GONE CLUBBIN’
Senior Anish Nadella Makes The Most Of His Club Experience
At Stevenson; Boy Scouts Is His Foundation For Leadership
Back when Zoom was some of the only interaction we got with our friends and colleagues, senior Anish Nadella (pictured right) was booked.
His Zoom was…well, ZOOOOOOMIN’!
If Nadella wasn’t doing school on Zoom, he was attending club meetings, and more club meetings, and…even more club meetings.
“One Zoom call would end, and another one would start. It was crazy sometimes, really crazy,” Nadella said with a chuckle. “Looking back now, I probably didn’t need to do so much. But some of those experiences were really worth it. It was fun and it gave me the chance to explore and find out what I was really interested in.”
Nadella is active in almost too many Stevenson clubs to count. Actually, not just active, but leading the pack.
He is co-President of three clubs (HOSA, KIVA and Aviation/Aerospace) and is the Under-Secretary General of Model United Nations. He’s also captain (pictured left) of the fencing team. Nadella has held a state position of leadership as well, as the vice president of the Illinois HOSA State Board.
“I wasn’t that outspoken and outgoing when I was younger,” Nadella said. “I was kind of in my own bubble, in a sense. The moment I got here, I knew I had the chance to rewrite everything, to put myself out there, to try everything.”
And Nadella really has tried nearly everything.
He is also a member of FBLA, BPA, History Fair, Startups In Business And Technology and was in the Vex Robotics Club.
“It’s great to become a club leader, but the e-board process at Stevenson is very competitive, with the application and the interview,” Nadella said. “I tried for HOSA leadership my freshman year and I didn’t get on. Fortunately, I got on my sophomore year. It’s great for your college applications. You just need to stay committed because those opportunities will come to you.
“But, having said that, there are also a lot of other ways you can show leadership at Stevenson without having an official position. You can show your leadership by showing up every week to a club, and by being friendly and by making the younger members feel welcomed and involved.”
Nadella says that he learned the very basics of leadership by being involved in Boy Scouts. He’s been active in scouting since his early elementary school years.
He is now an Eagle Scout, the highest achievement or rank attainable in Boy Scouts of America. Since its inception in 1911, only four percent of Scouts, or about 2.5 million youth, have earned the Eagle Scout rank after a lengthy review process.
“I joined (Boy Scouts) for the camp-outs,” Nadella said with a laugh. “But I stayed for the leadership opportunities. When I had the opportunity to step up as a leader, I enjoyed that.”
Nadella recently completed his final project for Eagle Scout consideration. He oversaw a group of young kids who made three picnic table benches (pictured left) that were donated to the I Love Sai Temple in northwest suburban Carpentersville.
“I’ve seen myself grow a lot through Boy Scouts,” Nadella said. “I’m glad I’ve carried that through junior high and high school. The skills you learn there are so good, good for life.”
In real life, Nadella wants to get into business. That’s what he’ll be majoring in next year at the University of Pennsylvania.
He’ll get off to a good start as the member of a new club: the Coca-Cola Scholars. Nadella is part of the 35th Class, which includes 150 high school seniors who will each receive a $20,000 college scholarship and join a family of 6,750-plus alumni.
Less than one-sixth of 1 percent of applicants were chosen to receive the award from an initial pool of more than 91,000 applications from across the country. The winners were chosen based on their “superior leadership, service and academics and their ability to positively affect others in their communities.”
Nadella was invited to Atlanta this week to accept his award and participate in a leadership summit with the other winners.
“I’m excited about Atlanta,” Nadella said. “It will be fun to be around all of those other kids and learn about leadership. Those are skills that you can take with you.”
With one eye on the future, Nadella hasn’t forgotten about his past, or where he started.
“If I could give some advice to the freshmen and sophomores,” Nadella said, “I’d say, ‘Don’t be discouraged if something doesn’t go your way because it’s a four-year journey and as long as you find something you like and stick with it and enjoy what you’re doing, you’re going to look back on it and be really happy and really proud of yourself.’”
Statesman Wins IHSA Sectional; Now Preparing For STATE!
Once again, Stevenson’s “Statesman” dominated the competition and won the IHSA Journalism Sectional earlier this month, logging the best score in the state among seven different sectional sites.
“The competition was virtual and somewhat difficult due to Spring Break,” said “Statesman sponsor Dean Bradshaw. “But the students did wonderfully!”
