entire summer, with the help of my family and good friends,” “ Miah remembered.
From that fall, Beads of Hope Club was launched and many of the classmates and teammates from Miah Sprongen inside to support the mission. She Shared beads of hope, with Champion Volleyball Club, and started selling bracelets at tournaments. ONE of the Mothers team organized a dinner after a tournament and let each person make a donation to beads of hope, along with a handwritten letter.
“This was a turning point in the season, because we all got closer together and started playing even better the better our chemistry continued to grow on and next to the field. These girls have been some of my favorite and most memorable friendships, and I would like to look back on that special season for as long as I can,” “ expressed miah.
The story of Beads of Hoop gained media attention, which could be seen by local news reporter Natalie Wilson of FOX8 and later picked up by national points of sale such as Yahoo News, who helped Miah to influence even more lives.
“Starting and leading this club has played a major role in my life, to my character and the way I see others form. It is hard to understand what life is for people outside the small bubbles in which we live, until we actually have the opportunity to see their suffering up close. The source of my joy, my peace and my strength in every aspect of my life.”
Miah Sumanth received the JVA Athleader Award from 2025 after he was nominated by Volleyball club champion (Winston-Salem, NC), member of the Junior Volleyball Association, a non-profit organization with more than 1,600 junior volleyball clubs that focus on improving the junior volleyball experience for players, coaches, clubs and fans.
Follow beads of hope on instagram @beadsofhopeclub
Click here for more information about the JVA Athleader Award. Click here for related lecture for junior volleyball patients.
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