Class of 2020 Graduates
2020 Valedictorians
| Tina Jethwa, Boca Prep International School | |
 GPA: 4.0 (unweighted) College: University of Florida Parents: Deepali and Nilesh Jethwa Academic Awards: IB Diploma recipient (received 5 and higher on all exams), 3 time winner of the President’s Award for Educational Excellence, Florida Bright Futures Academic Scholar recipient Extracurricular: National Honor Society president, student government secretary, volunteer library assistant/tutor, yearbook editor-in-chief What job/position do you plan to pursue and why?: Currently I am still exploring all the different options within computer science, but I want to develop technology and software that can be used to benefit society. What is your favorite quote?: “I have no idea what Im doing, but I know Im doing it really, really well.” – Andy Dwyer Which issue (global or local) is close to your heart, and why?: One global issue that is close to my heart is widespread discrimination, as I believe that in this day and age everyone should get equal opportunities and be treated with equal respect regardless of factors such as race or gender. What is your little-known talent?: Drawing and embroidery |
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| Arnav Kumar, American Heritage Plantation | |
 GPA: 6.1 College: Princeton Parents: Ashish and Akanksha Kumar Academic Awards: Presidential Scholar, National Merit Finalist, United States National Chemistry Olympiad Semifinalist, AIME Qualifier, Seven National First Places at Mu Alpha Theta, FFMC Difficult Bassoon Category Winner, National Spanish Exam Silver Extracurricular: VP Alpha for Mu Alpha Theta club, President of Linguistics Club, Bassoonist at Florida Youth Orchestra, Volunteer for Special Olympics, Website Administrator for sandesham.org What job/position do you plan to pursue and why?: I want to be a data analyst for a major professional sports team. Since I was very young, I have been fascinated both by numbers and by sports, and this career path is the perfect blend between the two. What is your favorite quote?: “It’s not who we are underneath, but what we do that defines use” – Rachel Dawes in Batman Begins If you could have breakfast with anyone, who would it be and why?: I would have breakfast with Ryan Reynolds. It probably would not be that deep of a conversation, but hes hilarious and I could say I had breakfast with Deadpool, which seals the deal for me. Which issue (global or local) is close to your heart, and why?: Economic inequality is an issue I onsider to be one of the flaws of modern society in all countries. The inability for people to escape poverty or climb up the social ladder has led me to volunteer at a school in India called Sandesham that aids underprivileged children, where I have seen effects of economic inequality in India firsthand. What is your little-known talent?: I can hit the high notes in Take On Me about 12% of the time. If that does not sound impressive, listen to the song, because it is. |
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| Uma Menon, Winter Park High School | |
 GPA: 5.365 Weighted, 4.00 Unweighted College: Princeton University Parents: Saila Alath, Ram Kozhikote Academic Awards: 2020 US Senate Youth Program Florida Delegate, 2019 Congressional Guest at State of the Union & Winner of US Congresswoman Murphy’s Essay Contest, 2020 National YoungArts Winner in Writing, 2019 National High School Poetry Contest Winner, 2018-2019 Lee Bennett Hopkins Award in Poetry, 2019 Skipping Stones National Youth Honor Award in Writing, University of Chicago Euphony Journal Short Story Contest Winner, Two-Time Pushcart Prize Nominee in Poetry, 2019 Asian American Journalists Association J-Camp Student Leader, National Speech & Debate Academic All-American Award, 3rd Place at 2019 Coolidge Cup National Presidential Debate Championship, Five-Time North Florida Regional Lincoln-Douglas Debate Champion, Florida League of IB Schools (FLIBS) Merit Scholar, Burger King Scholar Extracurricular: Creative Writing and Book Author, Speech & Debate Team Captain, International Human Rights Art Festival Youth Fellow, College Board Youth Advisory Council Student Leader, US Congressional Intern, The Adroit Journal Content Intern, Cleaver Magazine Editorial Intern, Generation Human Rights Intern, Alliance for Climate Education Action Fellow, Shankar Mahadevan Academy Carnatic Vocal Music Student, Rollins College Community School of Music Piano Student, WPHS IB Student Senate, Future Business Leaders of America Florida Virtual President What job/position do you plan to pursue and why?: I plan to attend law school and become a human rights lawyer so that I may advocate for social justice and equality. I hope to enter a career of public service and make sure all people have a voice. I will also continue writing books. What is your favorite quote?: “When the whole world is silent, even one voice becomes powerful.” Which issue (global or local) is close to your heart, and why?: Human Rights, as I believe that all people deserve equal rights and opportunity. What is your little-known talent?: Crocheting |
