U.P.: Prerna girl selected for Kennedy-Lugar YES scholarship

A Class 11 student at Prerna Girls School, Lucknow, Kashish will leave for St Louis, Missouri, US, later this week

After being selected for the US State Department’s Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) programme scholarship, Class 11 student Kashish is on cloud nine.

An elated Kashish with her family. (Sourced)

“Going to study in the US is like a dream for me. I would have never imagined studying abroad,” says 16-year-old Kashish, who studies at Prerna Girls School, Lucknow, on a scholarship. She will leave for St Louis, Missouri, US, later this week. “It is a great learning opportunity for me and my school has been my biggest support throughout,” Kashish said.

She joined Prerna Girls’ School in 2009 and later earned a scholarship to study at Study Hall School because of her excellent academic performance. Kashish will be studying at Parkway South High School, in St Louis, Missouri, US, for this academic year. Meant for underprivileged girl students, the Prerna Girls’ School is run by Study Hall Educational Foundation.

She lost her father at the age of five. Her mother Shashi has raised three daughters on her own. Shashi works with a women’s self-help group where she makes dry snacks and pickles.

“My daughters have made me so proud. Kashish is going to study abroad. All of us are so excited and happy,” said Shashi. “I have raised my daughters alone after losing my husband. I was able to send all my daughters to school because of Prerna School,” she added.