FRISCO, Texas — Only 16 years old, Saanvi Mylavarapu, of Frisco, doesn’t exactly know what she wants to be as an adult, but she does know where she wants to be.
“I always want to keep exploring, and enjoying, and learning from nature for my entire life,” she said.
Mylavarapu’s obsession with the outdoors began 10 years ago when her mom took the family on a trip to Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky.
Mylavarapu and her mom loved it so much, nearly every family vacation since then has been to a national park.
“Her passion has really grown into me, and I really think it’s keeping me going,” said Mylavarapu.
Mylavarapu has visited Zion and the Arches in Utah, Mount Rainier in Washington State. At age 10, she completed one of the most dangerous hikes in the country, Half Dome at Yosemite.
“That feeling was probably one of the best feelings in my entire life,” she said. “I don’t think I could get that feeling in any other kind of way other than hiking.”
In all, Mylavarapu has visited more than 25 national parks and has collected junior ranger badges at nearly every one.
She spends a lot of time at local parks too, including Ray Roberts Lake State Park. She spends so much time there, she’s on a first name basis with park rangers.
“I’ll text them and say, ‘Hey, I’m coming over today,'” said Mylavarapu.
Last year, however, she took her love of nature to new heights by reaching Mount Everest’s base camp.
Eventually, she wants to climb the highest peak on every continent.
It’s been quite the adventure, but Mylavarapu said all this exploring has had a profound effect.
“I’m so much more aware of the actions that I have upon the Earth, because I’m so much more closer to nature,” she said.
More than any personal achievement, Mylavarapu wants others to treasure the wonderful planet we call home and do everything possible to protect it.
That’s why she started a club at her high school called Young Roots, encouraging her community to care for the environment.
More importantly, she wants them to get out wherever possible and as much as possible and realize the gift that awaits.
“The way they look at life and the way they look at nature and the way they look at their actions on the planet can change so much if they just spend some time outdoors,” Mylavarapu said.
That’s because once you experience the beauty of the world around you, caring for it is only natural.