Eight District 196 students with aspirations for computer science and technology careers have earned recognition from the Minnesota Technology Foundation, an affiliate of the National Center for Women & Information Technology Aspirations in Computing program. Minnesota’s Aspirations in Computing program brings together corporate, community and educational partners to fuel student interest in STEM fields. The organization is creating a strong, diverse future workforce for high-tech jobs by inspiring, mentoring, and supporting high school students. 

The annual Top-Tier and Rising Star Awards recognize high school students for their accomplishments in computing, leadership, community engagement, and resilience. Students earn more than recognition, as the program opens doors to year-round mentorship, career exploration, professional development, scholarships, internships, and hands-on tech experiences. 

District 196 students earning state and national recognition include:

Bethelehem Kebede (Senior, Rosemount High School) – State Winner and National Honorable Mention recipient. Bethelehem was introduced to STEM through We Share Solar and later participated in the Stanford Program for Inspiring the Next Generation of Women in Physics. She applies machine learning models for Sign Language Translation and mentors elementary students in Java through Kids for Code. She plans to pursue a degree in biomedical engineering on the pre-med track.

Laasya Pandari (Sophomore, Rosemount High School) – State Winner and National Honorable Mention recipient. Laasya discovered her passion for STEM during an internship at Optum, where she collaborated with UX designers and explored computer science. A two-time state DECA qualifier and debate state quarterfinalist, she is committed to using technology to solve real-world problems and looks forward to advancing in the tech field.

Advika Chaudhari (Junior, Eastview High School) – National Honorable Mention recipient. Advika is an advocate for STEM education for underserved communities. Since discovering her passion for technology in third grade through block programming and FIRST Robotics, Advika has become a robotics team captain and software lead. She also leads initiatives like Girls Who Code, Technovation, and Her FIRST to inspire young learners in STEM.

Recognizing Rising Stars Minnesota’s Aspirations in Computing program is also proud to honor students demonstrating exceptional potential in computing through the Rising Star awards:

• Navika Kishore (Senior, Eastview High School)
• Abby Ochanda (Senior, Rosemount High School)
• Shreya Shobankumar (Sophomore, Rosemount High School)
• Cyrena Vaught (Senior, Rosemount High School)
• Noelle Wanken (Junior, Rosemount High School)

For more information about Minnesota’s Aspirations in Computing program, visit the MN High Tech Association AiC website.