Schools

Patch Whiz Kid of the Week—Shriya Perati

Know an outstanding youth, sports team, school club or any accomplished young citizen who is deserving of this mini-profile honor? Send you nominations to sheila.sanchez@patch.com.

Shriya Perati, Age 13

Schools: Young Genius EducationalCenter in Saratoga and Los Gatos, ninth-grader at Monta Vista High School in Cupertino

Accomplishments:


  • Second place at the 2013 Voices Foundation Lincoln Douglas Debate Invitational & Round Robin Tournament at Presentation High School
  • Part of the Young Genius Speech and Debate Team
  • Part of the Varsity Girls Golf team at Monta Vista High School
  • Senior company member for several years at East west Music and Dance. She has performed at many company sponsored events including an opening piece for the New York City Rockettes.
  • Learning Indian Classical Dance Bharatanatyam, Debut performance planned for April 2014
  • Learning Indian Classical music since the age of five


Key to Awesomeness:

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Shriya has been part of the Young Genius Speech and Debate Team for almost a year. She has since participated in the James Logan Middle School Invitational, Santa Clara University High School Tournament, Peter Burnett Middle School Tournament and the Voices Foundation LD Invitational, said Young Genius Educational Center owner Helen Heinsohn.

Shriya discovered her passion for speech and debate after a summer enrichment camp at Stanford University, as well as a student at Young Genius Speech and Debate Academy, Helen Heinsohn added.

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Don Heinsohn, director of Young Genius Speech and Debate Program, states: “When I fist met Shriya, I saw that she had great talent. I am so proud of her as she took second place at her first tournament of the year.”

Apart from debate Shriya has been learning Indian classical dance since the age of 6. Shriya is currently training to perform her dance debut in April 2014.

Shriya has also been learning Western dance since the age of 3 and dedicates many hours every week to learning ballet, jazz, modern, and contemporary forms of dance.

Shriya has also been learning Indian classical music or nine years and has performed at many school events and fundraisers.

As a freshman at Monta Vista High School, Shriya is on the school’s Varsity Girls Golf Team and Lincoln Douglas Debate team. 

She has been a Girl Scout since the age of 5 and has completed her Bronze and Silver Awards.

Shriya’s most recent interest is in biomedical research and she plans to continue her work under the guidance of her school STEM advisor during the school year, Helen Heinsohn said.  

Shriya also loves to paint, sketch and draw in her spare time, she added.






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