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| Shivani Pirmal, Legacy High Charter | |
 GPA: 5.3 College: University of Central Florida Parents: Beena and Darryl Pirmal Academic Awards: Seal of bilingual literacy, Scholar Designation seal, National Honors Society, AP Scholar, President’s list at Valencia,and graduated with an Associates in Arts from Valencia. Extracurricular: The Vice President of the National Honors Society, member of Phi Theta Kappa at Valencia, practiced piano for four years, participated in a tutoring program at my school, and volunteered at Hospice of the Comforter for the past four years. What job/position do you plan to pursue and why?: My end goal is to become a nurse practitioner. I have always admired those in the health care industry for their overwhelming compassion, intellect, and selflessness, and this pushed me to cultivate my future around health care as well. I decided to pursue nursing after falling in love with their holistic philosophy; both the body and mind must be treated. In addition, the emphasis on compassion and advocacy for patients alongside proper and ethical health care appeals to me. What is your favorite quote?: “We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light.” – Plato Which issue (global or local) is close to your heart, and why?: I would would love to see progress in regards to public health issues such as low resources in under-served and impoverished populations. Everyone should have proper care and be provided the education, medication, and services necessary to be healthy, regardless of their income level. What is your little-known talent?: I love reading fiction novels and cooking new foods. |
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| Anish Ravichandran, American Heritage School Boca Delray | |
 GPA: 5.9636 College: Massachusetts Institute of Technology Parents: Ravichandran Sadhasivam and Jeyanthi Rajaselvarasu Academic Awards: National Merit Scholar Finalist, Presidential Scholars SemiFinalist, AP Scholar with Distinction, 1st Place Sigma Xi National Conference 2018, Two-time National Spanish Examination Gold Medalist, USA Physics Olympiad Bronze Medalist, USA National Chemistry Olympiad Regional Finalist Extracurricular: Developed a deep learning network that gives accurate prognoses to pancreatic cancer patients, served as Webmaster of the Florida Association of Mu Alpha Theta, founded and taught a math competition preparatory class for underclassmen, and taught English to Cambodian students through the TASSEL Cambodia program. What job/position do you plan to pursue and why?: I have always dreamed of being at the forefront of the expanding space sector, so I plan on spearheading a commercial space startup like SpaceX to develop new technologies to explore space. What is your favorite quote?: “He who has a why to live can bear with almost any how.” by Freidrich Nietzsche Which issue (global or local) is close to your heart, and why?: Food and water security are very pressing issues because a significant proportion the world’s population does not have reliable access to food producers and clean water, which must be fixed by our generation. What is your little-known talent?: I’ve played the violin for over 10 years. |
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| Jasneet Sethi, Fort Mill High School | |
 GPA: 5.37 College: Georgia Institute of Technology Academic Awards: National Merit Scholar Daughters of the American Revolution Good Citizens Award AP Scholar with Distinction Extracurricular: Varsity Tennis Secretary of Interact Club Youth Group What job/position do you plan to pursue and why?: I plan to obtain a B.S. in computer science from Georgia Tech. I realized my passion for computer science after taking a class and volunteering for a summer camp for the youth. What is your favorite quote?: “You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.” What is your little-known talent?: I can reach my nose with my tongue. |
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JayPatel
Brookwood High Valedictorian
Shalin Jain
Duluth High Valedictorian
Hussan Ali
Duluth High Salutatorian
Jeevan George
Killian Hill Christian Academy Valedictorian
Maya Chande 
North Gwinnett High Valedictorian
Zaynab K. Bintabdul
University of Virginia
Mashoor Al Ahammed
