At 16 years old, Akshita Bandari is already making an impact in her school and community. A rising junior at Shaker High School, Akshita has been part of Girls Inc. and the Eureka! Program for nearly three years and is making the most of every opportunity along the way!

Outside of Girls Inc., Akshita stays busy leading EmpowerMed, a youth health-literacy initiative she founded during her freshman year. She also serves as vice president of her school’s Key Club, co-president of the Civics Club, and is a member of the varsity swim team. When she’s not busy with school and extracurriculars, she enjoys reading, traveling, binge-watching shows, and learning new things just for the fun of it.

Her dedication to service and leadership has already earned her recognition, including the Young Excellence Award from the YWCA of Northeastern New York and the New York State Seal of Civic Readiness.

For Akshita, one of her most meaningful Girls Inc. experiences came when she began her first internship through the Eureka! Program.

“I remember being incredibly nervous stepping into a real workplace for the first time. I definitely felt like I wasn’t prepared enough or experienced enough to belong in a professional environment.”

Before beginning her internship, Akshita participated in a full day of job-readiness workshops coordinated through the Eureka! Program. The experience helped her build the confidence and practical skills she needed to take that next step.

“By the time I walked into my internship, I definitely felt much more prepared and ready to take on my first internship,” she shared. “That experience showed me that I was capable of more than I thought, and it reminded me how powerful it is to have people and programs that invest in your growth. It was the first time I truly felt prepared to show up as my best self. ”

Now, nearly three years into her Girls Inc. journey, Akshita continues to challenge herself and explore new possibilities. Most recently, she completed a two-week Exploration in Pathology program at the University of Rochester, adding another exciting experience to her growing list of accomplishments.

From leading her own initiative to serving her school community and exploring future career opportunities, Akshita is already showing what it means to be strong, smart, and bold.