Stevenson won its sectional by scoring 88 points, 20 points more than second-place Prospect.
The “Statesman” had seven individual sectional winners:
Junior Elizabeth Yuan for both Advertising and Yearbook Layout
Senior Collin Fan for Newspaper Design
Senior Surya Sethi for Copy Editing
Senior Sarah Zhang for Feature Writing
Junior Sriya Mamidanna for Yearbook Copy Writing
Senior Aayushi Wadhawan for Editorial Writing
The “Statesman” also had seven sectional runners-up:
Sophomore Ansh Aggarwal for Photo Story-Telling
Juniors Vivian Zhu and Nicole Yao for Yearbook Theme Development
Junior Angela Guo for News Writing
Senior Anika Krishnaswamy for Review Writing
Junior Ava Winber for Yearbook Caption Writing
Junior Jenny Huang for Infographics
Senior Lance Locker for Sports Writing
Third-place finishers:
Sophomore Tej Kosaraju for Radio News
Sophomore Timothy Bui for Editorial Cartooning
Fourth-place finishers:
Senior Gaurish Lakhanpal, junior Rachel Bui, and junior Yumna Ali-Khan for Video News.
Senior Simran Agarwal competed in Headline Writing at the sectional.
All Top 3 finishers at the sectional are State Qualifiers and will be competing at Heartland Community College in Normal on Friday, April 21 in the IHSA State Finals.
To read the latest from the “Statesman,” visit its custom website.
| “Week Of Healthy Living” TOMORROW: Tips On De-Stressing! Be sure to stop by the Patriot Pride tables in the Wood Commons this week during the Patriot Pride “Week Of Healthy Living.” Get advice and learn more about healthy sleeping habits, healthy eating habits, ways to destress and positive self-talk while also supporting LGBTQIA+ during FRIDAY’s Day of Silence. Tables in the Wood Commons will feature information flyers and related activities and will be hosted by athletes from different sports teams. Here are the remaining theme days:mTODAY ~ No Activities: Testing Day TOMORROW ~ De-Stress: Flyers available with tips for how to relax and de-stress. Students can participate in a de-stress coloring activity. FRIDAY ~ Dress Up Spirit Day/Positive Self Talk/ Day Of Silence: Some athletes will be wearing rainbow shoelaces to support the Day Of Silence. Students can create name tags/labels for themselves in which they write down a word or positive phrase they have used to help them overcome mistakes and move on to the next play. NOTE: Patriot Pride represents the leadership body of student-athletes on campus. The mission of Patriot Pride is to teach student-athletes how to become leaders both on and off their fields of play while creating a safe place where athletes can congregate and discover new ways to make an impact in their communities and school. |
Show Your Support: “Day Of Silence” Is FRIDAY
Want to get more involved in the “Day Of Silence” on FRIDAY? Stevenson’s Sexuality and Gender Alliance (SAGA) members are asking their fellow students to join them in taking a vow of silence to recognize the LGBTQIA+ students who are often left unheard and in the shadows as they feel forced to stay silent about their true identities.
Sign Up: Students who wish to participate are asked to register for this event by stopping by SAGA’s lunch period tables on THURSDAY in front of the Performing Arts Center or by filling out this form.
Break The Silence: At the end of the school day on FRIDAY, students are invited to “Break the Silence” in the Little Theater from 3:45 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. This event will have food, games and guest speaker State Representative and ally Dan Didech to celebrate acceptance and individual identity while sharing information about what positive changes are going on in Springfield for the LGBTQIA+ community.
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Food As Fuel
PWC Can Help You Make Right Nutrition Choices For Top Performance
Did you know that the nutrients from food fuel your body and brain? Your digestive system is responsible for breaking down food into the chemicals that your body needs to function.
When studying for an exam, learning in class, performing an exercise, walking the dog, playing a sport, or simply BREATHING, you are burning the nutrients food provides to fuel these activities. All humans need food to survive and thrive.
The Patriot Wellness Center offers important guidance on nutrition because the source, quality, and type of food you eat matter greatly when determining the quality of your mood, academic performance, mental acuity and physical performance.
The PWC Cafe offers nutritious and delicious foods to fuel your day.
Fresh Sandwiches and Wraps
Egg Bites and Flatbreads
Vegetarian Soups
Salads
The PWC Cafe also offers convenient ready-to-go options
Protein Smoothies
Power Bites and Bars
Fresh fruit
Low and No-Sugar Drinks
Yogurt Parfait
Overnight Oats
Coffee with Low-Sugar and Dairy Alternatives.