Sprayberry Salutatorian
Shanzeh Sheikh
The Walker School Valedictorian
Anant Rajan
Walton Valedictorian
Pranav Nedumpurath
Wheeler Salutatorian
Praveen Sundar
International Baccalaureate Valedictorian, Seminole High School
Vihan Yalamanchili
Academy of Health Careers Valedictorian, Seminole High School
Ryan Shukla
Lake Howell High School
Aditya Kompella
Lake Brantley High School
Shreya Mathur
University of Florida
Aniruth Narayanan
Hillsborough County Public Schools
Mauli Bhogade 
Hillsborough County Public Schools
Simran Kumar
Hillsborough County Public Schools
Srikavin Ramkumar
Hillsborough County Public Schools
Brindha-Lee Iyer
Hillsborough County Public Schools
Sarrah Abdulali
Hillsborough County Public Schools
Arnav Kumar
American Heritage School
Ajay Seedoo
Atlantic Technical College and Technical High School
Tiffany Persaud
Coral Springs High School
Fahim Azaz
Coral Springs High School
Archana Thekkepat
Miramar High School
Nishal Leraj Narain
Stranahan High School
2020 Salutatorians
| Udai Teja Mallepoola, Herschel V. Jenkins High School | |
 GPA: 98.3443 College: Georgia Institute of Technology Parents: Raja Mallepoola, Sarojini Mallepoola Academic Awards: Georgia Governor’s Honors Program Finalist and Attendee (Biology), Georgia Scholar, National Merit Scholarship Commended Scholar, AP Scholar with Honor, Superintendent Award, AP Human Geography Student of the Year, Microsoft Technology Association (MTA) Certification. Extracurricular: I run an educational YouTube channel (Something To Think About). I volunteer as a yoga instructor on Sundays and organized two charity drives to aid mentally disabled orphans in India. I have a 1st degree Black Belt in Tang Soo Do. I was in Savannah Science Seminar (3rd place overall), Model United Nations (Head of Committee Research), National Honors Society (Project Manager), Science Olympiad, and Math Club. Competed in regional InVenture Prize Competition and am a part of Toastmasters International. Amatuer DJ. What job/position do you plan to pursue and why?: I want to work in the sub discipline of neuralengineering. I want to start off in the research and development department of companies that work with brain-computer interfaces, and ideally, start up my own business in that market. I am interested in this career because I feel that there is much potential in that field, and there is so much we can uncover with such technology. What is your favorite quote?: “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest” – Benjamin Franklin Which issue (global or local) is close to your heart, and why?: Lack of communication between people of different perspectives and the spread of falsified information. What is your little-known talent?: Extemporaneous speaking, which I picked up as a toastmaster. |
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| Aakansha Mehrotra, Deerfield Beach High School | |
 GPA: 5.4627 College: Georgia Institute of Technology Parents: Sachin and Anita Mehrotra Academic Awards: National Merit Finalist, Sunshine State Scholar, AP Scholar with Distinction, International Baccalaureate Mathematics Medallion Recipient, Miami Herald Silver Knight Honorable Mention Recipient, International Baccalaureate Diploma Candidate, and the Deerfield Beach Rotary Club’s Student of the Month Extracurricular: Mu Alpha Theta, Multicultural Club, National Honors Society, National Speech and Debate Association, TEDxYouth@DBHS Co-Organizer, SATeam and Biology Olympiad What job/position do you plan to pursue and why?: I aim to pursue a career in software development and ultimately reach Google as a project leader on one of their array of humanitarian projects centered on increasing the standard of living in developing nations. What is your favorite quote?: “Is the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting.” – Paul Coelho Which issue (global or local) is close to your heart, and why?: Increasing affordable accessibility to education and healthcare worldwide. |
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| Kashyap Sreeram, Seminole High School (I.B. Program) | |
