Three Indian Americans are among twenty students selected by USA TODAY, one of America's top-selling newspapers for its annual All-USA High School Academic First Team.
Priyanka Mitra, Arnav Tripathy and Vidya Vishwanathan were selected for their excellent academic records, leadership qualities, breadth and depth of activities and intellectual abilities beyond the classroom. They will receive trophies and $2,500 each, USA TODAY reported.
"USA TODAY is honoured to recognise the extraordinary accomplishments of this year's All-USA High School Academic Team," editor Ken Paulson said on Thursday. "Their impressive achievements in both their classrooms and communities are a testament to their intellect, energy and enthusiasm."
Priyanka has a long list of achievements: Class of 2007 salutatorian, National merit finalist; Simon Lazarus human relations award, varsity tennis captain and all-state second team; school newspaper editor; earth club president; scholastic writing journalism national silver award; president of the school soteni club, raising awareness and $2,000 for AIDS orphans in Kenya. Soteni means "all of us together" in Swahili.
Arnav Tripathy, a four-time qualifier for the US Mathemetical Olympiad summer programme won a gold medal at the international math Olympiad in Slovenia last year. He also received the Siemens award for advanced placement. He is also a Symphony concerto competition winner, gave a solo recital that raised more than $2,300 for his school music program.
Vidya Vishwanathan is the co-founder and president of the Herricks international children's aid program, she spent last summer at a children's home in southern India as a live-in volunteer and raised $3,000 for children in India.
{{/usCountry}}Vidya Vishwanathan is the co-founder and president of the Herricks international children's aid program, she spent last summer at a children's home in southern India as a live-in volunteer and raised $3,000 for children in India.
{{/usCountry}}She is also national history day winner and is the co-president of a French club. She was also co-editor in chief of a student newspaper and a student representative to the board of education.
USA TODAY will be celebrating its 25th anniversary in September this year. It is published via satellite at 36 locations in the USA and at four sites abroad. With a total average daily circulation of 2.3 million, USA TODAY is available worldwide.