KATY MAGAZINE NEWS
July 23, 2021
By Natalie Cook Clark
An incoming Seven Lakes High School senior has earned that prestigious Congressional Award Gold Award. She is the only Katy student to do so. The program for young Americans focuses on personal growth and goal achievement in Voluntary Public Service, Personal Development, Physical Fitness, and Expedition/Exploration.
Photo courtesy: Samitha Nemirajaiah
The Only Katy Student to Earn The Medal
Samitha Nemirajaiah of Katy and a Seven Lakes High School senior is the only Katy student to earn this year’s coveted Congressional Award Gold Award for young Americans. The program focuses and awards goal achievements in the areas of Voluntary Public Service, Personal Development, Physical Fitness, and Expedition/Exploration.
Nemirajaiah, 16, will be a senior at Katy ISD’s Seven Lakes High this school year. She strives to work towards a pre-medical degree concentration. Her heart is in community service and helping those around her.
700 Hours of Service and Growing
“During high school, I have served the community (volunteer public service) for 700 plus hours,” says Samitha Nemirajaiah. “I am also a two-time recipient of the Presidential Gold Volunteer Service award.”
Nemirajaiah was born in Houston and has lived in Katy for 10 years.
“It’s hard to believe that a decade has already passed,” says Nemirajaiah as she speaks of her love for the Katy community.
A Passion to Serve
Service is her passion and Nemirajaiah is a volunteer team leader with Harris County Health System. She also serves as a tutor at Katy Christian Ministries and is a discovery youth leader at the Children’s Museum of Science.
Her focus on service continues towards her Seven Lakes High School campus.
“I am a member of the National Honor Society, National Spanish Honor society, and Science National Honor Society,” says Nemirajaiah. “I have been a member of the Student Council since my freshman year, and I look forward to serving as an officer of the Student Council as a community service chair in my upcoming senior year.”
She is also the founder and president of the Hospital and Medical missions club at Seven Lakes High School.
“I am involved with partnering with hospital systems and senior care facilities to serve their needs,” says Nemirajaiah.
She loves school but especially her science classes such as biology and chemistry.
She is applying for both in state and out of state colleges and exploring all her options at the moment.
Plans to be a Doctor
“My dream career is to be a medical doctor/physician scientist,” says Nemirajaiah.
Nemirajaiah loves Katy, especially LaCenterra and the green spaces scattered within it.
“I love eating the carrot cake at the Oh La La Bakery,” says Nemirajaiah.
Nemirajaiah loves learning new languages.
“I am currently learning to speak French and Portuguese,” says Nemirajaiah. “ I would love to keep learning more in the future in my free time.”
While normally the Congressional Award Gold Award is given out at a big ceremony, COVID has changed that. Nemirajaiah will receive her medal and then be recognized at a virtual ceremony in the fall.
Learn more about this prestigious honor and the incredible students across the U.S. who received it this year here.
“I am privileged to be able to spend my time helping my community, and I hope that other people would consider volunteering in their free time,” says Nemirajaiah.