Soumya Swain is whom we are highlighting next for the #StudentExcellence project! Soumya is in grade 12 and comes to us from The Sanskaar Valley School in Bhopal, India. The IC3 Regional Forum was hosted there on 17 January 2019 and Soumya was nominated by her school!

Please enjoy reading and getting to know more about the amazing Soumya!

IC3: Soumya, what are some current projects you’re working on in school?

Soumya: I started “The Ripple Effect” project in 2015 in my capacity as the Microsoft Student Ambassador of the school. The program itself was aimed at enabling students to create bilingual digital content tailored to the needs of underprivileged students. My team and I focused on training a group of nearly 40 students in various game-making, app development, and presentation making software. We created engaging and enriching digital content as per teacher specifications that were then provided to and used by Sanskaar Vidhya Niketan, a tertiary school which provides free education to underprivileged girls.

I presented this model of digitization of education at the MeltingPot2020 Summit,  where we were awarded the Young Innovator Award in the School Section. I was also invited as a Presenter to the TECH2018 Conference organized by UNESCO MGIEP in association with the Andhra Pradesh Government.

Additionally, I was the founder of a social service group named “Jijivisha,” which means, “the desire to live.” I led a group of volunteers in activities related to women’s health and child welfare. We organized sanitation drives in the city and collected and donated sanitary napkins to underprivileged women living in difficult areas. We also organized a six-week long summer education camp for the children in that area. We were activists for LGBTQ+ rights and participated in the Bhopal Pride Parade. We worked to increase awareness towards issues facing the community through awareness drives, presentations, rallies, campaigning, posters, writing, and artwork we put up in school.

IC3: Are you a part of any clubs in school?

Soumya: I am part of the Publications Group in school and work on writing articles, school reports, and creating artwork. I was previously an active part of the school’s social service club and I am an avid debater as well.

IC3: What are you interested in studying once you finish high school?

Soumya: I wish to pursue political science as a subject because it has always interested me and I’ve enjoyed it throughout school. However, what drives me to want to pursue it, is the major impact political science has on the affairs of the world. Every country and its people are subject to the whims of political leaders and the rules of political systems. Any and all world issues are results of politics and can be solved through astute political decisions. Thus, political science is my avenue of choice to fix issues that plague our species.

IC3: In what country are you interested in going to college?

Soumya: There is no particular preference. I have mostly applied to colleges that have a reputable program for political science, and faculty whose work I have read and appreciated.

IC3: What do you like to do in your free time away from school?

Soumya: I enjoy reading, in particular, classical works of fiction. I also enjoy sketching and art.

IC3: What topic or career industry interests you the most?

Soumya: I am interested in the field of education. It is my ambition to ensure that all people have access to free and quality college or vocational education. I would like to become a professor one day. I also see myself actively involved in community service!