Outstanding National Youth Science Camp Delegates

Two Contra Costa County Students Selected as Outstanding National Youth Science Camp Delegates
Posted on 08/08/2022
National Youth Science CampPLEASANT HILL, Calif.--State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond recently named two Contra Costa County students as National Youth Science Camp delegates for California. Aadity Sharma of Dougherty Valley High School in San Ramon and Meghana Balabhadruni of California High School in San Ramon were two of the four California delegates.

The students were chosen as delegates “for their high achievement and proficiency in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM),” according to the California Department of Education.

“Bravo to Aadity and Meghana! What these two young women have accomplished while in high school is remarkable,” Contra Costa County Superintendent of Schools Lynn Mackey said. “Their hard work is an inspiration to all of us, especially to younger girls who are realizing their potential in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) fields that have been traditionally male dominated fields.”

Aadity and Meghana are two nominees among the 120 top science students from across the United States and 12 Western Hemisphere nations. These young people collectively represented the 60th class of delegates. The camp allowed students to gain new knowledge about STEM and exposed them to speakers and discussions that will likely influence their careers in the future. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2022 National Youth Science Camp was hosted virtually, giving delegates the opportunity to attend sessions, lectures, seminars, and special events from the convenience of their home computers. The National Youth Science Camp is traditionally held in-person, in the Monongahela National Forest located in West Virginia.

About the Contra Costa County Delegates
Aadity Sharma has committed herself to her education while helping to support her family. She interned for a grassroots-level nonprofit in India, collecting and analyzing data to bring further awareness about the Bihar floods that affect over 100 million people a year. She is a member of the San Ramon Teen Council, selected by the city to represent and enact reforms on issues surrounding youth. Co-founder of a nonprofit, One Step at a Time, she helps provide free tutoring to students online. Additionally, she is the co-founder and web director of Bay Impact Design, an organization that provides creative, new solutions to real-world problems. The recipient of numerous science awards, Aadity plans to attend UC Santa Cruz.

Meghana Balabhadruni was a dedicated member of her school’s biomedical pathway and was awarded first place in a HOSA–Future Health Professionals competition. She completed two summer research programs to gain even more insight into health care and also worked as a research intern for an organization called Integrated Personal Medicine. Meghana is focused on combating diseases from their root causes. She is the president of Science Alliance, which helps inspire STEM in fifth graders through mentoring by high school students. She is set to attend UC Davis, majoring in Molecular and Medical Microbiology. Her career goal is to become a physician and contribute to nutrigenomics research, advancing the disease prevention field.

The National Youth Science Camp is made possible through the planning and fundraising of the National Youth Science Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization, with the mission to honor, foster, and encourage youth interest and excellence in science professions through mentoring, challenging, and motivating students.
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