There are high achievers and then there’s Manor Lakes 18-year-old Ganika Shree.
The year 12 student at Suzanne Cory High School was recently awarded the VCE Leadership Award for September.
The award is for community service and community leadership, but that barely scratches the surface of what Ms Shree does.
“A mixture of fundraising, free singing lessons, volunteering,” she said of activities that include tutoring disadvantaged children, teaching traditional Indian singing and dance, volunteering at op-shops, organising cake sales and fundraising with Starlight Foundation, Active April, and the 40 Hour Famine among others.
“I was part of the VIctorian SRC committee, Health in Focus and Letters Against Isolation,” Ganika adds in case I’ve missed anything.
Given she’s studying her final year of high school and entering adulthood, a time of stress and strain for many young people, the question is why?
“I guess it’s a deep rooted belief in the power of collective effort to create positive change,” said Ganika, who was born in the Indian city of Bangalore and emigrated to Australia with her family a decade ago.
“It’s seeing the tangible difference we can make when we come together. It’s inspires me to continuing giving my time to initiatives that benefit society as a whole.”
With this in my mind, it’s no surprise then that Ganika plans to become a doctor.
S how does she manage spending every waking hour helping others with achieving the sort of marks required to study medicine?
“Yeah it definitely can be challenging but I feel it’s entirely possible with effective time management and dedication,” said Ganika in a way that doesn’t make it seem challenging at all.
Cade Lucas.
