Chase Hartman

Changemaker Extraordinaire

You’re never too young to make meaningful change.

Ever since he was little, Chase Hartman has been passionate about coming up with visions for businesses then turning them into reality. He has blogged about shelter animals, sold Rainbow Loom bracelets in his neighborhood, and even created his own Depop storefront. But the project that really established Chase as a bonified “kidpreneur” and community changemaker was read.repeat., an award-winning book distribution project he began at 10 years old to help address literacy challenges in his community. During his first book delivery, one student told Chase that she had never owned a book before and would “love it, hold it, and read it forever.” “I instantly wished I could give every student in America a hug and a book,” Chase says. Since then, read.repeat.—now an initiative of Chase’s nonprofit, Eco Brothers—has collected and distributed more than 220,000 books and raised more than $120,000, impacting the lives of 65,000+ students in Hillsborough County, Florida.

The ability to make a profound difference in the lives of others is something Chase channels into all his initiatives. A top scholar, he is active in multiple honor societies that engage in various service activities. He is team captain of his high school’s swim team, and he says holding the position is one of the most fulfilling aspects of his impressive swimming career. Many student swimmers have little to no previous experience, and Chase works to connect with and support each of them. “I have been able to directly impact over 30 of my peers’ athletic journeys by creating a positive and motivating environment that focuses on goal-setting and hard work. Through persistence, I have built a team of skillful athletes who have accomplished many of their goals. Our men’s team even won eight out of nine meets last year!”

Chase gains so much fulfillment from his various changemaking efforts that he is dedicated to helping others become changemakers, too. Chase regularly speaks on podcasts, live webinars, and at national conventions, reaching thousands of youth. He runs a weekly leadership lesson during his Student Government class. He connects with other young changemakers on social media and enjoys collaborating on projects. Any time Chase has an opportunity to share his story, he reminds young people how capable they are and encourages his peers to step outside their comfort zones to give change a try. His hope is always that “a shy kid with big dreams” will be listening and will find the inspiration to go out and make a big difference of their own.