Inside the Patriot Wellness Center is a Pre-fuel and Re-fuel resource (pictured left) that you can check out if you’re interested in knowing what to eat before or after a workout. Pre-fuel and Re-fuel are vital for adapting to and benefiting from exercise.
Here are some simple nutrition tips you can incorporate into your day to improve how you feel and perform:
BREAKFAST: Eat a breakfast consisting of fruits and a protein-dense food, such as eggs, Greek yogurt, or whole-grain bread with peanut butter.
LUNCH: Eat the Mindful Menu for lunch.
PRE-SNACK: Eat a Pre-fuel Snack, such as a banana, before exercising.
RE-SNACK: Eat a Re-fuel Snack, such as a Protein Smoothie, after exercising.
DINNER: Eat a dinner that consists of a protein-dense food, such as salmon or chicken, a carbohydrate-dense food, such as basmati rice, and a vegetable, such as red bell peppers, bok choy or broccoli.
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| And Then There Were Two! T-Shirt Design Contest Ready To Be Settled! There are two finalists remaining in the 2023 T-Shirt Contest. Don’t forget to vote for your favorite by NEXT WEEK at 8 a.m. on WEDNESDAY (April 19)! The winning T-Shirt will be sold at the Patriot School Store! |
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ACADEMICS
NOW THROUGH APRIL 28: Apply for these post-secondary scholarships with deadlines ranging from now through May 1.
MAY 15 ~ Odyssey App/Rec Forms Due: The Fine Arts Division is accepting applications and recommendations for Odyssey 2024 artists and workshop ideas. Students, faculty and staff may use the Odyssey Form to suggest artists and submit workshop ideas for Odyssey, which will run Feb. 13-14, 2024.
CLUBS
NOW THROUGH APRIL ~ Project Cutlery: Green Team is concerned about plastic utensil use at Stevenson. The club has organized a raffle running now through April for students who submit a photo of the reusable utensil they use at Stevenson through this form. Those submissions are entered for a chance to WIN a solar-powered portable charger! There will be THREE randomly selected winners who will be notified in April. Submitted photos MUST show use AT STEVENSON in order to be considered.
NOW THROUGH END OF SCHOOL YEAR ~ Shoe Donations: The Green Team and SWALCO (Solid Waste Agency of Lake County) have partnered to keep unwanted footwear out of landfills. The Green Team will take shoes in ANY condition, whether they are for athletics, formalwear, etc. Collection continues NOW through the END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR in the donation box at the Point, across from the Security Desk. Please e-mail the Green Team sponsor (psuntharanund@d125.org) with any questions.
EVENTS
NOW ~ Tickets Available NOW For TEDx: Mark your calendars, and buy your tickets…the power of TED is coming to Stevenson next month in the form of a student-led and student-run grassroots event called TEDxStevensonHighSchool.
TEDxStevensonHighSchool will follow the theme “Passions and Perspectives” in the
upcoming event, slated for 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on APRIL 25 in the West Auditorium. There are a total of 100 spots available. Tickets are $5 and can be purchased here.
OPPORTUNITIES
ONGOING ~ Apply To Work At Camp Patriot: Camp Patriot is looking for staff for the summer! Camp Patriot is open to kids who are entering kindergarten through eighth grade in the fall. Daily activities are led by Role Models and professional staff. These may include art, cooking, dance, drama, music, sports, STEM and so much more! If you are a current sophomore and older, please stop by Student Activities or visit the PREP Page for more information.
ONGOING ~ Jobs, Jobs, Jobs: Stevenson has a vast array of job postings that is continuously updated with new listings. From job shadows to internships and summer jobs, there is plenty to explore. Check out the Student Career Connection page on the Stevenson website to learn more.
