Whether it is meeting with famous actors, planning CHR and Looking Glass activities, or crashing out on the floor, Sanya has done and seen it all. Constantly meeting with everyone and working hard to make everyone’s time at Montrose the best they’ve had, Sanya has left a deep impression on the Montrose Community. In her four years here, Sanya has been a leader in Student Government, Speech & Debate, Model UN, the Looking Glass Newspaper, and so much more. Sanya has been a key member of the Montrose newspaper since the fall of 2022 and has grown in her passion for journalism and news. She began as the Politics Editor, modeling the best in fair-mindedness, and climbed the ranks to become our fearless and fun Editor-in-Chief her senior year!
In school some of Sanya’s favorite things to do are planning fun CHR’s, helping the student government team, and participating in the other clubs she is involved in. Outside of school you can find her volunteering in local elections, encouraging others to use their voices, or fangirling over Taylor Swift. Out of all the famous people that she has met, she shared that her favorite one is Maitreyi Ramakrishnan. (They met at the SXSW film festival in Austin, Texas for the premiere of her movie Slanted. Sanya got tickets to the festival after months of non stop emails and calls and landed a golden chance to meet her.)
When asked to reflect on her Looking Glass journey, Sanya shared that she especially enjoyed learning about the bipartisan perspectives of the people around her, as it helped her develop new ways to hear and understand differing viewpoints. This also helped her ensure that her news articles draw from a wide range of sources and perspectives, rather than leaning in any particular direction. Upon asking about her favorite senior perk she admits that she loves being able to leave school and explore Medfield, also known as “side quests,” to find new restaurants and local shops. Sanya shared that she’ll always remember the closely knit community of Montrose and the feeling of being able to connect with and talk to a new person every day. She also loved the academically driven environment where the focus of the girls on their academic progress and club involvement inspired her to pursue new levels of excellence.
Speaking of excellence, Sanya was recognized many times throughout her years at Montrose for her academic achievement, as well as her work in local elections. She founded The Vote Movement where her research on local election participation can be used to encourage increased participation in local elections across the nation. She also gave a TEDX talk last fall, Flipping the Script on Local Elections, to get young people involved in spreading awareness and engagement in local elections. She received the Harvard Book Award in her junior year, and this year received Recognition for her outstanding Capstone project, titled “Participation without Representation: The Hidden Crisis in Local Elections.” She also won the Lions Club competition at the State level in her sophomore year. These are just a few of the many awards and recognitions Sanya received and deserved throughout her years at Montrose!
However beyond all the academics and awards, Sanya is a dear friend to many. She is a very good listener, and is talented at connecting people and reducing drama. She is very generous with her time and constantly prioritizes meeting face to face with teachers, mentors, and students. We all know her, we all love her, and we all will miss her a lot when she goes off to UPenn. Thank you so much for everything you’ve contributed to Montrose and the greater Boston community, Sanya! We can’t wait to see all the ways you will make a difference at UPenn and beyond!
