About Kirthi
It’s easy for Kirthi Kumar (Class of 2016) to recall the inspirational teachers, challenging curriculum and life lesson-learning encounters that made her time at Nysmith so memorable and meaningful. She spent a total of 11years there, from Beginners through 8th grade, and suffice it to say, she more than met both the academic and developmental challenges of that decade. Perhaps Kirthi’s biggest challenge now is picking from the many dozens of Nysmith classes, classmates and classroom projects she credits with preparing her for the steps she has taken in subsequent years. She has gone on to excel at the Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology, to start a regional initiative to encourage more girls to pursue STEM courses & careers and to receive recognition as one of the VA-MD-DC region’s most accomplished teenagers. And when asked what set her on the path to success, Kirthi leaves little doubt that The Nysmith School for the Gifted gave her educational and social gifts galore that have served—and will continue to serve—her well. “There is a special environment at Nysmith that makes you love to learn, to dig deeper and ask questions,” she explained. “The teachers use a lot of self-directed learning that challenges students and instills in them a strong sense of confidence to apply what they’ve learned to all parts of their life.
They also stress the importance of collaborating with your peers, being respectful of other’s opinions and working well as a team. You form an incredibly close connection with your fellow students and your teachers.” Kirthi’s list of Nysmith activities is as diverse as it is distinguished. She was editor of the Newspaper Club, an active member of Model UN, played the flute in the school band, constructed a robotic arm for her 8th grade Science Fair project and built on her first computer programming experience as a 3rd grader to today being able to program in several different languages and build software applications. Her achievements have earned her a myriad of accolades, including the Washington Executive STEM “Rising Star Award,” a 1st place finish in the Virginia State Science Fair and recognition from the National Center for Women in Information Technology and Women In Technology among many other organizations. “I learned so much at Nysmith in terms of academics and life skills,” said Kirthi. “I became a leader and developed communications skills that have helped me so much in high school. And it was there, as a young girl, that I was taught about sharing, caring about my classmates, giving back to others less fortunate and taking advantage of so many great opportunities to learn about myself and what is important to me.”