Ice Venkatesh may be a high school sophomore, but once upon a time there was a much younger Ice with some pretty big dreams.
 
She's traveled the world aplenty as a youngster and was observant. She saw things that even then she perceived didn't seem to be fair.
 
"There were a lot of girls who weren't able to go to school from day one," said the novice solo dance skater from Houston. "I saw girls who didn't have family support to attend school."

 
So as a 6-year-old, she decided to do something about it. She started a lemonade stand on her front lawn. That first year, under the hot Texas sun, she made a grand total of $330. But it was a hit, it grew, and grew some more.
 
Today, that humble, altruistic beginning has grown into a recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit called Lemonade with Ice that raised $16,000 in 2025. But there's more to it. A lot more.
 
In addition to holding a leadership summit and workshops for Houston-area kids, the nonprofit hosts the Lemonade With Ice Annual GALA at the Ice at the Galleria rink to raise funds, featuring guest speakers and, of course, the opportunity to see top-flight skating, including Venkatesh. This year is the 10th year of the gala.
 
The funds raised are shared through nine global partners, including Junior Achievement here in the U.S., Malala Fund in the UK and Nari Smata Manch in India, which connects households to schools.
 
Since those early days on the front lawn, Venktatesh estimates Lemonade with Ice has raised close to $50,000.
 
"I don't think I ever thought this could get this big," she said. "However, I'm truly grateful because everything happens for a reason. Thinking back on my 6-year-old self, sitting there on my lawn in hot Houston, it was all worth it to start there and get where we are now."
 
Don't forget that at her heart, Venkatesh is a skater, and as such, has learned a lot from the sport that ties into her nonprofit venture.
 
In fact, one of those lessons is resilience in the face of tough odds — a lot like what girls around the globe face when education is a privilege, not a right.
 
"I feel like the one cool thing I've learned through skating is if you fall down seven times, you have to get up eight," she said. "I feel like it's important, because no matter what happens in life, you have to keep getting up and working toward your goals, even if something gets in your way."
 
That sense of empowerment comes through Lemonade with Ice's business workshops at The Cannon West Houston that fosters entrepreneurship. The most recent workshop, on Feb. 13, was about how to have a professional presence in a work environment, including how to dress and leveraging soft skills.
 
Venkatesh and more than 70 kids from the local high schools attend the workshops, and Junior Achievement plays a big role.
 
There's more. The EmpowerHer Summit is coming up April 25 at The Cannon West Houston and should draw up to 100 high school kids who can partake in a slate of renowned speakers. It also will feature panel discussions, networking and scholarship opportunities and leadership development opportunities. But such an event isn't over when it's over.
 
"We keep in touch with the kids that attend summits and the Gala," Venkatesh said, and not only in Houston. "Recently we received photos and recorded messages from our partners in India."
 
Venkatesh's mom, Arti, has had the unique perspective of seeing her daughter, and Lemonade with Ice, grow and grow.
 
"She is such a person that her core mission has stayed close to her heart," Arti Venkatesh said. "It's all coming together with one channel. It's a really proud feeling."
 
Staying true to herself and her mission is something Venkatesh is planning to continue, possibly even to her dream college of the University of Pennsylvania and its Wharton School of Business.