Schools
North's Ruchi Shah Padding Her Resume
Earns VFW Democracy honor and spot at Stony Brook Research Program.
The unique experiences and accolades keep pouring in for Ruchi Shah.
The Sachem North junior recently placed high in the VFW Voice of Democracy speech contest and was accepted into the Simons Summer Research Program at Stony Brook University, two distinct recognitions in different worlds of academia.
For the VFW speech, she recorded a four-minute oration about the role her generation is playing in America’s future. The speech won first place at her local post, in Suffolk County and on Long Island and placed third at the state level out of 8,000 applicants.
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Two weeks ago Shah was presented with several scholarships and certificates from the VFW, the State Senate, State Assembly and Town of Brookhaven.
“This entire experience has been phenomenal and a true honor,” she said.
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Her speech included details about how the media portrays America’s youth as a lazy and carefree group. Shah counters the argument.
“While the teenagers described by the media might be a small percentage, a much larger majority can be seen working hard to make a difference everyday in our community,” she said in her speech. “It’s those little acts of kindness, like a young man helping an elderly woman with her groceries, a teenager volunteering at the local hospital, or a fellow peer picking up an armed forces brochure at the guidance office, that renew my faith.”
The Simons Summer Research Program at Stony Brook University is a selective and prestigious summer research program and out of applicants from around the U.S., less than 15 percent are selected for this seven-week research fellowship. Shah will also be awarded $1,000 for participating.
“I have dreamed about being accepted into this program since I heard about it as a freshman,” she said. “The Simons program is an opportunity for me to make a contribution to the world of science and be a part of something greater than myself through working with and learning from others. This summer is sure to be full of new experiences.”
She will be conducting cutting-edge research with Dr. Kenneth Shroyer in the Department of Pathology.
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