Boardman High School Senior Shines Twice in National Spotlight

BOARDMAN, Ohio – Boardman High School announced Friday that senior Swathi Padmanabhan has been honored with two prestigious awards, catapulting her into the national spotlight.

Swathi won the Congressional App Challenge in the 6th District of Ohio for 2023. Her winning app, Nalox-Not-Alone, consolidates locations that sell naloxone over-the-counter and provides locations to the people who need it. More than 11,300 students entered the national competition that’s designed to encourage students to learn to code and inspire them to pursue careers in computer science.

The National Honor Society also recently selected Padmanabhan as a NHS Scholarship semifinalist, and awarded her a scholarship worth more than $3,000.

Says Boardman’s NHS advisor Jenefer Basista, “I am very proud of Swathi. She is truly deserving. Swathi is driven, compassionate, and demonstrates a true sense of responsibility for her school, the student body and her community.”

At Boardman High, Padmanabhan serves as vice president of the NHS, founding a new chapter of the national Best Buddies program, which pairs exceptionally talented students with those with specific disabilities.

This school year, she volunteered at the 16th annual Buddy Walk for the Down Syndrome Association of the Valley, helped organize Thanksgiving meal bags for BHS’s food pantry, worked with a district fundraiser to aid another Spartan family in need, and continues to serve as a tutor.

Padmanabhan has also made her mark with the speech and debate team. And she has been recognized as a National Merit Finalist and is awaiting word on whether she will receive the prestigious National Merit Scholarship.

Padmanabhan plans to study computer engineering and is still deciding on her college of choice.

Pictured at top: Swathi Padmanabhan receives National Honor Society National Scholarship as a semifinalist.

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