Moitri Santra is an exceptional student and presents herself with a level of intellect that doesn’t go unnoticed. In January, she was named one of the Top 300 Young Scientists in the nation, then Salutatorian for her high GPA and Student of the Year for her scientific achievements. She put in tremendous effort in her work throughout the years for a very deserving award.
“I see [winning] it as the result of four years of learning and challenging myself with higher level coursework,” Santra said.
Many of her peers emphasized how hard she worked for this. Her Honor Graduate sponsor, William Furiosi, was one of the many who explained what a great student she was.
“I think she failed something like eighty times and she kept at it, trying something new every single time,” Furiosi said.
Santra is a dedicated student who didn’t let failure intimidate her, but instead push her forward.
“She has never hesitated to try out new things,” Upasana Santra, Moitri’s mother, said. U. Santra stuck by her daughter’s side and supported her goals with no hesitation. “It’s very heartwarming to see all her hard work being recognized.”
Putting so much focus on school and academic goals can become challenging and hard to juggle, considering the rest of everyday life. There needs to be a balance between academics and other activities and Santra had the perfect solution.
“I made sure to stay involved in activities outside of school that kept me active and gave me a way to explore my other interests,” Santra said.
It’s common that people struggle to find a sufficient way of doing both, but it’s always important to sit and think about what priorities come first.
“I would set goals for finishing an assignment or understanding a topic before moving on to another activity, which made the process feel more rewarding and fulfilling,” Santra said. “Over time you build skills and knowledge that can become useful in many ways later on.”
Santra was a busy student when it came to her academics and extracurricular activities. She was not only focused on research but also was involved in swim lessons and the school’s softball team. A little ways back she injured her arm and her perseverance was another great showcase of her dedication.
“It was hard on her but it taught her an important lesson of managing expectations and always having a second plan,” U. Santra said.
