MISS GULF COAST TEEN USA
2021
Hannah Kothari
Being in the hospital disrupts a child's life.
Play is a way to reconnect a child to his or her home life. The more a child plays, the happier they are.
Harrison's Heroes
Comforting Kids. Creating Smiles.
Play is a way to reconnect a child to his or her home life. The more a child plays, the happier they are.
Harrison's Heroes
Comforting Kids. Creating Smiles.
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Passionate Memorial High School student Hannah Kothari is an award-winning author and an accomplished student. Hannah is an intern for five local magazine publications, and has a successful blog of her own. She is the co-founder of a non-profit organization, Harrison’s Heroes, that services over two thousand hospitalized children annually. She also has years of experience with film and photography, with a YouTube channel boasting over 400,000 views.
In December of 2010, seven-year-old Hannah endured unimaginable pain: her younger brother passed away after enduring a two-month long hospital stay. After a few years spent grieving, Hannah and her mother slowly started to return to the last place Harrison resided: Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital. The duo started small, hosting fun parties for the children and packaging and delivering fun goodie bags. When a surprising twist of fate allowed them to create an official non-profit organization, they were eager to seize the opportunity and expand.
With a mission to comfort kids and create smiles, Harrison’s Heroes currently services all extended-stay children’s hospitals in Houston, Texas. These hospitals include Texas Children’s Hospital, Shriners Hospital, M.D. Anderson Pediatrics, and Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital. While Harrison’s Heroes is now run by a board, and is currently a large-scale non profit organization, Hannah is still a prominent figure in the implementation and continuation of the organization’s success. Not only has she designed the organization’s logo, but she also runs numerous Harrison’s Heroes social media accounts, has been a keynote speaker at the annual fundraiser, and has helped raise over half a million dollars for hospitalized children. From numerous Thanksgiving bag deliveries, to the Book Nook, to the Art Therapy Room and Art Carts, to Craft Fest, Hannah’s creativity shines bright as she enjoys helping the kids heal through art and literature. Even though Harrison is no longer with us, his legacy will forever live on through the joy brought to other hospitalized children.
Growing up, Hannah always had a deep love for the arts, specifically for literature. She began to write as soon as she could read, and her vivid imagination would constantly craft stories. After the passing of her younger brother, she turned to writing in order to cope with his loss. She would journal every day, creating beautiful pieces of literature as she grew older. Writing is a beneficial coping mechanism when enduring all types of grief; during her junior year in high school, Hannah realized that many of her peers were coping with stress similarly - through writing. Hannah has always been a kind, compassionate soul, willing to put others first and help struggling peers in times of need. Her blog, Sincerely, Anonymous, does just that. Sincerely, Anonymous is an anonymous, submission-based publication promoting the ability to heal through self-expression. By removing names, a pressure and judgement free environment is created for anyone who wishes to express their emotions in a creative and safe manner. She has helped nearly one thousand people through her blog, receiving a constant flow of vivid, heart-felt pieces. To visit this publication, visit https://www.hannahkothari.com.
Inspired by her blog promoting mental health, Hannah developed a special platform on social media titled “Self-Care Sunday,” where she encourages her viewers to take a moment out of their hectic day to slow down. From weekly challenges to words of encouragement, Hannah
offers her viewers numerous perspectives on gratitude and mindfulness. In this safe, personal environment, Hannah enjoys inspiring others to be the best, happiest version of themselves.
In her free time, Hannah enjoys writing, reading, playing the guitar and ukulele, and spending time with her younger sister. She also aspires to obtain her private pilot license before beginning college. The ambitious teen dreams of becoming a New York Times bestselling author, and cannot wait to see what the future holds.
In December of 2010, seven-year-old Hannah endured unimaginable pain: her younger brother passed away after enduring a two-month long hospital stay. After a few years spent grieving, Hannah and her mother slowly started to return to the last place Harrison resided: Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital. The duo started small, hosting fun parties for the children and packaging and delivering fun goodie bags. When a surprising twist of fate allowed them to create an official non-profit organization, they were eager to seize the opportunity and expand.
With a mission to comfort kids and create smiles, Harrison’s Heroes currently services all extended-stay children’s hospitals in Houston, Texas. These hospitals include Texas Children’s Hospital, Shriners Hospital, M.D. Anderson Pediatrics, and Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital. While Harrison’s Heroes is now run by a board, and is currently a large-scale non profit organization, Hannah is still a prominent figure in the implementation and continuation of the organization’s success. Not only has she designed the organization’s logo, but she also runs numerous Harrison’s Heroes social media accounts, has been a keynote speaker at the annual fundraiser, and has helped raise over half a million dollars for hospitalized children. From numerous Thanksgiving bag deliveries, to the Book Nook, to the Art Therapy Room and Art Carts, to Craft Fest, Hannah’s creativity shines bright as she enjoys helping the kids heal through art and literature. Even though Harrison is no longer with us, his legacy will forever live on through the joy brought to other hospitalized children.
Growing up, Hannah always had a deep love for the arts, specifically for literature. She began to write as soon as she could read, and her vivid imagination would constantly craft stories. After the passing of her younger brother, she turned to writing in order to cope with his loss. She would journal every day, creating beautiful pieces of literature as she grew older. Writing is a beneficial coping mechanism when enduring all types of grief; during her junior year in high school, Hannah realized that many of her peers were coping with stress similarly - through writing. Hannah has always been a kind, compassionate soul, willing to put others first and help struggling peers in times of need. Her blog, Sincerely, Anonymous, does just that. Sincerely, Anonymous is an anonymous, submission-based publication promoting the ability to heal through self-expression. By removing names, a pressure and judgement free environment is created for anyone who wishes to express their emotions in a creative and safe manner. She has helped nearly one thousand people through her blog, receiving a constant flow of vivid, heart-felt pieces. To visit this publication, visit https://www.hannahkothari.com.
Inspired by her blog promoting mental health, Hannah developed a special platform on social media titled “Self-Care Sunday,” where she encourages her viewers to take a moment out of their hectic day to slow down. From weekly challenges to words of encouragement, Hannah
offers her viewers numerous perspectives on gratitude and mindfulness. In this safe, personal environment, Hannah enjoys inspiring others to be the best, happiest version of themselves.
In her free time, Hannah enjoys writing, reading, playing the guitar and ukulele, and spending time with her younger sister. She also aspires to obtain her private pilot license before beginning college. The ambitious teen dreams of becoming a New York Times bestselling author, and cannot wait to see what the future holds.