Jackson Simmons-Furlati

Jackson Simmons-Furlati is a junior at Dos Pueblos High School in Goleta, California, where he founded HealthySaladMeals.org, a student-led hydroponic lunch program that grows lettuce on campus and serves free salads to students each week. Since its launch, Jackson and his team have served more than 7,400 salads, reducing packaging, water use, and food transportation. He is president of the Environmental Club, a graduate of the Goleta City Council LEAD program, and collaborates with RefuseandReuse.org, a youth-led initiative reducing single-use plastic on campuses. Jackson has spoken on student climate action at the UN Ocean Conference, is a Carnegie Young Leaders for Civic Preparedness fellow, and won the 2025 American Foreign Service Association High School Essay Contest. An accomplished classical pianist, he enjoys exploring the music of Rachmaninoff and other Romantic composers. He is interested in how engineering, environmental policy, and food access can help build more equitable communities.