 GPA: 4.877/4.0 College: Duke University Parents: Sreeram Satyamurthi and Jayasree Sreeram Academic Awards: International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) Finalist; Society for In Vitro Biology Scientist Award; three-time author of published research articles; four-time presenter at nationwide research conferences; Model UN three-time Best Delegate Award (UF, UCF, etc.); Florida State Science Fair, first place; Seminole County Science Fair, Best in Fair; Technology Student Association State and National Conference, eight-time first place winner; National Merit Commended Scholar; Patent Pending Status Awarded Extracurricular: Science Fair; Neuroscience lab research group leader/TBI machine learning research; Student Science Training Program at UF; Technology Student Association, Founder, President, and State Officer; Model United Nations, President; Indian Classical (Carnatic) Vocal Music (Ranked 2nd in the U.S.); SCPS ePathways Career and Technical Department Intern; Chemistry/Science Fair Tutor; Chinmaya Mission of Orlando Balavihar Student; Hindu Society of Central Florida Volunteer; Freelance Web Design; Acted in school productions. What job/position do you plan to pursue and why?: Brains and I, we have perfect chemistry. I am mesmerized with the ingenuity of the blood-brain-barrier, the sheer construct of Brodmann areas, and the perfect symmetrical imperfections of Heschl’s gyrus. The first time I held a TBI-induced rat brain, I realized I had found my passion. But the neurological wonder is not done being discovered. As an aspiring biophysicist and biochemist, I hope that I never stop learning, using logic-driven concepts to unravel hidden perplexities of our enigmatic brain. Even more so, I want to serve the people as a neurosurgeon and revolutionize public health and education, working to eliminate the mental illnesses that plague our world today. What is your favorite quote?: “Don’t put the key to your happiness in someone else’s pocket.” – Swami Chinmayananda. Which issue (global or local) is close to your heart, and why?: I am a large proponent of ensuring equal access to healthcare and treatments, as over 1/3 of people across the world lack access to essential health products. Even more so, I hope to take strides in solving issues of healthcare sanitation, as without potable water and clean healthcare facilities, infectious disease control can only remain a dream. The answer to improving global health lies in increasing access to vaccines, free diagnostics, and sanitary facilities throughout the world, preventing the rise of global pandemics. What is your little-known talent?: I’m an avid dancer (and a Taco Bell connoisseur) |
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| Narenkumar Thirmiya, Winter Springs High School | |
 GPA: 4.813 College: Vanderbilt University Parents: Jothikumar and Umanandini Thirmiya Academic Awards: National Merit Finalist/Scholarship Recipient, National AP Scholar, IB Diploma Candidate, Perfect ACT Scorer, 2nd Place at UCF Local Brain Bee, 3rd Place at SCPS Regional Science Fair, 1st Place SECME Codecraft Programming, 2nd Place SECME Math, Superior at Florida State Spanish Conference, Top Mathematics Award at Winter Springs High, Top 10 Precalculus for Seminole County Regional Math Competition, Top 15 Mu Alpha Theta Statistics Extracurricular: BU RISE intern at MIT Brain and Cognitive Sciences, completing project on Evaluating Procedural Deficits in Dyslexics , Brain Bee Team Chair/Founder, SECME Team Captain, Advent Health East Orlando Front/Information Desk Volunteer, Mu Alpha Theta Vice President/Tutor, Piano/Guitar Volunteer at Watermark at Vistawilla, Feeding Children Everywhere Hunger Project Host, UCF BIOTEC/OCTET Research Participant, HSCF Sandwich Youth Club, National Science Honor Society, National Honor Society, IB Club What job/position do you plan to pursue and why?: I hope to be a neurologist in the future, specializing in neurodegenerative diseases for older patients. From playing music to Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s patients, I am intrigued about the variety of treatments that can be given to neurologically impacted individuals. Being a combination of biology and psychology, neuroscience is an interdisciplinary science, so I hope to utilize my experiences both within science and outside of it to help those in need. I wish to explore other perspectives of neuroscience as a neurologist, whether it be the computational aspects in neural networks or finding connections between music therapy and cognition. What is your favorite quote?: “The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking.” – Albert EinsteinWhich issue (global or local) is close to your heart, and why?: Mental health is an issue in our society that is often overlooked; it’s one that permeates both young adolescents as well as the elderly. I feel that it is crucial to promote awareness of mental health, so that every individual has the ability to function and live peacefully. What is your little-known talent?: Photography |
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Mashoor Al Ahammed
Sprayberry Salutatorian Pranav Nedumpurath
Nafisa Uddin
Aayush Singh
Hillsborough County Public Schools Esha Babu
Yash Patel
Radha Seemongal
Hillsborough County Public Schools Fahim Azaz
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