Vasundhara Joshi

Age: 11 (October 14, 2009)

School: Grade 6 Student at Walter and Gladys Hill Public School for School Year 2020/2021

Future Goal: To study technology, programming and become an entrepreneur in engineering

Written by Muneeb Ikram, MACOY

Vasundhara Joshi is a dynamo, and with just over a decade of life experience, the 11-year-old already has a long list of accolades and achievements on her portfolio, winning provincial awards and making a community impact along her way.

During the pandemic, she worked hard to advocate for her classmates and became the president of her student council at Walter and Gladys Hill Public School.

“My advice to children and youth is to keep going. Never give up and do something you enjoy but be sure to take a break and get some air.” — Vasundhara Joshi

Her leadership has helped her voice concerns and answer questions about online learning, wearing facemasks, school curriculum and mental health.

Looking back at the past school year, Vasundhara said it was the student election that she enjoyed most as it brought everyone together and gave her a good perspective on how election campaigns work.

“I enjoyed that the most, especially while campaigning with friends and having a real election. It brought the students together with group activities,” she said.

Through academics, she is a pioneer in her school’s technology program and has ventured into robotics and technology.

Her motivation to seek new avenues in STEM learning honoured her with a second-place win at the Wood Buffalo regional robotics competition and an MVP title at the Fort McMurray Innovation Fair.

Her breakthrough in robotics has not only improved her confidence and school’s reputation but has been a game-changer in elementary school technology programs.

Today, she continues to thrive in workshops in the Girls Inc. of Northern Alberta’s STEM learning program. Vasundhara has also been a regular participant in the Wood Buffalo Regional Science Fair and won silver during the 2021 competition.

She’s also received the Enbridge Young Innovator award. Her extracurricular activities take her to the gymnasium as an avid basketball and volleyball player. Vasundhara also loves to dance, and she celebrates her culture through choreographic Bharatnatyam dance.

Her performances have taken her to the stage through local events held by the Multicultural Association of Wood Buffalo. In literary arts, she’s a poet and received literary arts recognition in the Wood Buffalo Regional Library’s Words in Motion program for the past two years.

Her teachers and peers would share how her hard work ethic is inspirational, and she has a kind heart. Vasundhara’s balance between work and academics is extraordinary.

She has a lot of passion for the community, and she’s just getting started.

About the author

YMM Parent Team

YMM Parent Team is a collaboration of authors and contributors from in and around Fort McMurray.