BY JAIDEN SHIVPRASAD AND OLIVIA CEDENO
The NJ Association for Gifted Children recently recognized Kavya Venkatesan as the 2022 Distinguished Student of the Year. The award highlights Kavya’s hard work and persistence inside and outside the classroom.
Kavya has received a lot of support from the community throughout her time at OBHS and has taken advantage of the resources available to her. “The OB community has given me a variety of opportunities to learn, grow, and make an impact,” said Venkatesan.
She went through a long process to earn this award. “The process of receiving this award involved an intensive application process. I had to submit several nominations, essays, and documentation about my academic research and impactful community leadership,” Venkatesan said.
Kavya’s dedication to learning makes her stand out amongst other students. “Her desire to succeed, her drive, her ambition, she’s always seeking ways to improve her skill set,” said AP Computer Science teacher Vito Cangelosi.
Interested in the STEM field, also known as science, technology, engineering, and math, she completed high level courses related to these fields to give her an edge on people already working in these fields. “I was able to take several science courses over the summer and complete subjects like AP Chemistry, AP Biology, and AP Computer Science in my 9th & 10th grade years,” said Venkatesan.
She recently partnered with the Federal Aviation Administration to work on a research project. Venkatesan also joined selected individuals at the CNBC National Business Summits where she spread the importance of the youth investing in the market.
Along with Venkatesan’s academics, she is also an Indian classical dancer, multicultural musician, and varsity golfer. “The driving force for my academic and leadership accomplishments is certainly music. Music gives me the motivation, confidence, and creativity to pursue my goals. I am currently taking vocal music classes through the award-winning Middlesex County Arts & Education Program,” she said.
Venkatesan hopes to apply her academic skills in future career paths.
Posted on 5/4/22
Photo provided by Kavya Venkatesan
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