We’ve had many achievements and events named after important members in our nation’s history. For example, there is an entire musical about one of our nation’s founding fathers (Alexander Hamilton), colleges named after presidents, and even a sculpture of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln to represent the first 150 years of American history. However, the true value behind these accomplishments are what they hold for the future generations, such as the Calvin Coolidge scholarship. Calvin Coolidge was the 22nd president of the United States from 1923 to 1929 and was best known for his strong support for women’s suffrage and restoring public confidence in the White House after the many scandals of his predecessor’s administration. In spite of these notions, what is most important to future generations is the scholarship in his name, which was awarded to Class of 2023’s Mihira Karnik. Known as a “Coolidge Senator”, Mihira is awarded a scholarship that covers a student’s full tuition, room and board, and required fees for four years of undergraduate study, as well as a trip to Washington D.C., earning her the opportunity to meet the leading lights involved in policy making.

Mihira is currently a senior who has a passion towards health and nutritional research. She has started not just one, but two clubs at ACP High School: Science is Fun club-directed toward kids so they can learn science in an engaging way- and ACPella-directed toward the singers at our club who are interested in exploring their voice. Outside of our school’s halls, Mihira loves the arts, such as singing and dancing, even going as far as to teach young individuals in the age range between five and thirteen about these majestical art forms. When asked about Mihira’s motivation behind her application, she said “I was motivated to apply not only because of the scholarship, but also because of the opportunity to work with like-minded individuals. I loved the opportunity to travel to DC and learn more about its rich history and meet other students who share similar values with me.” She explains that her main takeaway from this experience is her realization that “the world is so much bigger than I imagined. I met people from across the country with completely different backgrounds than me and from very different schools. They are all so high-achieving in different ways ranging from star athletes to accomplished artists to best-selling authors to internationally recognized researchers.” She concludes on the note that her world view has broadened after meeting political figures that shared their experiences in office.

Mihira advises the underclassmen and others who are interested to apply for this program. “It’s such an amazing chance to meet other student leaders and find new opportunities to pursue your interests. It was also such a fun trip, and I know I made so many lifelong friends.” After high school, Mihira is looking to go to a four-year-college and pursuing a major in biochemistry or nutrition; many of these colleges being on the East Coast as potential possibilities for Mihira to go to! To conclude her analysis of the scholarship, Mihira shares her experience with us regarding her trip, saying that she had a lot of fun and even made new friendships that she’s excited to build on.

“We toured the Supreme Court and met a couple of one of the justice’s clerks. We also met The Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology in the Department of Transportation. We all had an exciting conversation about student loans with her. We met the CEO of C-Span, Vermont governor, as well as many other speakers. We also toured the White House; that was definitely my favorite part.”

Whether you’re interested in the scholarship itself, the trip to the capital, or both, Mihira is an example of how the dedication and effort you put in early will give you the sweetest fruit that comes out of your labor. Scholarships are awarded to anyone who shows that they hold potential to go beyond the expectations and norms of our society, becoming future leaders and innovators for generations to come. With that being said, it’s time to conclude this article with the our very own ACP motto which summarizes this interview in just a few words: Strive for the impossible and be extraordinary!