Vatsal Joshi

Participating in extracurricular activities has enriched my diligence and willingness to attempt risky undertakings outside my comfort zone throughout my high school career. On the academics side, I have participated in Health Occupations Students of America, Model United Nations, Genetics in Diseases and Syndromes (GIDAS), Project LEAD, and our school’s finance club. Besides this, I have dipped my feet into athletics by joining our school’s JV Swim team and Shotput/Discus team for the past four years. However, the activities most important to me are along the lines of my orchestral background. I am part of the Troy High Symphony Orchestra, the Detroit Symphony Youth Orchestra, Troy Country Day Fiddlers, and Making Musical Memories, where I cherish my creative side. All in all, these clubs have all been the backbone for my tenacity against failures that arise by being part of these organizations and have acted as a breeding ground for relationships and connections that are significant to my character. 

While clubs have without a doubt enhanced my character, they also have educated me to be a proactive member of my community and support the less fortunate. Outside the classroom, I love to engage in Troy’s political landscape as it accentuates the development of my unique ideologies and provides a platform for me to give back to my community. I was the assistant campaign manager for Dan Agauas’s campaign for city council and a volunteer for Ethan Baker’s campaign for mayor of Troy (who ended up winning). Politics has been a medium to debate and solve issues that slip under the shadows in Troy. While I enjoy delving into politics, my most adored interest is within the realms of music. To most people, music is simply a gateway to pass time, but for me, music holds the power to manipulate my emotions. This is why in moments of distress, I run to music for seeking solace from the stresses of life. I recount performing a World War II piece named “Adagio for Strings,” where I envisioned warplanes flying above my head, families rushing to save their children, and widows mourning their lost husbands. Somber music like this piece allowed me to be thankful for the moments I take for granted and put my current struggles into perspective. Music is a big part of my identity and remains a useful asset in my life.

Waking up at 2 p.m. in the afternoon one day, I groggily rolled off my bed and ruminated over the lackluster days passing in quarantine. I walked across my room wholly lost on what to do until I stumbled upon my 3D printer. Under the dense film of dust on this machine, I thought about 3D printing masks and face shields for my local hospital. One thing after the other, I learned how to CAD design a mask, and after a couple of days, I gave the shipment of 40 face shields to the Beaumont Hospital. Though this minuscule amount of PPE was merely a drop of how many are used every day at Beaumont, I hit an epiphany about how giving up my time for the benefit of others provides me with internal satisfaction and gives a purpose to wake up every morning. A new burning sense of motivation was born and I planned to join more volunteering organizations during quarantine until now, where I am a part of the Troy Youth Education Foundation. Now, I sleep soundly at night knowing my tasks every day leave a footprint on my community.