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Team NeuroSparkInnovate · Learn · Serve

Innovate. Learn. Serve.

Students teaching students about the brain

NeuroSpark exists for one reason: a kid who is curious about the brain should not need money to follow it. We are run by students, everything we offer is free, and we keep the receipts.

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What NeuroSpark is

Team NeuroSpark is a neuroscience education nonprofit run by students, based in Washington State. It is fiscally sponsored by The Hack Foundation, which means it operates under an established 501(c)(3) and can accept charitable contributions and in-kind donations.

Its programs are free so that underserved kids can learn at no cost. That is the whole design: a free community with structured lessons, quizzes, and live classes; a free virtual neuroscience competition for middle schoolers; and competitions for high school students. Where families are able to give, the money goes to the Alzheimer's Association rather than to us.

The organization's mission line is Innovate. Learn. Serve. It was founded by Navneeth Badhri.

Why we started

Every neuroscience competition in the country was built for high schoolers. A middle schooler who got excited about the brain had nowhere to go with it — and the kids most likely to be left out were the ones whose families could not pay for tutoring, courses, or prep.

So we built the thing that was missing: a free community where any kid can learn neuroscience, and a free competition built for the grade level where curiosity actually shows up.

What we have actually done

We are careful about claims here, because the credibility of a student-run organization depends on it. Everything below is a thing that happened, and you can check it:

  • Raised $2,960 for the Alzheimer's Association across four fundraising efforts.
  • Served roughly 100 kids through our courses, community, and competitions.
  • Our founder personally coached a student who finished 10th nationally and credited NeuroSpark's classes.
  • Our founder finished 5th nationally in the USA Brain Bee.
  • Built Junior Neuro Bee, the first neuroscience competition designed for grades 6-8.

See the full impact page

Fiscal sponsorship

Team NeuroSpark is a fiscally sponsored project of The Hack Foundation (d.b.a. Hack Club), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, EIN 81-2908499. Fiscal sponsorship is what allows a student-run organization to accept charitable contributions and in-kind donations without building its own finance department — and it means our money is accountable to a real nonprofit.

The student behind it

NeuroSpark was founded by Navneeth Badhri, who competed at the top of this field himself and would rather open the door than keep it.

Founder

Navneeth Badhri

Junior at Redmond High School. Placed 5th nationally in the USA Brain Bee. Leads the neuroscience curriculum and competitions, making them both engaging and genuinely challenging.

Once his own run was over, he had a choice: walk away, or build the competition he wished had existed at his own grade level. He built it.

He has also personally shared study tips and guidance with students preparing for the national Brain Bee. Two of the students he advised went on to compete at Nationals, and one placed in the top 10.

Navneeth Badhri holding the USA Brain Bee trophy at the national finals, standing next to the competition's organiser.
Navneeth Badhri, founder, at the USA Brain Bee National Finals, where he placed 5th nationally.

Team members

Saket Lingamallu, Content Lead at Team NeuroSpark.

Team member · Content Lead

Saket Lingamallu

Senior at Redmond High School. Placed 2nd in the PNW Brain Bee and is a USA Biology Olympiad (USABO) Semifinalist. Creates curriculum, coordinates events, and plans competitions.

Vishnu Vijeyanandh, Advertising and Events at Team NeuroSpark.

Team member · Advertising and Events

Vishnu Vijeyanandh

Junior at Redmond High School. A national HOSA competitor who also competes internationally in DECA. Focuses on advertising, planning, and communication.

From our January 2026 competition

Brain Challenge, our high school competition. Every photo below links to the full event page, which has the complete set.

  • Two people talking beside a table in a classroom before the competition starts.

    Before the first round

  • Competitors working at tables in a bright classroom.

    Working through the written round

  • Competitors seated at tables across the room, heads down over their papers.

    Heads down across the room

  • Students writing at tables during a round of the competition.

    The writing round in progress

  • A competitor and an organiser talking at a table during the event.

    A competitor and an organiser

  • An organiser standing behind a table dressed in an Alzheimer's Association banner.

    The Alzheimer's Association table

  • Competitors and organisers gathered behind the Alzheimer's Association table.

    Competitors and organisers

  • Competitors and organisers posing together during the event.

    Group photo

  • A large group of participants holding certificates after the awards ceremony.

    Certificates after the awards

  • Four participants holding certificates with an organiser after the awards.

    Award winners

  • Certificate winners standing together with an organiser.

    Award winners

  • Certificate winners and an organiser holding certificates at the event.

    Award winners

See all 36 photos from the day

A note on these photos: the participants in this event were minors, and no photo is labelled with anyone's name. If you would like a photo of your child removed, email support@teamneurospark.com and we will take it down.

Learn with us — it is free

The free Skool community is where our lessons, quizzes, and live classes live. Any 6-12 student can join, and no one pays anything at any point.

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