Local Teens Shine in STEM

In a big win for local education, two high school juniors from Alachua County have been recognized as Sunshine State Scholars. This honor goes to top students in STEM fields. Navya Goyal from Gainesville High School and Amy Xiao from Buchholz High School earned this title. They were picked based on their grades, activities outside of school, and essays about big STEM problems in the U. S. Navya is in the tough Cambridge Program at her school. She has already earned seven college credits. She is part of the Psi Alpha Honor Society and leads the STEM Club. Navya has won awards in math, science, and business since elementary school. She even made it to the national level in a big competition. On top of that, she volunteers as a tutor and works as a research intern. She has also spent over 350 hours helping at a local sewing center. In her essay, Navya talked about false information in STEM subjects. She wants to use AI to help people find the right information. She also wants to teach others how to be smart about what they read online.Amy Xiao is also taking hard classes and has a high GPA. She is part of many teams and clubs at her school, like the math team and the science team. She has won awards at the national, state, and regional levels. Amy also plays in the school bands and is in the Music Honor Society. She tutors at a local center and works as a research intern at the University of Florida. Amy's essay was about how American students are not doing well in math and science. She thinks this is a big problem. She wants to help students learn these subjects better. She believes she can make a difference by teaching younger students and improving her own skills. Both Navya and Amy will go to a two-day program in Orlando. They will meet with STEM employers and college representatives. They will also attend workshops about college applications and funding. STEM fields are important for the future. These two students are great examples of how hard work and passion can lead to success. They are not just good students; they are also leaders and helpers in their communities. Their essays show that they care about big problems and want to make a difference.