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Penticton Rotary names Student of the Month Shaurya Yadav

Student of the month

The Rotary Club of Penticton Sunrise is delighted to ring in the New Year by honouring Shaurya Yadav — an academically gifted, industrious, charismatic and altruistic Grade 12 student at Princess Margaret Secondary School — as Rotary Student of the Month for January.

In heartily endorsing Yadav’s selection, club members praised his stellar scholastic record and inspiring leadership, both in the classroom where his contagious motivation for learning shines, and outside the classroom, where he has helped organize numerous fund-raising drives and student-bonding activities while fostering a welcoming and supportive environment for all students.

Yadav, who was born in India, immigrated to Penticton at age seven as the older of two children in a close-knit intergenerational family steeped in resiliency, grit and perseverance.

Continuing this laudable legacy, he views “hardships or difficulties as obstacles to be overcome or worthy challenges to accept in one’s personal growth. The journey is where the true learning and improvement happen, while the destination only serves to motivate one to keep pushing on.”

A brilliant student. Yadav is endowed with a razor-sharp intellect primed by an insatiable curiosity. He achieved an average mark of 97.2% in his Grade 9-11 years and currently boasts a 98.5% average. These eye-popping grades have garnered him numerous academic awards, including Top Academic Student in Grades 9 and 11 as well as specific subject honours in biology, English, math, chemistry, and physics in multiple years.

English teacher Erica Fitton remarked, “Shaurya is a truly outstanding young man who displays an unwavering dedication to academic excellence, service to the school community and personal growth. A sheer delight to have in class, he feeds upon his radiant intellectual curiosity to examine complex topics, explore novel ideas and challenge his thinking, all while promoting an inclusive and respectful learning environment where his classmates’ voices are valued and heard.”

Yadav believes that “in today’s world, knowledge is truly powerful and strives to use the lessons learned in school to become the best version of himself.” He lists anatomy and physiology and physics as his two favourite subjects—the former for providing insight into the innermost workings of the human body, and the latter for offering a lens into the complexities of our universe.

Anatomy and physiology teacher Tim Haberstock noted, “Shaurya is an exemplary student driven by a passion for knowledge. He loves questioning the whys and hows of the subject matter and gets genuinely excited when he makes new academic connections. Admired by his classmates for his collaborative spirit, he supports their learning rather than competing for the top grades. Outside of class, he does not seek the limelight of being the person in charge but eagerly contributes positive energy to bring out the best in everyone.”

Inquisitive by nature, Yadav is an avid reader. He is currently exploring self-improvement books on psychology to understand human behavior. He also enjoys learning languages, especially Latin, as it provides “a lens to rediscover the past and appreciate those who lived millennia ago.”

In retrospect, Yadav is rightfully proud of the transformative moment in Grade 11 when he mustered the courage to break out of his comfort zone and seek new experiences in the Leadership Club. Leveraging his warm personality and signature smile, he quickly became a key player on Maggie’s vibrant leadership team.

Last spring Yadav helped organize Earth Week, raising awareness of global climate change.

Activities to mark this high-profile event included turning off classroom lights to reduce the carbon footprint, hosting a smoothie drinking contest to highlight eco-friendly food and displaying students’ house plants to celebrate biodiversity.

Recently, he led the food donation drive for Maggie’s Christmas turkey buffet. Highly successful, the annual festive lunch raised sufficient proceeds to provide 29 food hampers for less fortunate classmates and their families.

Yadav has also eagerly joined in the annual 10,000 Tonight food drive for the Salvation Army, school BBQs, Winter and Spring Formals and orientation tours for incoming grade 8 and 9 students. Outside school, he has organized game (shuttle board and bingo) nights for seniors at nearby Trinity Care Centre and participated in a Halloween Block Party where Maggie students host booths for community members to play games and win prizes.

In recognition of this impressive body of work, both in and out of class, Yadav received the Top Citizenship Award in grades 9 and 11 and was named Top All-Around Student in grade 11.

Teacher Madi Wilms stated, “Endowed with exemplary leadership qualities, Shaurya has proactively participated in numerous school events, thus creating a welcoming and inclusive environment. What truly sets him apart, however, is his infectious positivity and genuine interest in others. His perpetual smile and ability to make everyone feel included, regardless of their position, is a rare and valuable trait. His active listening skills and genuine curiosity reflect a maturity well beyond his years.”

For relaxation, Yadav enjoys playing chess, walking along nature trails and watching movies with friends. On weekends, he works as a checkout clerk at Save-On-Foods to gain workplace experience.

Upon graduation, Yadav plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree in the physical or biological sciences.

With his sharp intellect, grit, beaver-like work ethic and altruism, this mature young man with a zest for life is poised to carve out a productive and rewarding career while enriching the social fabric of his community.



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