NYC Teen Wins National Kindness Award for Free Course Teaching Students to Spot Deepfakes

Stuyvesant High School junior Yana Bijoor receives Riley's Way grant to expand TruthSpot.ai to 10,000 students by 2027

NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, May 7, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Yana Bijoor, a 17-year-old Stuyvesant High School junior, has won the national Call For Kindness competition sponsored by Riley’s Way Foundation, which encourages young leaders to apply for grants that fund initiatives that strengthen their communities and inspire kindness.

Bijoor built a free course on TruthSpot.ai that teaches students how to spot deepfakes and other synthetic media, encouraging them to stay curious, critical, and kind online. After completing the 45-minute course, students earn a microcredential that they can add to college applications, resumes, and LinkedIn to demonstrate digital media literacy. Since Bijoor launched TruthSpot in March 2025, 1,500 students have earned the microcredential, and the Riley’s Way grant will help TruthSpot reach 10,000 students by May 2027.

Call For Kindness (C4K) builds on Riley’s Way Foundation’s commitment to fueling a youth-led kindness movement. C4K provides young changemakers with the funding, leadership training, and an inclusive community they need to turn their ideas into action. To date, Riley’s Way has awarded hundreds of young leaders from across the country with up to $5,000 each to launch or expand their social impact projects.

In addition to funding, Bijoor will join the 2026 Riley’s Way C4K Fellowship, a year-long experience that includes strategic mentorship, professional development, and a peer-learning network designed to help Fellows grow as kind, purpose-driven leaders.

“The Call For Kindness winners reflect critical issues top of mind for young people today,” shared Dr. Christine O’Connell, Executive Director of Riley’s Way. “They have answered the call to make a difference in their communities, adding to a national movement for kindness.”

"Being part of the Call For Kindness Fellowship Class is a tremendous honor. Joining this community is pushing me to think bigger about TruthSpot. Watching peers lead with ambition and kindness has shown me our goal isn't just to teach students to spot deepfakes, but to build a generation that looks out for each other online," said Bijoor, founder of TruthSpot.ai and 2026 Call For Kindness winner.

“The Call For Kindness inspires and draws in exceptionally gifted young leaders who are driven by a deep passion to make the world a better place,” said Ian Sandler, Co-Founder and Board Chair of Riley’s Way. “These remarkable young leaders hold the key to tackling the world’s most pressing issues. Whether they are just beginning to explore their ideas or have advanced plans, we invest in them as whole people—equipping them with the tools, resources, and community they need to lead with kindness and impact.”

About TruthSpot.ai
As AI-generated videos, images, and audio become increasingly difficult to distinguish from authentic content, TruthSpot.ai is addressing this challenge by equipping students with the skills to identify synthetic media and think critically about what they encounter online. Through 16 interactive modules, students earn a microcredential in 45 minutes and join a growing peer network dedicated to sharing these skills with their friends, families, and broader communities. By empowering the next generation to lead on media literacy, TruthSpot is helping build a more informed public and a stronger foundation for democratic discourse.

About Riley’s Way Foundation
Through programs like the Call For Kindness, Riley’s Way works with young people who are strengthening their communities by leading social impact initiatives in areas such as food insecurity, homelessness, education, mental health, and more. Riley’s Way has invested in over 3,500 young leaders across the country, providing more than $4.5 million in funding, mentorship, and leadership development programming.

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Yana Bijoor
TruthSpot, Inc.
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