Meet Everett Leigh, the teenage pianist using music to help foster children by generating $2M

For Everett, the piano has become more than a stage for showcasing musical talent. The California teenager has used concerts, competitions, and his growing network in the classical music world to raise money and awareness for children facing difficult circumstances. Now 16, Leigh is the founder of EverEverest, a nonprofit focused on supporting foster and underserved youth through educational programmes, mentorship and supplies. His recent recognition as one of the 2026 Barron Prize for Young Heroes winners has brought renewed attention to his work. The Barron Prize describes Leigh as a young concert pianist who has organised more than 50 benefit concerts, raising $70,000 for foster youth. It also credits him with helping raise an additional $2 million for Foster Love, a major US nonprofit serving children in foster care.A popular pianistHis work has developed alongside an unusually busy musical career. Leigh began studying piano under Professor Ethan Dong at the age of nine. By his mid-teens, he had accumulated more than 50 international competition victories, according to his Steinway profile and several competition organisations. His honours include the Pianist of the Year title ...