Meet the Founders of the Bright Start Initiative

My name is Michael Kang, and I am a cofounder of the Bright Start Initiative. I am currently a junior at Newport High School, where I serve as ASB President. I'm also actively involved in DECA, golf, and wrestling. Outside of school, I enjoy playing basketball, spending time with friends, and trying new places to eat!

Starting Bright Start has been one of the most meaningful experiences of my life. From registering our nonprofit with the Secretary of State, to working with the IRS to establish tax-exempt status, to even building this website, every step of the process has been a learning experience for Marcus and me. More than anything, this experience has made me grateful for the opportunity to give back to a community that has given so much to me.

I'm incredibly grateful for the opportunity to work alongside others to create meaningful, lasting impact for families in our community. We invite you to join us in building something that can truly make a difference.

Hi, this is Marcus Kang. Following the launch of our website, what came next was incredibly encouraging. Dental professionals, educators, and community leaders were generous with their time, guidance, and support. Through their willingness to connect us with others and contribute to the mission, Bright Start quickly grew from an idea into a truly community-driven initiative.

Our fellow students have also played an important role, contributing their language skills to help us expand our reach through educational videos in multiple languages. We are deeply grateful to the teachers, administrators, dentists, and industry partners who have helped us secure the resources needed. Today, we are prepared to support over 5,000 students in our community.

As we continue to grow, we are actively recruiting Bright Start Ambassadors in schools throughout our region — student leaders who want to help expand access to oral-health education and resources.