Meet the Students

Well-rounded student leader

Saumya S joined Elmwood in grade 9 and has made the most of her 4 years here—excelling in the classroom and beyond.

On the academic front, Saumya has consistently earned high marks in all subjects. She was awarded school medals for the Fermat and Hypatia Math contests and has received the Academic Achievement Award every year she has attended Elmwood.

"I find the all-girls environment keeps the focus on learning. There’s no intimidation, no distraction," said Saumya. "I’m very inspired by my teachers, and love that I’ve been able to get to know them well."

At Elmwood, Saumya has been involved in a wide range of activities, clubs and groups. She was the editor-in-chief of the yearbook last year, and also takes part in the Model United Nations, Envirothon, Elmwood Theatre, Cappies and writes for the Tartan Tattler. She was awarded the Elmwood Golden "E" award for school involvement and received the Yearbook Editor’s award. Additionally, Saumya was the chief organizer for our 2008 International Night fundraiser—a multidisciplinary celebration of culture and diversity. Outside of school hours, she spends a great deal of time training as an Indian Classical dancer. She has been performing and competing for 12 years, and has won many awards. Her appreciation for the arts, dance and languages lead to her leadership of Elmwood’s Dance Club and the Cultures Club.

"At Elmwood, I’ve been encouraged to take on leadership roles, and I’ve taken every opportunity to do so with enthusiasm," explains Saumya. "The environment here has allowed me to feel comfortable with taking on responsibility. It has prepared me well for future leadership roles—whether at university or in my career."

Saumya further strengthened her leadership skills this past summer, when she was chosen to attend the Shad Valley program at Dalhousie University in Halifax. This one-month program combines entrepreneurship with science and technology, and encourages creativity, problem-solving and team-work. During her time at Shad Valley, Saumya worked on a group project, designing and marketing a new product. The final project was entered in the RBC/Shad Entrepreneurship Cup, where it was awarded Best Overall Project, as well as winning awards in 6 categories. She also went on to an internship at IBM where she was able to combine her own talents with the skills honed at Shad to tackle real-world challenges.