Aadya Gattu may just be graduating from high school but she already has a laundry list of accomplishments under her belt, and is most certainly poised to have many more.
The Central Bucks South senior was recognized for her social justice work recently when she was chosen from almost 17,000 students for a National Honor Society scholarship, followed by an additional Pillar award from the NHS for character. In total, she received $10,000.
“It feels very gratifying to know that my hard work is being recognized,” said Gattu. “Being selected as a winner reaffirmed my commitment to continue serving my community.”
A first-generation Indian American, Gattu has volunteered with multiple organizations, including Youth4Unity, the Prajwala Foundation and A Woman’s Place. She’s also interned for local, state and federal lawmakers, tutored in CB South’s writing center and helped organize voter registration drives.
While she said she “was never an outdoorsy person,” her mother encouraged her to try scouting.
“I totally fell in love with it,” she said. “It’s a group of people who try to be better every day.”
She became a senior patrol leader and Eagle Scout in a groundbreaking female Boy Scout troop. Her Eagle Scout project was making “mental health baskets” for the medical advocacy teams that support victims of domestic violence through the Doylestown-based agency, A Woman’s Place.
With an eye toward becoming a lawyer, Gattu said her yearly participation in her school’s mock trial program was “amazing.”
“It really has shaped me into a better thinker, a better writer,” she added.
Asked what advice she would offer other young people, Gattu said, “Don’t be afraid to reach out” when there are opportunities.
“Even if you might be too young, or not have all the right credentials, just try. You might be surprised.”
After graduation, Gattu is considering Duke University, University of Virginia, or maybe the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.
“I may want to go into politics, but I want a career as a lawyer first,” she said.
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