| Seniors: Get out your calendars…you’re probably going to want to “save these dates” as these are the top “Senior Send-Off” events at Stevenson…and you won’t want to miss them! Also included are deadlines for permission slips, early-bird ticketing, etc. We will provide more detailed information here as it becomes available. Stay tuned! Note: The “Seniors: Class Of 2023” page on the Stevenson website will also be updated with all of this information as it becomes available. Save-The-Dates! SATURDAY ~ PROM!! ** Please note that Prom is for Seniors AND Juniors! APRIL 28 ~ Senior Sunrise MAY 25 ~ Senior Class Party MAY 26 ~ Graduation Deadlines! NOW THROUGH MAY 24 ~ Party Time, Seniors…Buy Cruise Tickets: Tickets for “The Senior Class Party,” which is a two-hour boat cruise on Lake Michigan May 25, are available. Tickets are now $45 apiece. To complete the transaction, put your Student ID in the Promo Code. More information: check out the Feb. 7 Daily Digest. |
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Sports Results
Baseball: The Patriots (9-5, 1-2) clinched the lead in the seventh inning for a thrilling conference victory over Warren, 10-6. Stevenson trailed 6-5 in the top of the seventh when JR Nelson singled on the first pitch of the at-bat, scoring 2 runs. In the second inning, Colin Schmitke singled on a 2-2 count, scoring 1 run. Brady Rosenkranz earned the win going 1⅓ innings, allowing 1 run on 2 hits while striking out three batters. Stevenson collected 11 hits on the day. Schmitke, Michael Belbot, Nelson and Joe Richardson all managed multiple hits. Next up for the Patriots is a home game at 4:45 p.m. today against Highland Park on the Varsity Baseball Field.
Softball: Stevenson (4-2-1, 2-2) hosted Lake Forest, dominating the game from its first at-bat and collecting 9 runs by the second inning. The Patriots won 15-1 with Samantha Gotschewski pitching in her first varsity game. She went five innings, striking out 12 batters. Sophia Becker led the offense going 3-for-3 on the day with 2 singles and 1 double. Abbie Lewis and Alyssa Shimanski each tallied 2 hits for the day, with 1 single and 1 double respectively. Next up is a nonconference game against Taft at 7 p.m. Friday night at the Ballpark at Rosemont.
Boys Tennis: The Patriots (2-0, 1-0) defeated visiting Mundelein, 7-0. The No. 1 and No. 2 singles players, Jaden Dai and Nathan Ma won their matches convincingly, 6-0, 6-0. The doubles teams finished strong with four wins. Next up is a match at 4:45 p.m. today against New Trier at the Vernon Hills Athletic Complex.
Sports Reminders
ONGOING: Register for Summer Sports Camp: For freshmen through seniors. Summer Sports Camp brochure, which is also located on the athletics webpage. Register here for Summer Sports Camp. Register early to make sure you are cleared to participate on the first day of camp.
ONGOING ~Sports Boosters Signs: The Sports Boosters are running their annual lawn sign sale. Customize your sign for graduation, school activities and special events. Check out all the fun options!
NEW! ~ Sports Boosters Bricks: Purchase a commemorative brick for the Hall of Fame Garden. Price is $150 for a 4” x 8” brick.
ONGOING THROUGH APRIL 26 ~ Important Cheer Dates: Want to be a cheerleader next school year? The cheerleading program has a series of important dates coming up.
April 17 ~ Parent/Athlete Meeting: 5:30 p.m., Room 5132. April 19 ~ Tryout Clinic: 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Wood Commons. Register HERE. April 24, 25, 26 ~ Tryouts: 4 p.m., each day. Wood Commons.
Mark your calendars for these events and see the Stevenson Calendar for details on these and future programs.
Apr. 12-14: Patriot Pride “Healthy Living Week”
Apr. 12:PSAT 8/9 Testing Day
Apr. 12:SAT With Essay Testing Day
Apr. 12:Sports Boosters Meeting
Apr. 12:FAN ~ “Poverty, By America”
Apr. 13:FAN ~ Weathering: The Extraordinary Stress Of Ordinary Life In An Unjust Society
Apr. 14: SAGA/Patriot Pride: “Day Of Silence”
Apr. 14:Day Of Dance
Apr. 14:PPA Treat Day
Apr. 14:Evening Of Jazz Concert
Apr. 15: PROM 2023
Apr. 17-21:EARTH WEEK
Apr. 17: Family Engagement: Helping Your Teen Develop Self Management Skills
Apr. 17:District 125 Board Of Education Meeting
Apr. 17:FAN ~ It. Goes. So. Fast.: The Year of No Do-Overs
Apr. 18:Percussion Ensemble Spring Concert
Apr. 19:PPA Bake Sale
Apr. 19: 2023 Senior Awards
Apr. 19:FAN ~ The Power of Connection: Building Joy and Life Satisfaction
Stevenson Daily Digest 