Nine students from the DMV region have been awarded the 2021 U.S. Presidential Scholar award, according to the U.S. Department of Education. 161 students are named Presidential Scholars each year, and the award is one of the nation's highest honors for high school students. The awards given are separated for Scholar for U.S. Presidential Scholar in Arts and Scholar for U.S Presidential Scholar in Career and Technical Education. The eight.
Kathy Yao from Dulaney High School in Timonium and Avinash J. Thakkar from McDonough School in Owings Mills, represent two of five students chosen in the state of Maryland to being named in the 57th class of the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program, U.S. Secretary of Education Dr. Miguel Cardona announced on Thursday.
What do a public health advocate, CEO and quantum physicist have in common?
Besides all being high school seniors, these individuals are members of the Regeneron STS 2021 class. Among their myriad interests lies the motivation to leave an impact in their community, whether it be through conducting outreach and fundraising on a global scale, improving their environment through youth activism or creating space for the next generation of scientists to thrive. Take a look at some of the causes championed by this year’s finalists!
Laalitya Acharya
William Mason High School (Mason, Ohio)
Move over Alexa! Laalitya Acharya’s AI tech is solving the world’s water crisis one drop at a time. As the founder of the Nereid Project, Laalitya’s innovation detects contamination in water that may cause waterborne disease. By implementing new methods of water testing, building awareness, research and education, she hopes to make clean water a reality for people everywhere. She says, “I hav