Making a Difference One Conversation at a Time

When Davidson Day junior Adam Rezai founded Longevity LKN, he began with an ambitious goal.

“At first, I wanted to ‘fix health care,’” he said.

It was a big vision–one that reflected both his curiosity and compassion for others. But Adam soon realized that meaningful change rarely begins with solving an entire system at once. Instead, it often starts with focusing on one need and serving the people directly in front of you.

So, Adam refined his mission to address one of the most pressing and preventable health issues in the United States: hypertension. From that focus, Longevity LKN was born–a student-founded, student-run 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to improving heart health in the Lake Norman community through something simple but powerful: free blood pressure screenings.

On any given weekend in downtown Davidson, Adam and a team of fellow Davidson Day students, including co-presidents Alexander Ajjan and Piper Pritchard, can be found gathered around a small table on Main Street. Together, they talk with community members about cardiovascular health and offer free blood pressure checks.

Their goal is simple: help people know their numbers and understand what steps to take if those numbers are concerning.

“If someone knows their numbers, they can take the first step before it turns into an emergency,” Adam shared.

Hypertension, often called the “silent killer,” affects nearly half of American adults and significantly increases the risk of heart disease, the leading cause of death worldwide. Yet, many people don’t realize their blood pressure is dangerously high until a serious health event occurs.

Since Longevity LKN launched last summer, Adam, Alexander, Piper, and their team have screened more than 100 community members. Over half of those individuals had readings indicating high blood pressure, an eye-opening statistic that highlights how important simple preventative care can be.

But for Adam, the most meaningful moments are not the numbers. They are the conversations.

This past weekend, one interaction stayed with him.

“A man walked up to us to get his blood pressure screened,” Adam recalled. “He spoke very little English and had extremely alarming numbers.”

Recognizing the seriousness of the situation, Adam and his team carefully explained, using the man’s native language, that he needed urgent medical attention. Despite their efforts to communicate the danger, the man insisted he was fine and walked away, saying it was no problem.

“I could not force him to accept help,” Adam said. “Our impact that day was simply to give him information he’ll remember later.”

For Adam, the moment was a reminder that change doesn’t always happen immediately. Sometimes it begins with a conversation, a moment of care, or a seed planted that may grow later.

“I continue this work because it is a practical way to serve my community,” Adam said. “It’s taught me how change actually happens—one conversation at a time.”

Adam, Alexander, and Piper’s commitment to educating others about cardiovascular health extends beyond downtown Davidson. Longevity LKN has tabled at numerous Davidson Day events, and in February, Longevity LKN partnered with FeedNC, a local organization that connects individuals and families with food, education, and resources as a catalyst for long-term change.

During FeedNC’s Valentine’s Day celebration, Adam and his team provided free blood pressure screenings for attendees while sharing information about heart health and preventative care, bringing their mission to another corner of the Lake Norman community.

Experiences like Adam, Alexander, and Piper’s reflect the kind of students Davidson Day develops: young people who pair knowledge with empathy, initiative with service, and leadership with compassion. Whether in a classroom, on Main Street, or in the broader community, Davidson Day students are learning to lead by serving others, and that even the smallest act of service, like a conversation, can spark meaningful change.